A couple of points with which I have an issue given the date the store opened which was 1909.
Did they have automatically opening and closing doors on the lifts?
Were plate glass display windows of the size seen, available at the time?
Yes to both your above points.
However, it was much more worrying to see Oxford Street totally devoid from the profusion of mixed horse traffic, a clean street, coupled with pathetic looking motorised buses displaying insufficient advertising signs for the time 1908/09. Where were the Bovril, Camp Coffee, Hudson's Soap, Robin Starch, OXO, Venos Lightning Cough Cure and Virol invalid food signs?
As for Mr Selfridge, he's a bit of a Stephens ink splash full of R. White's ginger beer with a massive pop to his cork. Not my cup of Mazawatee tea. I'd guess being some kind of fictional Yank he was brought up "hooked on" Mrs Winslows soothing syrup!
This is shaping up like the Downton v Upstairs Downstairs debate last year.
I didn't see The Paradise but enjoyed the first episode of Mr Selfridge. I'm glad to see that we are getting another good escapist period drama to cheer up dull wintery Sunday evenings.
I enjoyed it, didnt think i would after reading some comments on here. I also love The Paradise, and found my self comparing certain things, and characters but i think once it gets going ill forget to do that.
I really like the dancer / show girl, what else has she been in?
I'm the complete opposite, I gave up on The Paradise after one episode.....the acting, the characters and the production, all awful imo.
Loving Mr Selfridge, everything so much better, from the acting to the MUCH higher production values, it's as if The paradise was a Corner Shop.
Liking Zoë Tapper 'Ellen Love' too.;)
I wasn't greatly impressed with episode 1 of The Paradise, but I think I was ill or something so, with nothing else to do, I watched ep. 2 and that pulled me in!
Why does the founder of Selfridges get a series and not the founder of Harrods?
Al Fayed would probably want a Princess Diana and a Michael Jackson lookalike regularly walking past in key scenes or having a bit part in it as well as other unusual demands!
Don't get me wrong, I think it will be a hit and crush Ripper Street in the ratings - having seen one episode of both, I much prefer Ripper in terms of story and acting, but it's too dark and nasty for me on a Sunday night, I'd rather watch it on the player later in the week.
I'm liking both dramas at the moment, but as possible last thing to watch before the dreary Monday morning, I reckon people will most likely want something like this than blood and guts. However I'll stick with Ripper due to availability of ITV+1 and IPlayer of course.
I did not see the Paradise so could not compare it if I wanted to
If this thread so far is an indication of how discussions will be like for the rest of the series, and even though I enjoyed The Paradise, this may be a good thing.
Whenever he spoke it was as if we had dropped into an advertising break.
Bad enough when the volume soars during the adverts, but during the program, and especially when it is just one character out of so many, makes it particularly annoying.
Good to be able to FF through the interminable adverts, (around 30 minutes in total), but you can't do that with the actual program.
Jeremy's shouting every line was very irratating. Wasnt very convinved my Katherine, not likeable either. Didnt like the sped up or slowed down scenes.
It's debatable. The BBC 'ommissioned'The Paradise 9 months before ITV commissioned Mr Selfridge but ITV had already been developing the Selfridges show for more than a year and neither side knew what the other were up to. It depends whether you go by 'first thought of doing' or 'signed off the budget and went into production'.
The BBC rushed The Paradise forward to Sept and ITV pushed theirs back to January to avoid a clash and to go out when ratings are higher. This was because the BBC so duffed up the re-launch of Upstairs Downstairs by putting it into committee for literally years. I don't believe that UD would ever have beat DA though in the long run because it just wasn't so good overall and in the end even Eileen Atkins walked off it, she was so fed up of the wrangling over scripts that didn't meet the BBC agenda. You can't imagine Maggie Smith walking off DA as her - and everyone else's - part is so suited to her talents for her to shine.
Personally, I don't think the BBC's role as the state broadcaster funded by the taxpayer should be to set out to bash commercial TV in the ratings. It should try to make programmes in genres that are not catered for elsewhere, are unique, exceptional, British (i.e. not US co-productions that cater mostly not to us but to making money in the USA and elsewhere) and stick to educating, informing and entertaining as Lord Reith stated at the very start. Ironically, Mr Selfridge is more informative than The Paradisebecause it's broadly true while The Paradise is a total reworking in English of an out of copyright French novel. I'm not knocking The Paradise but mostly only the BBC will give us classic British literature in serial form and do it properly and I'd prefer them to do that.
I loved Mr Selfridge, I thought it was a very light and frothy romp and I thought the central performance carried it along. I spend half my life in the USA and Americans really are like that at business, flying by the seat of their pants and BS-ing everyone about the cashflow. I didn't find his performance OTT, I just thought he was what a US entrepreneur would be like versus the British at that time. Nice to see Gregory Fitoussi from Spiral in it too, odd to hear him speaking English too!!!
It's debatable. The BBC 'ommissioned'The Paradise 9 months before ITV commissioned Mr Selfridge but ITV had already been developing the Selfridges show for more than a year and neither side knew what the other were up to. It depends whether you go by 'first thought of doing' or 'signed off the budget and went into production'.
