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Rivals Season 2 review: bigger, better, and raunchier

By Sofia Martinez · Culture & Entertainment Editor

May 10, 2026 · 11 min read

Therese Lacson

Published May 10, 2026, 7:01 PM EDT

Therese Lacson is a Senior TV Editor who has been with Collider since 2021. She got started in this business over ten years ago working primarily as an interviewer and critic. At Collider, she works closely with the features team to support the writers and also ideates and develops content daily. She has covered major industry events including Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival, and San Diego Comic-Con. Although she reviews and covers both film and television, her focus is in television and her expertise is in fantasy and sci-fi genre shows. Her favorite shows to cover include House of the Dragon_, Bridgerton,_ Fallout_, 9-1-1, and Rivals.

It's been almost two years since Rivals first quietly dropped on Hulu, and since then, the series' hype has grown as it has gained more fans, earned more international recognition, and received an extension that bumped it from eight episodes to twelve per season. Based on a series of novels by the late author Jilly Cooper, Rivals follows the glamorous and steamy lives of the inhabitants of the fictional county of Rutshire, nestled in the rolling green hills of the Cotswolds. Bonkbusters might have once been considered lowbrow for their explicit sex scenes and over-the-top drama, but no genre is better suited to a television adaptation.

Rivals Season 1 sets the perfect stage, taking us to the idyllic English countryside and giving us a taste of how the other very rich and very powerful half live. With illicit affairs and soapy drama paired with commentary on socioeconomic gaps and class divide, the series proved it could have it all. But lightning rarely strikes twice, and with more characters and more episodes, can Rivals impress for a second time and prove that its success is more than just chance?

'Rivals' Season 2 Doubles Down on Drama, Affairs, and Intrigue

One thing that's immediately evident when you start Rivals Season 2 is that the series is simply delivering more on all fronts. There are a handful of new characters, most of them plucked directly from the pages of Polo, the next book in Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles series. There are new sets, bigger hair, and scandal waiting around every corner. However, Rivals hasn't just expanded in scope; it's also gone deeper than even the novels have.

The series picks up not long after the end of Season 1, and the rivalry between TV production companies Corinium and Venturer is now trucking along at full steam. After being bludgeoned over the head by Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) has not only survived his attack but is, unsurprisingly, coming for blood. Tony, who is gloriously wicked and devious in Season 2, removes any remnant of the sheep's clothing he might have worn in Season 1, becoming the big bad wolf of Rutshire. His aim? Obliterating Venturer from the map and getting his revenge on all the people who have wronged him. First in his sights is the most obvious target: his long-time rival Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell).

Although Season 1 might have ended on a hopeful note, with Rupert finally giving in to his feelings for Taggie (Bella Maclean), with the two sharing a heated kiss in the kitchen, the course of true love not only isn't running smoothly for them, but it's a rocky and steep ride down a path of hairpin turns. Merely seconds after their kiss, the somewhat reformed rake is faced with a new conflict. Cameron, covered in Tony's blood after the attack, needs his help, and Rupert has made a promise to protect her. When he chooses to be noble rather than selfish, Rupert's love life is thrown into disarray almost immediately.

‘Rivals’ Bella Maclean and Alex Hassell Prove You’re Missing the Point of That Age-Gap Relationship

Maclean and Hassell are joined by David Tennant, Claire Rushbrook, and Catriona Chandler as they break down Season 2.

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By Therese Lacson

It's not just Rupert's love story that's taking center stage; Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) is still in one of the most toxic marriages known to man with Maud (Victoria Smurfit), who is now acting in A Doll's House_ in a supporting role after leaving Declan last season to finally reclaim her career. You might consider Declan to be one of the show's most eloquent and intellectual characters, especially after his stirring speech at the end of Season 1, but in matters of love, he's a hot mess. If you thought these two were messy in Season 1, Season 2 blows all of that out of the water. The third head of the Venturer hydra is tech magnate Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer), who consummated his will-they-won't-they romance with novelist Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson) last season. Their relationship is likely the least problematic of the bunch on the surface, but the problem is that both Freddie and Lizzie are married with kids, and as devoted as they are to each other, they're also devoted to their families.

If that sounds like a lot, let me reassure you: there's more. Without going into detail, new relationships and pairings pop up left and right in Season 2. Characters who were previously in supporting roles have been given more to work with, like Luca Pasqualino's Bas Baddingham and Gary Lamont's Charles Fairburn. And, because it is still a bonkbuster, the season has more sex and more full-frontal nudity than ever before, complete with riding crops and excessive skinny-dipping. After watching the first five episodes of _Rivals _Season 2, it almost feels as if Season 1 was the prequel, setting the stage for the true story to emerge.

'Rivals' Cast Performances Are the Stars of Season 2

As delicious as the plots of Season 2 are, it's the cast that really shines in Rivals. Tennant was spectacular last season, showing how ambitious and cutthroat Tony is, but Season 2 proves that Tony is not only an antagonist, but one who has zero regard for anyone but himself. Tennant has completely leaned into his character's villainous side, acting as a puppet master of some of the series' most shocking schemes so far. In some ways, this flattens Tony into a near caricature, but it's a necessary step for the story to keep chugging along at full steam. On the flip side, if Hassell's Rupert felt somewhat one-note at his initial introduction, Season 2 has fully fleshed out the character, giving him a tragic turn that plunges Rupert to the lowest of lows and forces him to dig his way out. Hassell is heartbreaking as Rupert, with every expression written clearly on his face as he wrestles with his career and love life while also being haunted by past ghosts.

