Rivals was released on Disney+ in October, and although I was slightly late to the party, I have not had this much to say about a TV show in a long while.

It was a highly anticipated release for David Tennant enthusiasts, Poldark watchers, and adult romance lovers. If you have ever secretly read raunchy fanfiction, I imagine this would be the show for you. Adapted from the Jilly Cooper novel of the same name, Rivals runs true to a raunchy ‘80s romance book. It provides a similar experience to reading an 80s Mills & Boon.

The show initially situates us with Taggie (Bella Maclean) – daughter of TV powerhouse Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner). Through her eyes, we discover the scandalous affairs of the upper echelons in fictional Rutshire. After the first episode, I was excited to watch a young woman learn about sex, relationships, and adultery with the backdrop of the British television industry. It had the raunchiness and tensions to fill the gap left after a disappointing third season of Bridgerton. I also appreciated the decision to age Taggie from 18 to 20, making her romantic plotline a little easier to swallow.

The ensemble cast was strong – my standout performances being that of Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer. Unweaving the entangled lives of TV producers, actors, and a Conservative Minister was a captivating watch. I could not stop watching the first half of the show.

However, Rivals takes a jarring turn, making Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) the focus of the show. It leaves Taggie in the background, and our way into this lavish, decadent lifestyle is taken away from us. By the end, Taggie becomes an afterthought – a decision I am not really a fan of. I enjoyed being with Taggie on the outside looking in – being behind the catering table on hunting trips and serving at new-money dinners.

The show becomes “people talking in big rooms”, about a franchise bid that no one was really watching the show for. I will admit, I have not read Cooper’s novel. However, from its marketing material, it does seem that Baddingham (David Tennant) and Campbell-Black’s rivalry is central to the plot. Even if the opening scene includes the pair, I felt cheated that the show I had come to love suddenly turned into two upper-class men having an overpriced tiff. Rivals starts off being about people in television and becomes a series about the television industry.

If you are watching for David Tennant, you might be disappointed. I was underwhelmed and left wondering whether his role was a miscast. However, it was fun to see him in that type of role– definitively less zany than the 10th Doctor. Rivals is worth a watch for Freddie (Danny Dyer) and Lizzie’s (Katherine Parkinson) stories, as well as Aidan Turner’s performance alone. I do not doubt that you will come to love Lizzie Vereker as much as I did: she kept me watching until the very end.

It’s important to note, there are, unfortunately, some hard-to-watch sexual assault scenes you should be wary of – especially considering there are not enough trigger warnings.

Rivals is a series that will have you questioning your morals, as you are never really sure who to root for, and you might even find yourself encouraging adultery. Would it have been better off as a limited series? Almost definitely. The pacing gets messy as they set up for a potential second season. However, I will continue watching if Disney+ decides to renew. I just hope season two has a bigger wig budget.

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