Rivals (TV Series)

''Rivals'' is a period drama television series made for Disney+, adapted from the 1988 novel by Jilly Cooper. It stars an ensemble cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer. The first series was released on 18 October 2024. ''Rivals'' was recommissioned for a second series in December 2024.

Synopsis

In 1986, the British nobleman and MP Rupert Campbell-Black and, coming from the bourgeoisie (though married into old money), Tony, Lord Baddingham, have a rivalry that seeps into the world of Baddingham's Corinium independent commercial television station, located in the (fictional) county of Rutshire, in the Cotswolds region of southwest England. Lord Baddingham brings American producer Cameron Cook to help strengthen Corinium's programming, and hires dynamic Irish newsman Declan O'Hara, husband of actress Maud, away from the BBC.

Cast

Main cast

* Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, a retired Olympian show jumper and notorious womanizer, now working as a Tory MP and sports minister. Despite his outward charm and facility with people, he lives a lonely life with his dogs. He is also shown to be a deeply caring friend.
* David Tennant as Tony, Lord Baddingham, the ruthless managing director of Corinium Television. He is having an affair with Cameron. He attempts to instrumentalize Declan in his war against Rupert.
* Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara, a temperamental Irish former BBC journalist who is recruited by Corinium to host his own show at the beginning of the series. After seeing Tony's true colours, he leaves Corinium to start his own company. He initially has a hostile relationship with Rupert, but the two gradually become friends and trusted colleagues.
* Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara, Declan's wife and a former actress whose marriage is recovering from an affair she had prior to the series, and is known to be flirtatious with other men. She is neglected by her workaholic husband and feels suffocated in her new life.
* Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, an American TV producer who works for Corinium and is having an affair with Tony.
* Bella Maclean as Agatha ‘Taggie’ O'Hara, Declan and Maud's overlooked middle child with aspirations of opening her own catering company. She has several poor first impressions of Rupert, but gradually develops a crush on him as they spend more time together.
* Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker, a romance author and resident of Rutshire who is good friends with Rupert. She is neglected by her narcissistic husband and is used to his affairs and lack of attention. She gradually develops a romantic connection with Freddie.
* Oliver Chris as James Vereker, a TV host at Corinium and Lizzie's self-absorbed husband.
* Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, a self-made successful electronics businessman and resident in Rutshire in a loveless marriage. He is attracted to Lizzie.
* Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones, Freddie's wife, a notorious social climber who runs a clothing boutique in town. She is often mocked for her bourgeois lack of taste.
* Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton, the second wife and former mistress of MP Paul Stratton, with aspirations of being a television presenter.
* Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton, a British MP going through a mid-life crisis who is embroiled in an adultery scandal at the beginning of the series.
* Claire Rushbrook as Monica, Lady Baddingham, Tony's wife, an introvert generally uninvested in her husband’s business.
* Luke Pasqualino as Basil 'Bas' Baddingham, Tony's younger and promiscuous half-brother who owns the local bar.

Supporting cast

* Gabriel Tierney as Patrick O'Hara, Declan and Maud's eldest child who harbours feelings for Cameron. He is a young idealist.
* Catriona ChandlerCatriona Chandler:
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as Caitlin O'Hara, Declan and Maud's youngest child who is attending boarding school.
* Gary Lamont as Charles Fairburn, the controller of programmes at Corinium who has a secret romance with Gerald.
* Bryony Hannah as Deirdre Kilpatrick, an assistant to James Vereker at Corinium.
* Rich Keeble as Brian Hetherington, a director at Corinium.
* Milo Callaghan as Seb Burrows, a journalist at Corinium. He offers to be a spy for Venturer and is fired by Tony as a result. He begins dating Taggie.
* Lara Peake as Daisy Butler, a production assistant at Corinium.
* Denise Black as Joyce Madden, Tony's assistant.
* David Calder as Reverend Fergus Penney, Lady Gosling's right-hand man.
* Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton, Rupert's personal aide and a conservative political hopeful.
* Brendan Patricks as Henry Hampshire, a member of the local Rutshire aristocracy.
* Olivia Poulet as Hermione Hampshire, wife of Henry.
* Guy Siner as Bishop Brenton, a clergyman.
* Wendy Albiston as Mrs Makepiece, a housekeeper and help hired by multiple residents of Rutshire.
* Louis Landau as Archie Baddingham, Tony and Monica’s teenage son.
* Maggie Steed as Lady Gosling, the steely no-nonsense chair of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).
* Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson, a journalist who is in a relationship with Rupert at the beginning of the series.
* Anastasia Griffith as Helen Gordon, Rupert's ex-wife and mother of his two children.

