Welcome back to 1980s Rutshire where a small community of upper-class folk spend their lives sleeping with people who are not their wives, trying to steal the jobs of their romantic rivals and generally tear each other down. Based on characters created by the late Jilly Cooper, the gang are back for a sophomore series that shows a darker side to Thatcher’s hedonistic, glamorous Britain.
The news of Tony Baddingham’s (David Tennant) demise is greatly exaggerated as he returns, ready to commit more corrupt schemes against… well everyone. He’s back at the helm of Corinium Television, using his powers as a television executive to meddle in the lives of others. Alongside him is self-absorbed and moronic James Vereker (Oliver Chris), and sweet assistant Daysee (Lara Peake), who is still reeling from last season’s assault.
Still trying to get rival production company off the ground is scorned Irish journalist Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner), self-made man Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer), closeted Charles Fairburn (Gary Lamont) and Tony’s younger half-brother Baz (Luke Pasqualino). Their production company is in peril when their chairman and lead financier, Rupert Campbell Black (Alex Hassell), womanizing ways finally threaten to take him down.
In between these warring men, whose behavior gets more and more churlish and dangerous, are the women of Rivals. After the events at the end of season one, producer Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams) has switched sides and is now fully wedged in between Tony and Declan’s war of TV-producing studios. While Declan has his eyes on his work life, his relationship with his actress wife Maud (Victoria Smurfit) is falling apart as she starts to focus her attention on her own acting career.
When James is falling up the ladder at work and still gaining no respect from his peers, his wife, romance novelist Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson), still has her eyes on charming and down-to-earth Freddie. His home life isn’t any easier, forced to indulge his social-climbing wife, Valerie (Lisa McGrillis), whose new home is the talk of the town in all the worst ways. The character put through the wringer the most this second series is Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack), whose marriage to MP Paul Stratton (Rufus Jones) and career are both imploding.
The only partner who seems happy in her position is Tony’s wife, Monica (Claire Rushbrook), because she is the one least involved in proceedings. A wealthy lady in her own right, as long as she is tending her garden and seeing theatre shows, she is happy to say oblivious to her husband’s antics.
Season Two Of Rivals Peels Back The Layers Of Rutshire
Season One was a mostly upbeat introduction to the bonk-buster world of Rivals. It was larger than life and balanced on the line of being a pastiche of 80’s romance novels without ever making fun of Cooper’s beloved book series. Season two is much darker and lacks some of the froth of the first outing.
This series of Rivals, well at least in the four episodes provided to the press, are much more serious in tone and concentrates less on parties and romance, and more on the effects that bitter competition has on lives. Series One is what Rutshire looks like on the surface, but series two peels back the real trauma and heartbreak of the characters.
The inciting incident that holds together this extensive cast is caused by the Casanova polo player turned politician, Rupert. We get to really meet the real Rupert and see beneath the surface in these episodes. New to the show is his ex-wife and mother of his children (Helen Gordon) and her new husband, Malise (Rupert Everett). While usually Teflon to a scandal, it looks like Tony finally has found a controversy which sticks to Rupert as a general election looms. His fall from grace will only make viewers fall more in love with him, as we get to see that there is more to the man than partying and sleeping around.
Someone who sadly sits back in proceedings, not quite fitting into the main story, is Taggie (Bella Maclean). Declan’s daughter, who became infatuated with Rupert after a short-lived affair, takes a backseat in these episodes, although audiences are promised she’ll play a bigger role in the latter part of the season.
Those hoping to see their favourite romances explored may find these opening episodes frustrating. The budding and passionate love stories in Rivals are slightly pushed aside in favor of watching the men scheme and backstab.
A Loving Tribute To The Downfalls Of Hedonistic 1980s Britain
While Rivals might be light on some of the nudity and sexscapades of the first season, it’s not all doom and gloom. You’ll find plenty of laughs and shenanigans here as the characters try to keep their affairs secret, their partner satisfied, and their neighbours jealous of their wealth.
Rivals is made with a great care and attention to details. While it satirized this era of Britain where cash and status are king and there was nothing more important than keeping up with the Joneses, it never mocks Jilly Cooper’s source material. There is also a loving amount of detail to the sets and costumes, as the wealthy battle to see who has the tackiest home, biggest hair and brightest outfit.
The cast, which includes some of the UK’s most talented actors, is having the most fun here yet never overplay their hand. David Tennant chews scenery as the moustache-twirling, dastardly Lord Baddingham. His return to the show after the events of series one isn’t realistic, but Rivals wouldn’t be half the fun without his performance.
Alex Hassell, once again, steals the show as the hate-to-fancy Rupert Campbell Black. What is so great about his character is that he is a lothario as seen through the female gaze. The way he is directed is clearly meant to appeal to women and their own lustful thoughts. Aidan Turner grounds events with his sensible journalist role while Danny Dyer provides both comic relief and real heart. It’s commendable that in a cast this big, there is no weak link and nearly everyone involved can be highlighted here for their performance.
The second series of Rivals is a triumph, fleshing out this world and its characters in a very natural way. This is trashy TV for grownups, but it is much smarter than it meets the eye. It doesn’t just peel back the truth of these characters, but it also examines the 1980s in all its deplorable hedonism.
The author of the source novels, Jilly Cooper, passed away last year, but did see and work on the script for this series. The late Dame should be proud of how showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins have brought her world and characters to life.
Rivals Season 2 premieres on Disney+ on May 15
Learn more about the show at the IMDB site for the title.
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