Season 2 brings in Hayley Atwell's Helen Gordon as Rupert's ex-wife; Rupert Everett as his former showjumping team manager, Malise Gordon; and the couple's two kids, Marcus and Tabitha. Atwell is a recast, but she proves in every scene that she's a perfect choice for Helen, even if her American accent comes and goes at times. Some of Hassell's most heartbreaking scenes are when the former couple clash, tearing away the charisma of a former Olympian and politician and revealing one of the most flawed characters in the series.

Rupert's most nuanced moments, however, happen opposite Maclean's Taggie. There was a big kerfuffle about the age gap between these two characters when they were first paired up, but the fact of the matter is that the obstacles in their relationship are much more serious than that. Cameron is a complicating factor, but Taggie is also Declan's daughter, and Rupert is slowly gaining a conscience for the first time in his life. For her part, Maclean plays Taggie with maturity beyond her years. While much of her storyline is devoted to Taggie's relationship with Rupert, Maclean also gets to dive deeper into new facets of her character that give her a chance to shine. From dancing in a bar to shedding her more passive previous persona, Taggie is just one example of giving this ensemble more to work with without making them feel vastly out of character. That her chemistry-laden scenes with Hassell are a combination of devastating and gut-wrenching is simply the icing on the cake.

One of the most delightful surprises of Season 2 is Smurfit's Maud, who comes into her own now that she's been freed from the shackles of being a bored and neglected housewife. When Smurfit shines in a play near the mid-point of the season, it doubles as a rare treat and the best character development. While she has new and complicated relationships with those beyond the O'Hara clan, Smurfit's best scenes still come when she's across Turner as Declan. The electricity between the two actors means every scene is not only fraught with tension but also longing and uncertainty.

'Rivals' Honors the '80s, Bonkbusters, and Jilly Cooper

_ Aidan Turner in Rivals Season 2Image via Hulu

It's not an exaggeration to say that the world lost a literary giant when Cooper passed away last October. Anyone who has read one of her books knows how clever the queen of bonkbusters is at weaving an addictive narrative. As an executive producer on the series and having worked on the whole of Season 2, Cooper's fingerprints are all over the show. Those hoping the series will hew closely to the original Rivals _novel might be slightly disappointed; some characters have been combined, and some scenes have been streamlined. However, that doesn't mean Season 2 isn't loyal to the story Cooper has crafted; in fact, the changes enhance this more modernized adaptation, offering depth the book necessarily couldn't.

Alongside Season 2's drama, the lush and vibrant costuming and set design are back on full display. From turquoise and pastel indoor pools to verdant polo fields, Rivals drops you right back into the luxury of the most affluent part of England, and it feels as authentic as the crushed velvet dresses the characters are swathed in. David Bowie and Rick James play as characters scheme and bond, all clad in pinstripe suits and florals. It's this connection to authenticity that gives the series a unique flavor and flair, which has been missing from the world of grim and gritty television.

'Rivals' Season 2 Is Bigger and Better, but Not Flawless

_ Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean in Rivals Season 1Image via Hulu

However, not everything is perfect about Rivals_ Season 2. The chief problem is the pacing — not in the story itself, but rather its overall release schedule. Season 1 experienced a full drop, making it easy to binge for anyone with a free weekend, but Season 2 adopts methods from fellow competitor streamers that don't do Rivals any favors. Split into two parts, the first part of Season 2 premieres with a three-episode drop, followed by weekly releases before the season takes a break after Episode 6. Shows like Bridgerton and Stranger Things have employed a similar split-season release schedule, albeit with binge drops. Prime Video shows have seen success with a hybrid model, dropping three episodes first and then airing weekly until the finale. Rivals' hybrid-of-a-hybrid schedule has the potential to confuse audiences, especially since the three-episode premiere leaves the story off on a pretty drastic low point that might deter weekly viewers and lead them to simply wait three weeks until the full season is out.

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The creative cinematography in Season 1 is also back; one scene sees the complete upending of a character's life, and the camera slowly spins before literally turning upside-down. Some of the visual language used in these shots is about as subtle as a sledgehammer**. There's one particular scene that appears like a one-shot at a dinner party; the editing of the scene offers asides of other characters, but undercuts the tempo of the take. It doesn't happen often enough to detract from the series, but it is noticeable enough to feel heavy-handed at times.

However, these are just minor gripes for a show that has really emerged from its chrysalis. If Rivals_' first season was glam and fun, Season 2 uses that as a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. The more complex and morally grey storylines refuse to take the easy way out despite the fluffy packaging. You might have found yourself rooting for extramarital affairs in Season 1, but Season 2 is ready to douse you in some cold water and remind you that all actions have consequences. That's what makes the series work: you get the good and the bad. It's far more than just a guilty pleasure; Rivals Season 2 surpasses Season 1 on nearly every front, proving that more time and space to breathe is exactly what a show needs to mature into a resounding win.

Rivals Season 2 premieres May 15 on Hulu.

REVIEW

8 10

Rivals

Rivals turns everything up to 11 to deliver a stellar sophomore season.

Followed

TV-MA

Drama

Romance

Release Date**

October 18, 2024

Network

Disney+

Directors

Dee Koppang O'Leary, Alexandra Brodski, Elliot Hegarty

Cast

See All_

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming**

Rivals unfolds in the thriving 1980s British television industry, where power struggles and personal entanglements dominate. Amidst the era's ambitious, ego-driven landscape, shifting loyalties and high-stakes negotiations define the careers of those involved, challenging notions of love and success within this volatile environment.

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Pros & Cons

Fantastic performances come from David Tennant, Victoria Smurfit, and Alex Hassell.
Storylines have been completely expanded to add more depth to supporting and main characters.
The pacing of the release schedule creates inconsistencies in the season's tempo.