The Paradise had been in development at the BBC before it was commissioned. Writer Bill Gallagher has confirmed this - he pitched it to them. Broadcasters don't just commission undeveloped titles. So not really that debatable ...
Personally, I don't think the BBC's role as the state broadcaster funded by the taxpayer should be to set out to bash commercial TV in the ratings. It should try to make programmes in genres that are not catered for elsewhere, are unique, exceptional, British (i.e. not US co-productions that cater mostly not to us but to making money in the USA and elsewhere) and stick to educating, informing and entertaining as Lord Reith stated at the very start. Ironically, Mr Selfridge is more informative than The Paradisebecause it's broadly true while The Paradise is a total reworking in English of an out of copyright French novel. I'm not knocking The Paradise but mostly only the BBC will give us classic British literature in serial form and do it properly and I'd prefer them to do that.
Sorry - reality check time. Of course the BBC doesn't need to behave like a commercial broadcaster - but BBC One is a mainstream channel, aimed at mass audiences, and designed to get as many people watching as possible. It's not a minority, niche channel. And the BBC does need to make shows that attract large numbers of viewers. Otherwise its critics will just complain that nobody watches it and therefore 'why are we paying the Licence Fee?' ... :rolleyes: As for co-productions, drama is increasingly expensive and that is why you will find a growing number of them on-screen. I'm sure the BBC would love to be fully funding shows, but it can't afford to. If you don't like that, blame the government. Also, BBC programmes do need to make money being sold overseas - otherwise its income diminishes further, and it can't afford that.
Sure, Mr Selfridge may be informative in part - but it's also dramatised reality, so how 'informative' is it actually? We know that many of the characters we see are Andrew Davies' creations.
I loved Mr Selfridge, I thought it was a very light and frothy romp and I thought the central performance carried it along. I spend half my life in the USA and Americans really are like that at business, flying by the seat of their pants and BS-ing everyone about the cashflow. I didn't find his performance OTT, I just thought he was what a US entrepreneur would be like versus the British at that time. Nice to see Gregory Fitoussi from Spiral in it too, odd to hear him speaking English too!!!
I too have worked in America and witnessed how US businessmen operate. However, I'd agree with everyone else who has commented on Piven's performance - it is poorly judged and there's no complexity to it: it's either brash and in yer face or him trying to do 'tense' and 'guilty'. It really made me appreciate how good other actors can be. And I'm not sure I want that kind of performance in my living room on a Sunday night ... but each to their own!
I think that Jeremy Piven is just great in the role. I should imagine that Mr Selfridge WAS loud and bombastic, with great self belief. A lot of self made men are loud, just look at Lord Sugar.;)
I think that Jeremy Piven is just great in the role. I should imagine that Mr Selfridge WAS loud and bombastic, with great self belief. A lot of self made men are loud, just look at Lord Sugar.;)
I like him too! He's very watchable. I do like this show - it really is the light, fluffy, soapy entertainment that Sunday night needs before going to dreary work the following day.
My only problem with the show is Katherine Kelly. I do like Katherine Kelly, I thought that 90% of the time on Coronation Street - she was one of the best things about it (especially her early days). I thought when she left she had great things ahead for her (and still do) but her accent on Mr Selfridge is so totally, ludicrously comic-book toff - I find it just a bit distracting. I mean I know the show is supposed to be slightly tongue-in-cheek - but she just goes over the top with that silly voice.
Selfridges isn't really a typical store though. Its just a load of concession stands from other retailers. It would only go bust if all of the others went bust first.
The one in The Trafford Centre has a small Primark area in it. People do shop there just to get the Selfridges bag .
Comments
Yes to both your above points.
However, it was much more worrying to see Oxford Street totally devoid from the profusion of mixed horse traffic, a clean street, coupled with pathetic looking motorised buses displaying insufficient advertising signs for the time 1908/09. Where were the Bovril, Camp Coffee, Hudson's Soap, Robin Starch, OXO, Venos Lightning Cough Cure and Virol invalid food signs?
As for Mr Selfridge, he's a bit of a Stephens ink splash full of R. White's ginger beer with a massive pop to his cork. Not my cup of Mazawatee tea. I'd guess being some kind of fictional Yank he was brought up "hooked on" Mrs Winslows soothing syrup!
Other than that it was just about OK.
I didn't see The Paradise but enjoyed the first episode of Mr Selfridge. I'm glad to see that we are getting another good escapist period drama to cheer up dull wintery Sunday evenings.
I really like the dancer / show girl, what else has she been in?
Ellen Love?
I don't know - I know I've seen her in something before but when I looked at her filmography, I hadn't seen anything listed lol
I wasn't greatly impressed with episode 1 of The Paradise, but I think I was ill or something so, with nothing else to do, I watched ep. 2 and that pulled me in!
Was she called Miss Love or something ?
She looked just like Keira Knightly to me only prettier and without Knightly's annoying teeth/ forced smile .
Perhaps the answer to this may become obvious in later episodes.
Al Fayed would probably want a Princess Diana and a Michael Jackson lookalike regularly walking past in key scenes or having a bit part in it as well as other unusual demands!
