# The Paradise (2012)

> Staff and shoppers in 1870s England's first department store are drawn into romance, rivalry and secrets from their pasts.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/53354

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, romance
- Created by: Bill Gallagher
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Joanna Vanderham, Emun Elliott, Stephen Wight, Sonya Cassidy, Matthew McNulty, Elaine Cassidy, Finn Burridge, David Hayman
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2391224/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: warm, romantic, intimate, mysterious, witty, atmospheric

## What critics say

Audiences found the period department store romance and social drama increasingly engaging, with the second season rated clearly above the first.

## Synopsis

The Paradise (2012-2013) is a British period drama series created by Bill Gallagher for BBC One. Set in 1870s England, it follows the people who live and work inside England's first great department store, a glittering new palace of commerce. Joanna Vanderham plays Denise Lovett, a young woman who arrives in the store with her own history, while Emun Elliott plays John Moray, a man whose ambitions and affections pull him into the store's rivalries. Stephen Wight, Sonya Cassidy and Matthew McNulty fill out the staff and shoppers whose romances and quarrels play out across its counters and back rooms. Each episode works through the tangle of desire, class and commerce, as the pasts of the characters follow them through the store doors. The series blends romance, mystery and social comedy, giving it a warm and intimate register with flickers of suspense. Its atmosphere is ornate and busy, shaped by Victorian manners and shop-floor gossip. Fans of Upstairs Downstairs and Mr Selfridge will find a kindred mix of period texture and personal drama. Its two-season run offers a complete, romantic arc in a richly detailed world.

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