Best movie of this year hands down!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

I love the series, even if the writing is a bit too flexible with historical facts. But women's clothes don't seem to fit properly. These women used to wear corsets, yet the actresses are not wearing them and their skirts show creases where shirts are not properly fitted. Someone is not dressing actors properly. Aren't they always saying that "it is all in the details"?

I'm going to admit up front, I'm not a fan of Jeremy Piven, never have been and sure I never will be. The reason I watched this series was because I became accustomed to watching Masterpiece Theatre on Sunday nights for Downton Abbey, and wanted something to fill that void in the meantime. Before the series started, I read about Mr. Selfridge in Wikipedia and other venues. His story was very interesting and very compelling, so despite Jeremy Piven being in the starring role, I was very interested. I liked the first season OK, but it went downhill each and every season. I was really glad when it was over (not like Downton Abbey, when I cried because it was over). When I visited London in 2013, I made it a point to visit Selfridge's, and I wasn't disappointed. I've never in my life seen a department store quite like it, and sure I never will again, its an amazing place. What I didn't like most about this series wasn't Jeremy Piven (although his acting is pretty awful, I just don't like his delivery, very stiff and very acted, doesn't feel real at all), but my dislike had more to do with the various other story lines of mostly invented people in Selfridge's life, and the distorted truth of many of the real ones. For example, his son does marry a store clerk, but they move away and Selfridge never saw his grandchildren from Gordon. It got pretty sappy and syrupy and convoluted which doesn't feel like a Masterpiece Theatre kind of series. I think the biggest example is of this is when George Trawler goes from being a timid, scared, mentally unstable person totally dependent on his sister to a strong, smart, sure of himself manly man. I thought that was a very strange transition. I wouldn't recommend this show, and I wouldn't watch it again.

Not enough people have looked close enough at Mr Selfridge. It is high brow entertainment right up there with the best of the British drama pieces like Doc Martin and reminiscent of the very best of them all, Downton Abbey. (What it has in common with DA is the time and place: World War I, England, and the slow decline of the aristocracy.)Harry Selfridge brings excitement to his plan to shake up the staid English retail shopping business by getting all the famous people, lords, and ladies to pass through his store. He takes on the aristocratic classes who want to destroy him and is helped by Lady Locksley, a wife of one of he Lords who is out to get him. She is perfectly cast with an aristocratic sneer. She is a clever manipulator who becomes a close friend to Harry and key strategic planer plug bringing in the most important clientele.Each episode brings new business challenges that pits Harry against old English tradition, the need for profits and cash, and even people who want to swindle him. Harry inspires leadership and followers. He is always confident and smiling. When action is needed he doubles advertising and cuts prices, brings in sexy fashion models, and actresses. Running through the narrative are the multiple loves and dalliances and marriages and friendships between the store's staff. Those are led by Mr Grove and Mr Crabb, buttoned down traditional men, who head up the administration and the adorable Kitty whose red hair and come hither smile the men will like. And there is Monsier Leuclerc who is the artistic leader for the shop window displays.Every episode is exciting. This is definitely ripe fodder for Netflix binge watching.

We were lead to this show after finding out that it was the reason "The Paradise" were canceled, both my wife and I enjoyed "The Paradise" and were hoping to be blown away by Mr. Selfridge.That didn't happen, it is a good series but it is missing one important character that Paradise had, namely Denise, Mr Selfridge tries hard but Jeremy Piven is not that good an actor, his deliverance is mediocre at best, the story itself is charming though and that is why we watched the entire first 2 series.I don't think they should have canceled The Paradise, there would have been room for both.