Rivals – Is Both Humorous and Serious About Pleasure

Rivals is a variety of things. It’s a mix of the 1980s, British countryside politics, and a sexually charged dramatic narrative. The biggest contention is between Lord Tony Baddingham, who is the owner of the Rutshire regional TV franchise, and Rupert Campbell-Black who is his competitor. 

Lord Baddingham is seen recruiting Declan O’Hara played by Poldark’s Aiden Turner who also hosts a talk show. The two battle in the same areas over money.

Located in the Cotswolds

To non–fans of Jilly Cooper’s world, Rivals, a new series on Disney+, may be an unusual selection of book, but that will change quickly as this adaptation of her book is as over the top fun as it is serious about delight. So this dramatic adaptation surely comes with a lot of comedy.

The Rutshire story features two central characters and their rivalry: an Olympic showjumper – Rupert Campbell Black and Lord Tony Baddingham, who owns a regional television station – Corinium. The feeling is mutual, and although they dislike one another, they subtlety express the hate in the form of snarky comments and sarcastic remarks.

But the real war is for a television personality – Declan O’Hara, who Baddingham is reported to have obtained from the BBC. The bodacious Irish talkshow host is just the right foil to Rupert’s debauched life of affluence, and the two are soon seen in a love affair.

Rivals, with stars like Aidan Turner and David Tennant, was able to use some of the most beautiful views in the Cotswolds as well as the famous Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol. The film crew also filmed scenes in the city where naked Gilded Age TV award stylists were supposed to be receiving screaming fans, These proved remarkably effective with Bristol’s Corn Street next to St Nicholas Markets masquerading as 80s London and a super Concorde being flown in for good measure. Old City’s historic Harbour Hotel as well the Georgian Square and the seaside Victorian town Clevedon were equally prominent during the filming process.

Rivals does not care about the primetime era of television, as well as the family morals which British television, reverie, and dream world served the viewers. All the other American erotic programs and cartoons try to rise to the level of Rivals, but the Rivals were never signing up for the same level that the others aired their shows.

It’s worth noting that there were goal-scoring, rage-empting moments. Despite the maturity and sex of Cooper’s novel, the characters in Rivals also knew the products they exactly were intending to sell, everything that came with the title of being a primetime. Of course, embarrassment does objectively not lead to growth, which in this case it was appreciated as the need for drama. There was Tony Baddingham, David Tennant in the larger picture Bret Campbell of Manchester City Alex Hassell. Just like Gordon Ramsay is famous across borders, so are Ruepert and Alex in the world of flipping houses. Baddingham was an heir to multiple television franchises, and didn’t have issues finding rival Olympic show jumpers. They had Money, Friends, Wives, everything one could ever need .

Rivals is series that is at times funny and sexy but most importantly it does not seem to be bothered by the over the top drama. It depicts life injectors like the likes of fax machines, cigars, repulsive food, music from the 80s and tom selleck moustaches to the highest detail. It also has characters partaking in over the top action such as: hunting and tennis but not just any tennis but nude tennis. One of the episodes did however come under scrutiny for featuring rape but it quickly managed to replace that episode with a sex filled adventure that is set on new visually enticing streaming shows.

It’s romance

The racy novel rutshire chronicles written by dame jilly cooper was adapted into a TV show and in its very first episode it moved straight into the competitive world of television along with sex and drama in the mix and this is how Rivals started off. It is an eight episode limited series that aims to portray the upper social class of Britain. It also goes even deeper than sex and assault showcasing how competitive the british television industry is and overall the themes of the show and how Rivals tackles them are commendable.

However, among the most important marvels is the world-class cast. For example, David Tennant plays Lord Tony Baddingham, a cigar–sucking villain. A fierce rivalry and competition exists between him and broadcaster Rupert Campbell-Black. This is not new for Tennant, he has always been very good at acting out villainous roles, and here, he -to no surprise- does it well again.

As well being a scandalous romp, there is the more in the edge romantic subplot between Lizzie Vereker -a frumpy romance novelist- played by Katherine Parkinson, and Freddie, a tech investment who is charming but gruff, all the while being played by Danny Dyer. They are both married but there is chemistry and connection between them. So the show is a great watch and offers various interpretations on social and sexual values.    

Now the naughtiness and sexiness of the show is but obvious, there is a message to subtly address though, its also about how life should be fun.

It’s a Sex Narrative

In all fairness if you have reservations about the dirty elements of Rivals, everything will make sense after watching the openings of the newly developed Disney+/ Hulu rendition of Dame Jilly Cooper’s “bonkbuster”. The concepts of disgusting people and gore vividly come to life right after the opening credits through the whore of a man slamming his butt cheeks together while chanting “Addicted to Love”.

It is a scenario in which the wealthy (therfore, the elite) occupy themselves with complaints amongst themselves, and much of what they do is accompanied with a level of rudeness and cruelty that simply knows no bounds. Yet as aggravating as most of these jerks can be in many shades of awful, there is a degree of entertainment as watching them argue using cutting remarks and vicious looks, alongside motions where the invitation is not given or only given as an insult is tacitly allowed.

In contrast the main tragicudy revolves around the mystical conundrum that is British local television franchising. Tony Baddingham, now portrayed by David Tennant, was impressive as a munitions charging dome but an even more commendable look at television executive as he goes on to steal Baftas winning television host Declan O’Hara from the bbc using munitions diplomacy.

However, O’Hara goes to BBC not believing Baddingham is going to start a revolution instead Baddingham might actually result in catastrophe. The end product is quite interesting as it presents a raunchy side of British period locations drama. I won’t say it’s the most feministic of tales, Rivals is quite interesting and does an excellent job in advocating the case as to why we watch TV shows in the first place.