“This is going to be marvelous.”
So says David Tennant in the upcoming steamy series, Rivals, which takes place in the ’80s. Read on for everything you need to know about when and where it will be streaming, what it’s about, the cast, and more.
Is Rivals based on a book?
Yes. The eight-episode series is based on the novel of the same name by Dame Jilly Cooper. It is part of her Rutshire Chronicles series, which is packed with romantic entanglements, dastardly deals, sex, and wit.
What is Rivals about?
The TV series is “set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England” and “delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.”
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Who’s in the Rivals cast?
Rivals stars Alex Hassell as the dashing ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black, David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham, Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara, Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker, and Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara.
The cast also includes Emily Atack, Catriona Chandler, Oliver Chris, Danny Dyer, Rufus Jones, Lisa McGrillis, Luke Pasqualino, Claire Rushbrook, and Victoria Smurfit.
Rivals is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb, Felicity Blunt, Laura Wade, Cooper, and Director of Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA Lee Mason. It is produced by Happy Prince, which is part of ITV Studios.
The series is written by Treadwell-Collins and Wade alongside the series episodic writers room which includes: Sophie Goodhart, Marek Horn, Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor, Dare Aiyegbayo, and Kefi Chadwick. Tray Agyeman is a shadow writer on Episode 6, and Sorcha Kurien Walsh is staff writer in the room. The lead director is Elliot Hegarty, who also serves as executive producer on Episodes 1-4. Eliza Mellor serves as series producer. Dee Koppang O’Leary and Alexandra Brodski also direct episodes.
When will Rivals premiere?
All eight episodes will be available to stream on Friday, October 18.
Hulu
Where is Rivals streaming in the United States?
While the series is going to be available on Disney+ in the U.K., Rivals will be streaming on Hulu in the United States.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, offering a glimpse at the very complicated relationships, rivalries, and much more of the steamy series. Front and center is the rivalry between Rupert and Tony.
“If you don’t start spending some of that fortune making decent television, you’re going to lose your business,” Rupert tells Tony. The other man sees his opponent as a “champion showjumper put out to pasture” and “an arrogant brat.”
Rupert easily draws the attention of the women—he can’t resist the conquest, Tony’s wife Monica (Rushbrook) remarks—and that includes Taggie, even as her father Declan warns him to stay away from her. Based on the glimpse in the trailer, their first meeting will be very similar to the book. But as Declan says to Rupert during their interview for his show, “Despite your money, you are a lonely man.”
Watch the full trailer above for much more. It’s “game on.”
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