• Source: Rivals (TV series)

Rivals is a television series made for Disney+. It is an adaptation of the 1988 Jilly Cooper novel of the same name. It stars an ensemble cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer.




Synopsis


Set in 1986. British nobleman, old money MP Rupert Campbell-Black and coming from the bourgeoisie nouveau riche (though married into old money) Lord Tony 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. 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


Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara
Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara
Bella Maclean as Agatha ‘Taggie’ O'Hara
Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O'Hara
Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
Oliver Chris as James Vereker
Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones
Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
Luke Pasqualino as Basil 'Bas' Baddingham
Louis Landau as Archie Baddingham
Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton
Lara Peake as Daysee Butler
Denise Black as Joyce Madden
Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson
Maggie Steed as Lady Gosling
David Calder as Fergus Penney
Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton
Guy Siner as Bishop Brenton
Brendan Patricks as Henry Hampshire
Rich Keeble as Brian Hetherington
Gary Lamont as Charles Fairburn
Anastasia Griffith as Helen Gordon
Wendy Albiston as Mrs Makepiece




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

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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

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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.




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

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The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which monitors real-time data from 20 million users in the U.S. for original and acquired streaming programs and movies across subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services, reported that Rivals was the tenth most-streamed program in the U.S. during the week of October 10, 2024.




= Critical response

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The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 94% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10, based on 17 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 12 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.




References






External links


Rivals at IMDb

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