If it wasn't for the other subplots, costumes, scenery and characters I would not continue to watch a lead character whose choices and compulsions are so excruciating wrong. Example, choosing the Dolly Sisters over Mae, the blatant disregard for his family. I suppose we're supposed to have sympathy for him? Not a fan of vulgarians with plastic smiles.
And what makes it more so is that this is a real life character we are watching. True, true there is extensive bending of the facts to make for a drama series but nevertheless, it IS hard watching this man who built a fortune on his novel idea of retail to only lose it to loose women, gambling debts, and other poor choices. I think when it's a purely fictional character you can always say "Well, it's only a play" but this generally is how Selfridge lost his empire. Sad.......
"Sympathy doesn't butter the parsnips." - Mrs. Patmore