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‘Mr Selfridge’ Is Not ‘Downton’, Producers Say, But They’ll Take Its Success: TCA

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday January 15, 2013 @ 12:38pm PSTTags: Jeremy Piven, Masterpiece Classic, Mr. Selfridge, PBS, TCA

Diane Haithman is contributing to Deadline’s TCA coverage.

Today’s TCA panel on PBS’ new Masterpiece Classic series Mr. Selfridge — a period drama starring Jeremy Piven as real-life department store entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge — was haunted by the ghost of Downton Abbey. On March 31, the new drama will join the megahit Downton on Sunday nights, so it is not surprising that Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton announced at the top of the session that the premiere of Mr. Selfridge on Britain’s ITV a couple of weeks ago rated higher that the premiere of “that other show.”

Related: ‘Mr Selfridge’ Debuts To Strong Ratings On UK’s ITV

60 Minutes SportsCreator Andrew Davies said on the panel that no decision has been made on a second season but “I’ve already written the first [episodes] of Season 2. We should hear very soon. We’ve done such good numbers in the UK; I’m very confident.” He said that in his mind, he’s up for four seasons: “Are you up for it, Jeremy?” he joked. Replied Piven: “I certainly hope I have the job, yeah. To be replaced at this point would be very disappointing. And confusing. It could be like Darrin on Bewitched, I guess.”

During the panel that featured Piven, Davies and co-stars Zoe Tapper and Frances O’Connor., Eaton stressed the differences between Selfridge (based on the nonfiction book by Lindy Woodhead) and Downton. She said that while both shows have “gorgeous people, money, life and death, seduction,” this story is based on reality. Plus she said, the department store world is a different “precinct beside the country house and the house in town. I don’t know why it hasn’t been done before.”

Related: TV Trailer: ‘Mr. Selfridge’

After the panel, she acknowledged that Masterpiece would love to repeat Downton’s success with a similar show. “We’re adding another member. It’s always risky and I think its inevitable that you want to do more of what works,” she said. “So when there is a hit show like Downton, I think there’s an enormous urge to capitalize on the attention it brings Masterpiece and to build on the audience that we’ve attracted, this seemed like kind of a perfect fit. But you have to vary it. It’s not another country house.” READ MORE »

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TV Teaser: ‘Downton Abbey’ Season 3

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday September 5, 2012 @ 2:49pm PDTTags: Downton Abbey, Masterpiece Classic, PBS

ITV1 has posted the trailer for the third season of Downton Abbey which premieres January 6, 2013 on PBS‘ Masterpiece Classic.

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Masterpiece To Co-Produce Jeremy Piven Series ‘Mr. Selfridge’ With ITV Studios

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday July 25, 2012 @ 3:23pm PDTTags: Jeremy Piven, Masterpiece Classic, Mr. Selfridge

Masterpiece/WGBH announced today it will be co-producing the new drama series Mr. Selfridge with ITV Studios. Deadline reported previously that Jeremy Piven (Entourage) will star in the title role. Mr. Selfridge tells the real-life story of the flamboyant … Read More »

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