I'm liking both dramas at the moment, but as possible last thing to watch before the dreary Monday morning, I reckon people will most likely want something like this than blood and guts. However I'll stick with Ripper due to availability of ITV+1 and IPlayer of course.
If this thread so far is an indication of how discussions will be like for the rest of the series, and even though I enjoyed The Paradise, this may be a good thing.
She (Zoe Tapper) played Anya in Survivors.
I liked it overall but he is just like a comedy joke, he goes OTT. He reminds me of Father Christmas on speed.
The Paradise. It's well documented.
Good question.
Whenever he spoke it was as if we had dropped into an advertising break.
Bad enough when the volume soars during the adverts, but during the program, and especially when it is just one character out of so many, makes it particularly annoying.
Good to be able to FF through the interminable adverts, (around 30 minutes in total), but you can't do that with the actual program.
Jeremy's shouting every line was very irratating. Wasnt very convinved my Katherine, not likeable either. Didnt like the sped up or slowed down scenes.
Nothing compared to The Paradise im afraid.
It's debatable. The BBC 'ommissioned'The Paradise 9 months before ITV commissioned Mr Selfridge but ITV had already been developing the Selfridges show for more than a year and neither side knew what the other were up to. It depends whether you go by 'first thought of doing' or 'signed off the budget and went into production'.
The BBC rushed The Paradise forward to Sept and ITV pushed theirs back to January to avoid a clash and to go out when ratings are higher. This was because the BBC so duffed up the re-launch of Upstairs Downstairs by putting it into committee for literally years. I don't believe that UD would ever have beat DA though in the long run because it just wasn't so good overall and in the end even Eileen Atkins walked off it, she was so fed up of the wrangling over scripts that didn't meet the BBC agenda. You can't imagine Maggie Smith walking off DA as her - and everyone else's - part is so suited to her talents for her to shine.
Personally, I don't think the BBC's role as the state broadcaster funded by the taxpayer should be to set out to bash commercial TV in the ratings. It should try to make programmes in genres that are not catered for elsewhere, are unique, exceptional, British (i.e. not US co-productions that cater mostly not to us but to making money in the USA and elsewhere) and stick to educating, informing and entertaining as Lord Reith stated at the very start. Ironically, Mr Selfridge is more informative than The Paradisebecause it's broadly true while The Paradise is a total reworking in English of an out of copyright French novel. I'm not knocking The Paradise but mostly only the BBC will give us classic British literature in serial form and do it properly and I'd prefer them to do that.
I loved Mr Selfridge, I thought it was a very light and frothy romp and I thought the central performance carried it along. I spend half my life in the USA and Americans really are like that at business, flying by the seat of their pants and BS-ing everyone about the cashflow. I didn't find his performance OTT, I just thought he was what a US entrepreneur would be like versus the British at that time. Nice to see Gregory Fitoussi from Spiral in it too, odd to hear him speaking English too!!!
If still open this is a free advert for the store.
The Paradise had been in development at the BBC before it was commissioned. Writer Bill Gallagher has confirmed this - he pitched it to them. Broadcasters don't just commission undeveloped titles. So not really that debatable ...
Sorry - reality check time. Of course the BBC doesn't need to behave like a commercial broadcaster - but BBC One is a mainstream channel, aimed at mass audiences, and designed to get as many people watching as possible. It's not a minority, niche channel. And the BBC does need to make shows that attract large numbers of viewers. Otherwise its critics will just complain that nobody watches it and therefore 'why are we paying the Licence Fee?' ... :rolleyes: As for co-productions, drama is increasingly expensive and that is why you will find a growing number of them on-screen. I'm sure the BBC would love to be fully funding shows, but it can't afford to. If you don't like that, blame the government. Also, BBC programmes do need to make money being sold overseas - otherwise its income diminishes further, and it can't afford that.
Sure, Mr Selfridge may be informative in part - but it's also dramatised reality, so how 'informative' is it actually? We know that many of the characters we see are Andrew Davies' creations.
I too have worked in America and witnessed how US businessmen operate. However, I'd agree with everyone else who has commented on Piven's performance - it is poorly judged and there's no complexity to it: it's either brash and in yer face or him trying to do 'tense' and 'guilty'. It really made me appreciate how good other actors can be. And I'm not sure I want that kind of performance in my living room on a Sunday night ... but each to their own!
it's still open they have a website
I like him too! He's very watchable. I do like this show - it really is the light, fluffy, soapy entertainment that Sunday night needs before going to dreary work the following day.
My only problem with the show is Katherine Kelly. I do like Katherine Kelly, I thought that 90% of the time on Coronation Street - she was one of the best things about it (especially her early days). I thought when she left she had great things ahead for her (and still do) but her accent on Mr Selfridge is so totally, ludicrously comic-book toff - I find it just a bit distracting. I mean I know the show is supposed to be slightly tongue-in-cheek - but she just goes over the top with that silly voice.
So had Jessops last week.
Selfridges isn't really a typical store though. Its just a load of concession stands from other retailers. It would only go bust if all of the others went bust first.
The one in The Trafford Centre has a small Primark area in it. People do shop there just to get the Selfridges bag