Translate

Sunday 9 March 2014

Mr Selfridge Series 2 Episode 8 Review

Look it's Harry's bust behind him! ha.

Harry (Jeremy Piven) returns home from Germany to hoards of press outside his front door all accusing him of the scandal and working for Germany.  But being Harry he'll get to the bottom of it sure enough.  Rose (Frances O'Connor) is glad to have him back and tells him about Delphine (Polly Walker) not telling her anything about Bill Summertime (Jay Villiers) and where Harry was.  Harry has flashes to being in Germany and having his bags searched and from his trembling hand you could see how afraid he was. Harry promises he will tell Rose next time and they'll have no more secrets, wonder how long that will last when Delphine gets her claws into him.  Harry is also angry at Bill since he ignores him after he tells him Voss has agreed to 'spy' for them, well that's what you get for working for the Brit government, even in times of war.  He got what he wanted and now won't help Harry clear his name as far as the procurement committee scandal is concerned since it's, "not within my remit."  You see the Brits don't have a notion of "owing" people.

Ms Mardle (Amanda Abbington) and Mr Crabb (Ron Cook) are pleased to see him return to taunts of "traitor" outside the store and Gordon (Greg Austin) lets him know it's been like that for a week.  The store has been deserted by its customers and others have been cancelling their accounts.  Harry writes a letter to Frank's (Samuel West) paper and he reads it out to the staff, one of them is very vocal about how her brother and fiance are fighting with mud in their boots.  Harry wants it known he stands behind them and the store's staff as it's his duty to look after those left behind and assures them he did not recommend these manufacturers and only chose to serve this country.  Agnes (Aisling Loftus) is afraid for George but is hopeful since George is only missing.  Harry must rite letters to the dead staff of Selfridge's as Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) tells him that's 22 now.

Ms Mardle tries to ignore her feelings for Florian (Oliver Farnworth) but tells him she had a relationship with a man who hurt her and she doesn't want to feel that way again. Of course we know Grove will make sure she does feel that way again only this time he will be more hypocritical than usual, it was 'proper' for her to carry on with him when it suited him but he can't stand to see her happy with someone else.  The Times is more favourable in printing Harry's story but Frank's paper refuses to print Harry's letter and he's threatened with being fired if he pursues the point further since the truth has nothing to do with war.  As you'll recall the quote, "in war truth is the first casualty."

Delphine drops in on Rose and is apologetic for not getting any info from Bill for her, saying he wouldn't tell her anything,  more like she wasn't really bothered in wanting to tell her anything and thinks they need to do something to help Harry and the store,  Rose replies it's easy for Delphine cos she thrives on notoriety but Harry is a merchant, of course her suggestion is just to ensure he's ever more grateful to her, she calls Rose her friend now.  She brings along some American friends to the store in the form of Mabel Normand (Andrea Deck) and Mack Sennett (Joseph Beattie) who owns Keystone Studios.  Harry and Gordon went to see his comedies and is highly praiseworthy of them.  They make people laugh and forget their troubles until they leave again.  Delphine is having a party for them at the club and screening some of their films. Harry goes with Gordon but Rose doesn't want to come.  Think Rose may be getting a little suspicious of Delphine and probably wonders if she can still trust Harry again.

Agnes gives a letter for Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) to the American embassy and he's been held there as the Attorney General has arrived wanting to know why he ran and didn't want to answer the theft charge.  He tells them he panicked but he's innocent of stealing the money from the store he worked at.  Agnes asks Harry to find Valerie (Josephine de la Baume) so that she can help him and he tells Bill to look for her.  Yes Bill's got time to hang out with some women of ill repute at Delphine's club.  Gordon gets drunk on Tom Collins courtesy of Mabel and Delphine watches Harry with desire.  Mack wants Harry to come into business with him in California as he's looking for a partner and Harry is tempted but Delphine calls him their "dream maker" and he can't leave here.

Bill gives Harry Valerie's address and he brings her to the embassy to clear Henri's name.  Whilst the staff have a meeting convened by Crabb who wants the staff to show a united front.  He was first in congratulating Harry for what he did for the country and going to Germany and Harry was angry with Bill for letting it leak in the first place.  Yeah just think he could have been shot as a spy for being there.  Valerie tells the AG that her husband was jealous of Henri and framed him for stealing the money, she told Henri to leave not realizing that's what he wanted until it was too late.  She clears his name, but he doesn't want another chance with her. So much for saying he loved her.  He realizes it's Agnes he wants and she tells him she's engaged to Victor (Trystan Gravelle).  Though did get the feeling she was in to minds about this even if she did say she was just Henri's friend.

Florian tells Ms Mardle he's getting a job but not playing the violin and she's dismayed at this.  Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) wants everyone to know she didn't know what Frank would be writing and is glad Ms Mardle stood up for her, which is what she wants to do now for others and "turn over a new leaf."  Seems like no one's mentioned Thackeray (Cal MacAninch) and what he did to Henri, appears to have been forgotten but Harry did have other things on his mind.  Did find it amusing he reluctantly had to clap when Henri returned.

Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) finds she's out of funds and must sell her jewellery.  Loxley (Aidan McArdle) wants her to come back so he can avoid the scandal by convincing her he'll leave for the country and come back to their old arrangement, just as long she keeps the scandal involving him to herself.  She wants to hurt Loxley, rather destroy him, before he destroys her and tries to tell Harry that she wants to help him but he sees it as only putting herself first and isn't interested in what she has to say.  Practically throwing her out of the house, though not physically of course since he's too much of a gentlemen.  Harry doesn't go into the movie making business but Gordon also has a change of heart and no longer wants to go into acting after suffering an all manner of hangovers.

Rose suggests they bring over the girls and Harry's mother and unite the family, whilst in bed Harry thinks Delphine can be of help to them.  See the way they made it appear Harry was talking to Delphine when she turned off the light in her room, when actually Harry was with Rose.  Let's hope that wasn't a piece of foreshadowing, don't like Delphine.  Seems Rose may be having second thoughts about befriending her and hearing Harry speak of her.

Lots  is happening as we near the end of the second season with loyalties being tested, lots of love in the air even when it shouldn't be and Delphine hopefully showing her true colours before not too long.  It did look like Lady Mae was only thinking of herself when she approached Harry in wanting to work together with him to clear his name and outing Loxley, since she could have done that all along.  The question always boiling down to why she vouched for him (aside from money) when she knew what he's really like and Harry was always loyal to her.  Maybe she'll go back to him now that she doesn't have much money or options open to her.  Understandable how Harry shunned her since they used to be such good friends, only for Delphine to take her place, I should have said the ever-scheming Delphine.  Not surprising for the sort of establishment she runs! Ha.  Lady Mae telling Harry that he wanted so badly to be part of the committee when they're all of high accord and he's nothing more than a store owner.  That was a slap in his face.

Seems like Kitty may steer clear of Frank from now on, they didn't share any scenes this ep and neither did he with Harry, would've expected him to show his face at the store but alas he didn't.  Of course Harry should sue the paper even if takes years in the courts.  He's got every right to do so and gain his reputation back.

Aww the only lift scene we had was Mr Crabb coming out to greet a returning Harry, so not much there then, ha.  Funny my review of episode 7 got the highest views than the other episodes and Harry wasn't even in it, ha! Don't know why though since the eps do seem to be more interesting with Harry in them, he is the title character after all, even if it did give the others a chance to shine in his absence and how the show can go on without him.  But Jeremy is the show!

No comments: