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Season 1 – Rivals

Play trailer 2:09 Poster for Season 1 – Rivals 2024 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In 1980s England, a rivalry between two powerful men finally comes to a head.
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Rivals — Season 1

Rivals — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A caustic comedy with swagger, Rivals makes class warfare and catty behavior addictive viewing.

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Critics Reviews

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Scott Bryan BBC.com It manages to reflect that era of TV and TV making with the ostentatious wealth, the bold new ideas. I also like just how fully fleshed all the characters are. Rated: Must Watch Jan 8, 2025 Full Review Sophie Gilbert The Atlantic Watching Rivals, I was more drawn to the qualities it has that’ve been largely absent from more prestigious shows this year: joy, and also abundance, sly humor, and fun. Nov 4, 2024 Full Review Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) Satiric enough to get away with its rich people behaving badly excess, salacious enough to keep you engrossed, this eight-episode series is an alchemical wonder when it comes to tone. Rated: 4/5 Oct 30, 2024 Full Review Rebecca Cook Digital Spy When the show isn't straying too far from the sex, money and chicanery, it's good soapy fun – albeit with a stonking cliffhanger that might leave you frothing at the mouth... Rated: 3/5 Mar 6, 2025 Full Review Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post It plays like a wittier and sexier version of one of those night-time soaps that used to be so popular, such as Dynasty, mixed with a bit of Broadcast News and a little Bridget Jones and Brideshead Revisited thrown in. Nov 15, 2024 Full Review Joyce Slaton Common Sense Media With vicious and venal characters wreaking havoc in elegant English country houses, this racy 1980s throwback feels like an updated prime time soap opera, a Dynasty or Dallas for modern times. Nov 4, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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H H 60 % of this show are meaningless sex scenes. I am now angry at myself for wasting so much time on it (got through 6 episodes) tempted by good reviews and good acting (Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Claire Rushbrook). There were moments were the creators could've delved into something deeper, showing the complexity of human nature - Agatha's reaction when she met with Charles's distress or when Tony showed interest in Daysee's situation. Instead, these were completely wasted on clichés. This is a "fast-food" kind of TV. I'm sorry to say, it gave me indigestion. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 09/06/25 Full Review P M I shut it off after 40 minutes. More "transgressive" political nonsense rapidly oscillating between tired and shallow political statements and sex scenes. The most interesting part was how quickly it gave me a headache. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/28/25 Full Review Michael M Amazing show! Great story, actors, setting...the whole thing is perfect Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/21/25 Full Review Christian H Rivals is bold, hilarious, and wildly exciting with plenty of deviant acts to keep you constantly on the edge of your seat. However, the show does lose its way ever so slightly later on - a complete tone shift - but does manage to bring it back round. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/25 Full Review Audience Member The best show I've seen in a long time Fresh, sexy and exciting Took away half a star for the uncomfortable (yet sexy) age gap and because I found the end of the shows villain quite unsatisfying Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/08/25 Full Review Howard W Encouraged by the critical acclaim, I watched the first three episodes. The Rivals is cringe worthy, creepy, badly cast and acted and despite all the sex, boring. You don't find yourself warming to the characters and so when they hook up after 4 sentences of stilted, corny conversation, you don't care. There's no suspense or tension, and it smacks of being written for an American audience with all the usual British tropes. Really disappointed, does it improve?! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/03/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Rivals — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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David Tennant

Tony Baddingham

Oliver Chris

James Vereker

Katherine Parkinson

Lizzie Vereker

Alex Hassell

Rupert Campbell-Black

Victoria Smurfit

Maud O'Hara

Luke Pasqualino

Basil `Bas' Baddingham

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Oct 18, 2024 To ensure the success of his TV company, Corinium, Tony Baddingham hires Declan O'Hara and ambitious American producer Cameron Cook; as the O'Haras move to the countryside, Declan has a rude awakening on his first day on the job. Details Episode 2 Aired Oct 18, 2024 Declan feels the pressure to deliver a new hit show for Tony with producer Cameron, despite their fractious relationship; keen to recruit businessman Freddie Jones, Tony agrees to attend a dinner party, but the guest list holds nasty surprises. Details Episode 3 Aired Oct 18, 2024 It is Christmas time and everyone is celebrating except Declan, who worries about Maud's extravagant party plans for their son's twenty-first birthday on New Year's Eve; Taggie is eager to reunite with an old flame and tries to plan a perfect night. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 18, 2024 Keen to punish Rupert, Declan prepares to interview and obliterate him live on television; Tony invites Freddie to his prestigious pheasant shoot, eager to recruit him to the Corinium board; with a nudge from Rupert, Taggie starts to assert herself. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 18, 2024 It is a busy week at Corinium Studios as preparations are underway for the first beauty pageant and an interview with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; Declan's ego grows with each successful show, but he strives for journalistic glory. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 18, 2024 Cameron attends an awards ceremony in Spain alone and is surprised to bump into Rupert staying at the same hotel; Rupert takes a gamble to help a new company, Venturer, take on rival Tony's Corinium. Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 18, 2024 When Tony learns that Rupert, Declan and Freddie have formed Venturer to challenge his bid for the television franchise, he is furious; things look up when Corinium is nominated for another prestigious award and his relationship with Cameron deepens. Details Episode 8 Aired Oct 18, 2024 A paranoid Tony demands loyalty; Corinium and Venturer prepare for a gladiatorial public meeting to decide if Rupert, Declan and Freddie can contend for the franchise against Tony; both teams pull out all the stops to impress local residents. Details

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Rivals — Season 1

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Rivals — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Elliot Hegarty, Dee Koppang O'Leary, Alexandra Brodski
Executive Producer
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb
Screenwriter
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Sophie Goodhart, Kefi Chadwick, Marek Horn, Mimi Hare, Dare Aiyegbayo, Clare Naylor
Network
Hulu
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Oct 18, 2024