The wealthy residents of Rutshire are back – and raunchier than ever.
Disney+'s smash hit, Cotswolds-set romance drama, adapted from the books by the late Jilly Cooper, returns with more 80s glamour, high drama and debauchery galore.
© Disney+In true Rivals style, there's plenty of nudity before the first ten minutes are up. Three young men cannonball fully naked into water at a pool party, before notorious womaniser and former Olympic showjumper, Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), is bare-bottomed, straddling TV producer Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams) in front of a bay window.
Those who tuned into the first season might be wondering what happened to Rupert's romantic entanglement with 20-year-old caterer Taggie (Bella Maclean), who is the daughter of his colleague, moustached TV presenter Declan O' Hara (Aidan Turner).
It turns out that Rupert and Cameron have been shacked up together since the American producer walloped her ex-lover, ruthless TV executive Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), over the head with a TV award.
But Tony's major head injury doesn't seem to have diminished his vigour. With his regional broadcaster, Corinium Television, under threat from a rival company, Ventura, led by Rupert and Declan, the TV boss is more bloodthirsty than ever.
© Ana Blumenkron"1987 is a franchise year and we are at war," Tony tells his staff. "An eye for an eye? We'll take their [expletive] heads off!"
Meanwhile, Declan's actress wife Maud O'Hara (Victoria Smurfit) is enjoying success in London's West End, and Taggie is nursing a broken heart after being left in the dust by Rupert following their long-awaited kiss at the climax of season one.
© Robert ViglaskyBut the highlight remains the slow-burn romance between self-made electronics mogul Freddie (Danny Dyer) and down-to-earth romance novelist Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson), who finally surrendered to their desires and slept with each other in season one, after a long period of intense yearning.
The sensitive pair, who bonded over their love of confectionery and are both unhappily married, can't be together because of their respective families – but that doesn't stop them from exchanging longing looks.
© Disney+Overflowing with champagne and non-stop scandal, this gloriously camp, feel-good bonkbuster revels in 1980s hedonism. But with plenty of wit, heart and emotional depth, Rivals is much more than just bare bottoms and breathy moans.
With four more episodes than its first outing, season two is certainly bigger and just as entertaining. The new episodes delve deeper into its superb cast of characters, expanding its scope whilst also retaining its silliness and soapy fun.
It's perfect escapism and well worth a watch.
Rivals is available to stream on Disney+.
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