A new series was released almost a month ago on Disney + in the UK and Ireland and Hulu in the US; none other than the television adaptation of the second book of Jilly Cooper’s late-eighties ‘Rutshire Chronicles’ book series; ‘Rivals’. Everyone is already obsessed, including me. I’m currently on my third rewatch, I haven’t lost count just yet.
The television series has everything you could want; romance, drama, and some well-known eye candy. The cast is stellar, it includes; Dublin heartthrob and star of period drama, ‘Poldark’, Aidan Turner, ‘EastEnders’s Danny Dyer, Alex Hassel, and the legendary David Tennant. Of course, the cast includes some fabulous ladies too, such as Irish actress, Victoria Smurfit and American star, Nafessa Williams. One thing I’d warn you about; maybe don’t watch it with your parents. However, if you survived watching ‘Bridgerton’ with them, you’ll just about survive this.
Let’s just say the opening scene might give you a bit of shock, so be prepared. However, it is quite the introduction to one of the series’ most important characters, the Notorious R.C.B, Mr Rupert Campbell-Black, that is. Mr Campbell-Black, played by Alex Hassel, is a rakish Tory MP under Thatcher’s regime; he’s a former showjumper, who also becomes Minister for Sport. If you squint hard enough, he could be considered akin to a fifth much older Bridgerton Brother; he’s got that rouge, rakish charm of an early-first-season Anthony Bridgerton. Wherever Mr Campbell-Black goes, there’s usually a scandal not far behind.
Okay, enough about the men, there is an actual plot. Set in 1986, we follow television presenter, Wicklow man Declan O’Hara (Turner), who is hired by a new production company Corinium to be a new talk show host and is thus sent to live out in the Cotswolds with his wife, former actress Maude (Smurfit), and their two daughters, Agatha ‘Taggie’, who is twenty and Caitlin, who is fifteen/sixteen. They also have an older son Patrick, who visits his family in episode three, around New Year’s/his twenty-first birthday. The CEO of Corinium is Tony- excuse me– Lord Tony Baddingham is played by David Tennant. Lord Baddingham is a rival of Rupert Campbell-Black and is constantly competing against him, in more than one aspect. The two have known each other since their school days and have been butting heads ever since.
Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams) is a new, younger, Black American producer for Corinium. In the male-dominated world of television production, Cook is initially thought of as a man- and probably a white one- but everyone is proven wrong. As Declan asks before Cameron’s first appearance; “Where’s this Cameron guy I’m supposed to be reporting to?” Cameron is ambitious and has a penchant to be taken seriously at work. She is one of the many characters involved in an affair, with none other than her boss, Lord Baddingham.
There are a host of other supporting characters too, such as Freddie Jones (Dyer), Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack- ‘The Inbetweeners’) and Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson- ‘The IT Crowd’). They all fit seamlessly into the world of Rutshire, each involved in affairs, physical and emotional, some more wholesome than others. Women like Sarah and Lizzie, mistreated or ignored by men in their lives, take matters into their own hands and find much better fits for them like Freddie (Dyer), in Lizzie’s case.
Of course, a lot of the drama in the series stems from these various affairs between the different characters, including a scandalous connection between Declan’s daughter Taggie and a certain older man. There is also tension between Rupert and the people both behind and in front of the camera at Corinium. One of the series’ most iconic moments is Declan’s interview with Rupert on his chatshow, where, on behalf of his boss, Lord Baddingham, Declan sets out to destroy Rupert and drag his reputation through the mud. But does it work? You’ll just have to find out.
I would highly recommend this series. It’s total escapism from the outside world, a perfect watch after a long college or work day. It will instantly melt any worries away.
5/5 stars.