Must See TV: The Paradise: Season One

I found this neat "new" show on Netflix called The Paradise that I thought perhaps many of you would like to know about. I have yet to see the Mr. Selfridge but I know it is about the life of Harry Gordon Selfridge and his famous store (which by the way is amazing!).

When I looked up The Paradise online I saw that it was based on a French novel called Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies' Delight or The Ladies' Paradise). The story was originally set in Paris but the show is set in England.

A young girl named Denise (Joanna Vanderham) who moves with her uncle Edmund hoping to work in his shop. When she arrives she is told he is unable to hire her due to the massive shop called The Paradise run by John Moray (Emun Elliott).

To help her uncle and support herself she seeks employment at The Paradise and eventually begins to work as a shopgirl in the ladies department.

The first season begins in 1875 and follows the life of not only Denise but also Mr. Moray and his "love" interest Katherine Glendenning (Elaine Cassidy). Throw in a rival shopgirl named Clara, Miss Audrey who is the head of the ladieswear department, Jonas who is in charge of security and is always spying on everyone-it becomes a lovely mesh of drama, romance, and intrigue. Oh, and let us not forget Mr. Moray's deceased wife named Helene who seems to haunt Moray in ways we (the viewer) are made curious about.


I cannot compare The Paradise with Mr Selfridge but I can say that I am hooked on this show! I am almost done with season one and going to leap into season two as soon as I can find it. Sadly because of the competition with Mr Selfridge, The Paradise won't have a third season but don't let that bring you down. From what I have seen and read about the show I think the end of season two will have a proper and good ending.

It is a shame that period shows are so expensive to make and even more of a shame that studios just aim to make the big bucks and not bring something amazing to our televisions screens (ie Bomb Girls and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries) but I am glad that we have them, even for a short while!