Mr Selfridge

Series one, episode three
Finally, a little shade to go with all the light as ‘Mr Selfridge’ reaches episode three. Harry displays the first signs of self-doubt in his personal affairs while remaining utterly assured on the business front: his affair with Ellen is stuttering, but his brainwave to set up a beauty counter in plain view at the front of the store feels like uncannily forward-thinking. Jeremy Piven is astounding in the lead role – though not necessarily in a good way – but his preposterously huge performance is undeniably fit for a truly daft series. More intriguing things are going on elsewhere, however, if you can take your eyes off the glorious production values. The heart of the show lies with Aisling Loftus’s Agnes, who displays a nuance and delicacy lacking elsewhere as her dad (Nick Moran, would you Adam and Eve it?) wreaks merry havoc. You couldn’t call it subtle, but it’s ideal escapism for a Sunday night.