Pemberley (Lyme Park, Cheshire)

Pemberley (Lyme Park, Cheshire)
Oh, to be in England...

Sunday, October 6, 2013

The Paradise on PBS Masterpiece


Well my dear readers, The Paradise is finally here on PBS Masterpiece starting tonight at 9 pm. This BBC offering is an adaptation of Émile Zola's novel Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies' Paradise) but moving the early department store to the North of England instead of Paris.


Tonight we follow Denise Lovett (played by Joanna Vanderham) as she moves from her small town in the North of England to get a job with her uncle in his draper's shop. He is unable to hire her as he is getting squeezed out by "The Paradise", located across the street and one of the first high end department stores in England.


Denise of course gets a job there instead and promptly falls in love with the gorgeous boss, John Moray (played scrumptiously by Emun Elliott). So you see where this is going of course! A bit of back stabbing amongst the shop girls, a love triangle involving the boss and...well...I don't want to give it all away!


Speaking of scrumptious, my preference in male characters is Dudley (played by Matthew McNulty), Mr. Moray's right hand man and friend from childhood. He is gorgeous and that lovely Northern accent reminds me of a certain other Victorian Northerner, Mr. Thornton! My online friends will know what I mean!


Although based on a wonderful novel by Émile Zola, don't expect high art from this series. This is more Downton Abbey than it is Pride and Prejudice. However it looks like a lot of fun. And my friends in the UK seemed to like this one better than the similar ITV offering Mr. Selfridge. I think NOT having Jeremy Piven in this makes me like it better already. I am not a JP fan!


If you enjoy Victorian dresses as much as I do, you will appreciate this one for the fashion alone, but it seems there is much more to it than pretty costumes. The Beeb has already commissioned a second series which is a good sign, but then ITV is doing more Mr. Selfridge as well. Perhaps the battle of the Victorian/Edwardian department store series will be determined conclusively when we get to see the second seasons!


So tighten your corsets my friends and enjoy the ride. It will likely be a bumpy, melodramatic but satisfying romp. And come back and comment with your impressions after you watch the first episode.



Cheers!

P.S. Apologies for not including the caveat "Check local listings". My local station WNED is at it again, not airing something that PBS has sent me promotional material on! Grrrr!!! If you are in the USA, the first episode is available online for a limited time, so catch it while you can.

21 comments:

  1. I'm recording this! The costumes look awesome. I'd consider just the pics of those entertaining, but I really hope the drama lives up to the eye candy.

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    1. The first episode started slowly but had me by the end. And I really feel like pausing once in a while to drool over the costumes. Yummy!

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  2. Thank you! I love these British dramas!

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    1. Hi Carol, I hope you enjoy The Paradise. We need something to keep us occupied until we get Downton Abbey in January!

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  3. Usually I like living in America, but when the BBC comes out with something this scrumptious it is so hard to wait for it.

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    1. Hello Mom Wald! We get to be pretty good at the delayed gratification don't we? Let me know how you like it!

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  4. I love it and own it on DVD. I hope you enjoy it, Jenny!

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    1. Hi Kate. Just watched episode 3 of The Paradise and I am really enjoying it. I still prefer Dudley over Moray (I swear it is that Northern accent!) and I must say I love Katherine's dresses better than I love her. She should have gone for the philanthropist/flower dude. He was awesome!
      Glad they are doing another season. Enjoying Downton? I am trying to avoid spoilers.
      Cheers!

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    2. Hi Jenny. I'm really glad you are enjoying Series 1 of the Paradise. I loved Series 1 too. Series 2 has just started here in the UK and I am so happy it is back! Personally, I love John Moray, it's his eyes they are lovely. I dislike Katherine as well. She is spoiled and unpleasant to everybody.

      As for Downton, sadly I am not enjoying Series 4 but unfortunately Jenny, I can't tell you why because I would spoil the plot for you.

      PS. I have recently watched Sherlock online, series 1 and 2. I love it. I now have a crush on Benedict Cumberbatch! ;)

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  5. Dear Jenny, Unfortunately, I cannot see this series. But I know well the intrigue and I believe that you are going to love it . Here, we have rather "old" movies about the book of Zola. I regret even more I cannot see a "modern" version.

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    1. Hello Muriel. It seems unfair that you cannot see this series as it is based on Zola! It MUST come to France eventually. I am liking it so far and the costumes are wonderful!

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  6. Thank you for posting about this. Have watched the first two episodes on PBS online and love it. Going to watch the other ones soon. Dottie

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  7. Love the show. Good acting but for a costume drama Katherine's gowns look awful! The salesgirls dresses look better. Almost all of Katherine's dress are white. She looks much better in color. It looks like the designer went a little crazy in the notions department at Hobby Lobby. Her gowns look like cheesy lampshades. Very disappointing!

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  8. Love Austin, hate the show Paradise. Austin was intelligent. Paradise is sap. It's so predictable. I especially hate the background music, which probably just adds to the sap. Also hated Selfridge. Both of those were just too melodramatic for me.

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  9. While I enjoy Denise and the sets are pleasing to the eye, I can hardly bear how atrocious the trimmings are on Katherine's costumes. Yes I realize high fashion clothing was more colorful than we tend to expect but it is the fiber content that is killing me here. I work in costumes for film and I understand what a tight budget does to you, but these are community theatre level. I think they used less polyester in the NINETEENseventies than they are using here!! I also find Katherine unbearably spoiled and not particularly attractive, so I cringe any time she steps on screen!

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  10. LOVE, OVE, LOVE The Paradise. Everything is wonderful and I wish they would film again. It has everything a story should have - those we love, those we can't stand, those who are a mystery, handsome leading man with a beautiful love interest, beautiful costumes and set. This is a wonderful show that should be resurrected.

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