Mr Selfridge: Season 3

British TV's urban answer to Downton Abbey continues with the story of Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven), an American department store entrepreneur and marketing pioneer in London whose populist approach marks a refreshing change from British restraint and conservatism. Opening at the end of World War I with the funeral of Harry's wife, this third season focuses on Harry's romance with an ambitious and philanthropic young businesswoman (Kelly Adams) who is trying to build affordable housing for returning war veterans. Harry's daughters, now twentysomething women, are given the spotlight when one (Kara Tointon) marries a Russian prince in exile and another (Hannah Tointon) becomes a wild child who flirts with the proprietor of a notorious nightclub. Meanwhile, Harry's son and heir, Gordon (Greg Austin), secretly dates an employee at Selfridge's. The stories here touch on various issues, including the problems facing returning veterans, the pressure on women to now give their jobs up to the men, and a rising crime rate, but this is still more soap opera than social drama, with plenty of romances and complications among the store employees, while the scheming Lord Loxley (Aidan McArdle) is back to try and sabotage Harry's success out of pure spite, this time by buying a seat on the Board of Directors. Compiling all 10 episodes from the 2015 third season of this PBS-aired series, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)