Episodes

Production

In August 2022, it was reported that Disney+ were planning an eight-part adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel ''Rivals''. Dominic Treadwell-Collins was on the writing and production team, whilst Cooper and Felicity Blunt, Cooper's literary agent, would serve as executive producers on the show. It was reported that the 1980s novel would be given a "contemporary skew".

The lead director is Elliot Hegarty, who is also credited as an executive producer for episodes 1 through 3. Eliza Mellor is a series producer. The project is produced by Happy Prince with Alexander Lamb, Laura Wade, and Lee Mason also as executive producers. Wade is also co-writer with Treadwell-Collins; the writers' room includes Sophie Goodhart, Marek Horn, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Dare Aiyegbayo, Kefi Chadwick, Tray Agyeman, and Sorcha Kurien Walsh.

Casting

Casting in lead roles was announced in March 2023, with David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, and Alex Hassell amongst those cast. That same month, Victoria Smurfit and Aidan Turner were added to the cast. In May 2023, the cast was rounded out with Lara Peake and David Calder revealed to be joining the series.

Filming

The series, which started filming in March 2023, was one of the initial productions to use TBY2, a newly completed facility at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. Filming also took place in Tetbury in Gloucestershire in March 2023. Filming for the second season began on 21 May 2025.

Release

The series was released in the UK and internationally, including Australia, on Disney+ and in the United States on Hulu on 18 October 2024.

Reception

Viewership

The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which tracks 20 million monthly viewing decisions across all streaming platforms in the U.S., reported that ''Rivals'' was the tenth most-streamed series in the U.S. during the week of 10 October. It remained in tenth place for the weeks ending 6 and 13 November.

Critical response

For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% approval rating with an average rating of 7.8/10, based on 38 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "A caustic comedy with swagger, ''Rivals'' makes class warfare and catty behavior addictive viewing." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 84 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Sophie Gilbert of ''The Atlantic'' asserted ''Rivals'' captures Jilly Cooper's indulgent world of romantic intrigue and class satire. She praised the adaptation's blend of absurdity and serious pleasure, calling Alex Hassell's portrayal of Rupert both excessive and sympathetic. She found the clash between the '80s TV industry and the pastoral Cotswolds setting unified by rampant sexuality, adding a campy charm. Gilbert stated that the show balances humor with affection for Cooper's era and that its joy and lightheartedness offer a welcome contrast to recent, darker TV series. Rachel Cooke of the ''New Statesman'' said that ''Rivals'' exudes “sheer, unadulterated perkiness,” celebrating Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles as an unapologetic romp through 1980s British life. She praised the adaptation's treatment as a period piece, reminiscent of '' Vanity Fair'' and ''The Forsyte Saga'', praising its humor and satirical edge while avoiding self-consciousness. She found the ensemble cast, particularly Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black and Tennant as Lord Baddingham, delivered standout performances. Cooke described the show as deeply satisfying and entertaining, full of double entendres and cliffhangers, inviting viewers to enjoy humor in the absurdities of social pretensions.

Lucy Mangan of ''The Guardian'' gave ''Rivals'' five out of five stars. She said the series launches with bold energy and adherence to Jilly Cooper's original, unapologetically scandalous style. Mangan appreciated that Disney+ preserved the novel's essential elements—sex, excess, and Cooper's sharp social observations—without toning them down. She found the adaptation adept at balancing the over-the-top 1980s attitudes with modern sensibilities, noting its "light touch" and genuine commitment to bringing Rutshire to life. Mangan stated that the adaptation's rambunctious joy, coupled with smart humor and a sense of escapism, remains true to Cooper's spirit and offers an exuberant viewing experience. David Opie of ''Empire'' rated ''Rivals'' four out of five stars. He praised the adaptation for preserving the scandalous and addictive appeal of Jilly Cooper's novels, attributing this to Dominic Treadwell-Collins's expertise in soapy melodrama. He found that the show captures the indulgent spirit of 1980s primetime soaps like ''Dallas'' and ''Dynasty'', complimenting the lavish budget and the cast's self-aware performances, especially David Tennant, Aidan Turner, and Katherine Parkinson. Opie stated that the series delivers a “hedonistic riot” and is a confident, nostalgic escape that’s both explosive and endlessly enjoyable.

Accolades

The series was nominated at the 2025 Broadcast Awards with "Agatha is shocked to discover Rupert and Sarah playing tennis in the nude" nominated for TV Moment of the Year. That scene was also nominated for Most Memorable moment at the 2025 British Academy Television Awards. Aidan Turner was nominated for Best Actor and Victoria Smurfit for Best Supporting Actress at the Irish Film and Television Awards in January 2025.

References

External links

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2024 British television series debuts
2020s British drama television series
Star (Disney+) original programming
British English-language television shows
Television shows shot in Bristol
Television shows based on British novels
Television series by ITV Studios
Adaptations of works by Jilly Cooper