‘Rivals’ Season 2’s Return Teases Its Most Ambitious Shakeup Yet | Review

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Well, as Rivals fans, we’ve done our fair share of waiting. After its first season premiered in October 2024, the sleeper hit series quickly became a favorite, both for longtime fans of Jilly Cooper and new viewers discovering her world for the first time. Now, after a five-month hiatus between Part 1 and Part 2, the raunchy, soapy series is finally paying off the promise it made back in May of this year. Despite some issues with pacing — which can be almost entirely blamed on the bizarre split-season release — Rivals Season 2 proves it can not only embrace the glitz and glamor of Cooper’s world, but also forge its own path and create something new.

‘Rivals’ Season 2 Delivers a Darker, More Serious Part 2

Following the shocking death of Monica Baddingham (Claire Rushbrook), all of Rutshire is in shambles. Tony (David Tennant) is spiraling deeper into the darkness; Rupert (Alex Hassell) has been thoroughly shaken after it’s revealed that Monica spent her dying moments with him, and the O’Haras are on the brink of collapse with the secret of Maud (Victoria Smurfit) and Tony’s affair hanging over them like the Sword of Damocles. Although Part 2 has its share of celebratory moments — there’s a bonfire night, a debauched toga party, and a wedding celebration for the ages — the ghost of Monica and the fallout from Episode 6 haunt this half of Season 2.

For much of Episodes 7 to 10, the show loses some of that bubbliness that has become signature to the series. There’s still big hair and tons of sex with some globe-trotting tossed in, but there’s a sense that some light has left Rutshire. Your mileage may vary with how successful this tonal shift is, especially for those who enjoyed the show for its levity; Part 2 is full of fights, tears, threats, and broken hearts. If you’re familiar with Cooper’s books, this is probably less of a surprise, but even those who know the 1988 novel from back to front will be hit with shocking twists they never expected.

The person who shines the most in this darkness is Tennant, whose Tony Baddingham is absolutely riveting to watch and tops even his book counterpart. He’s darker than he’s ever been, but he’s not twirling his mustache and cackling maniacally; he’s a man who has been utterly torn apart and is at his most dangerous. Dogged and slightly deranged, Tennant gives a masterful performance, showing a man who has nothing left to lose.

Alongside Tennant is Hassell, who is the embodiment of a tortured soul. Part 2 humbles Rupert even more, and Hassell is brilliant at trading in the suave and charismatic bad boy for an emotionally mature reformed rake. As he becomes the platonic safe haven to the women of Rutshire while trying to remain honorable for Taggie (Bella Maclean), his narrative arc is one of the most satisfying in the show.

‘Rivals’ Season 2 Part 2 Is All About the Slow Burn

For those ready for your favorite couples to finally get together, don’t expect it to happen immediately. For Freddie (Danny Dyer) and Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson), the two don’t waste any time in starting their affair up again. However, the stakes are finally raised as their effervescent love affair is finally weighed down with real-world consequences. With two other spouses and four kids between them, Season 2 properly shows the collateral damage of their affair. Lisa McGrillis‘ Valerie, who is so often played as comedic relief, is given some meaty scenes, and you might find yourself torn about whether Freddie should abandon his family in pursuit of true love.

Meanwhile, Bas Baddingham (Luca Pasqualino) has firmly wedged himself between Rupert and Taggie. Maclean gives Taggie some teeth in Part 2, which is a delightful development considering how sweet and pure she has been played up until now. These two continue to wistfully and longingly stare at each other, but Taggie is no longer content to just exist on the sidelines. For those worried about the fate of these two, the show might take some liberties with the source material, but it ultimately remains loyal to Cooper’s novel. Your patience might be tested, but this farcical will-they-won’t-they (let’s be honest, we know they will) pays off in the finale, which culminates in a bombshell moment that makes all that yearning worth it in the end.

The other main couples of the series also face a slower pace as the season steadily doles out its angstiest scenes. Aidan Turner and Smurfit deliver their best performances to date as Declan and Maud’s marriage crumbles. There’s one knock-down, drag-out fight between them that is award-winning for how flawlessly these two play off of each other. Smurfit, in particular, is magnetic as she embodies a guilt-ridden and remorseful Maud. Meanwhile, Gerald (Hubert Burton) is still determined to marry Muffy (Eliot Salt), but he and Charles (Gary Lamont) not only have the fear of being outed, but now must deal with the looming threat and stigma of AIDS. Lamont is fantastic in these episodes — if he broke your heart after the death of Charles’ mother in Part 1, he’ll completely wreck you in Part 2.

‘Rivals’ Makes Bigger Promises With Its Season 2 Finale

Alongside the fantastic performances, the production of Part 2 is in top form. The massive ball in Episode 10 puts Season 1’s New Year’s Eve party to shame. The night is complete with musical guests, people chasing a piglet through the halls, and a room called the “Sin Bin” that would look absolutely horrifying under a black light. Bonfire Night lights up the Cotswold sky and is perfectly fitting for the explosive revelations and developments that come with it. A gorgeous party in Argentina puts bright colors and a shining sun on display, making it a welcome change to the wintry English countryside. The way Rivals transforms sets and brings the cast together for these momentous scenes makes it feel like we’re truly entrenched in the whimsical and wonderful world of Rutshire.

Beyond that, the show makes a lot of promises. The creators behind the series have already said that they intend to keep Rivals running for as long as it can go, and Season 2 ends where Cooper’s second novel wraps up. With Season 3 starting production soon, it’s clear that the world will continue expanding, and they’ll venture into Polo, the third book in the series. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that a character from the fourth book already appears in Episode 7. However, one problem arises. The Rutshire universe is notorious for its massive cast, and in a show already overflowing with storylines, it’s hard to imagine room for more.

The show already feels like it is buckling under the weight of its characters, and each episode feels jam-packed. One major reveal that goes completely off-book in Episode 10 will likely blindside viewers, but it never feels properly foreshadowed. What Rivals must contend with in Season 3 is a challenge it has yet to face: how can the show evolve beyond a single book, and can it pare down its cast to make room for new faces? It would be a shame if so many of Cooper’s iconic characters were simply blended into the existing ensemble, but at the same time, the cast’s cohesiveness is something Rivals has earned through its two seasons. It’s an unenviable task, but after Season 2’s soaring heights, fans will be eager to return to Rutshire to see just how they manage to pull off the impossible.

Rivals Season 2 returns November 11 on Hulu.