The Paradise is a TV series that is set in the late 19th century. It is about the first English department store built by John Moray. It tells the romance between John Moray and Denise Lovett, a shopgirl who works in the Paradise and becomes Moray's muse and inspiration. John Moray is dependent on Lord Glendenning's financial support, and his daughter Lady Katherine is in love with John Moray. With the arrival of Denise Lovett, not only does the way the shop is run changed, the relationship between John Moray and Lady Katherine also changes.
The TV series is based on a French novel written in the 19th century called Au Bonheur des Dames, or The Ladies' Paradise. It is a novel in the Rougon-Macquart series by Emile Zola. It was first serialised in the periodical Gil Blas and published in novel form in 1883. The novel is set in mid-19th century France, and the department store is modeled after Le Bon Marche. The protagonist is Denise Baudu, a young saleswoman who comes to work in Paris. The novel describes the working conditions of the saleswomen, the substandard food, long working hours, and the conflicts between staff members for promotion. The male protagonist is Octave Mouret, the owner of Au Bonheur des Dames, who markets his goods through sales, home delivery, a refund system, a reading room, and a snack bar. In an earlier novel, Octave is described as a whimsical, ladies' man, who sometimes seduces women to give him social or financial advantages. In Au Bonheur des Dames, he uses a young widow to influence a political figure to gain frontage access to a huge thoroughfare. Eventually, Octave finds himself falling in love with Denise but Denise refuses to be seduced by him. The novel celebrates Denise's victory over Octave and her refusal to be exploited by men.
The TV series has a more positive portrayal of the shop owner though the feminist tone is still powerful. Denise in the TV series is an independent woman who is caught up in the man's world of commerce. She makes her way in this male dominated world through her ingenuity but she refuses to be merely a muse for John Moray.
In the three following photos is Denise (photos are from IMDb).
Then there is John Moray.
Then there is John Moray and Lady Katherine.
Series One: 9/10
Series Two: 8/10
