Rivals Season 2 Episodes 1-3 Review

Hulu’s scandalously fun British soap opera Rivals is back for a second season, and it’s just as deliciously diabolical as ever. Rivals Season 1 Episodes 1-3 pick up shortly after the last season left off.

Tony is recovering from his attack while Cameron and Rupert are in hiding. The bid for the Central South West television license is still up for grabs, and Voyager and Corinium are desperate to come out on top.

It may have been a while since the show last aired, but returning to these characters is like putting on your favorite sweater. You’ll quickly remember why you loved it while watching the first three episodes.

Episode 1 resolves the plot with Tony and Cameron, sort of, but not without a lot of the show’s classic backstabbing and maneuvering. David Tennant continues to shine as the villain of the show, and you love to hate him as he wreaks havoc for everyone around him.

Unfortunately for the shippers watching the show, it’s less fun to see Rupert and Taggie at odds again after Rupert decides to quit pursuing her in favor of protecting and staying loyal to Cameron. A plot in episode 2 where Rupert’s children fall in love with Taggie and she proves she would be the best stepmom ever just twists the knife in the heart further.

Even if you’re not fond of age-gap relationships, it’s impossible NOT to root for them when Rupert is the only one who seems to care for and understand Taggie. Rupert’s insistence he won’t “break” Taggie too like he did his ex-wife Helen shows how far the character has come putting her above his own desires.

At least Freddie and Lizzie still have a chance in these first three episodes, and the way Danny Dyer and Katherne Parkinson move like teenagers in love will have you kicking your feet.

Some of the other plot lines are more of the same, particularly Declan and Maud’s never-ending goading of each other (Declan, while very handsome and brooding, is indeed a “shite husband.”) Poor Gerald and Charles remain star-crossed lovers as Gerald pursues a sham lavender marriage to further his political career.

Newer additions to the season, including Rupert’s mentor Malise (Ruper Everett) shake things up a bit. Of all the characters on the show, Rupert gets the most psychological analysis and Malise tears him down to the studs after a damning expose on Rupert scandalizes Helen and the kids too.

Rupert is on a path to redemption this season, but he has a lot to atone for still.

But hey, this is a fun sexy show! Lest it sound like all doom and gloom please be reassured there are plenty of steamy sex scenes (including one that mentions Margaret Thatcher way too many times) and comedic set ups. Sarah’s dinner party in support of her husbands campaign is a veritable comedy of errors as everyone in Rutshire seems to be plotting in between being shoved in closets.

And yes, as an American viewer I did have to google “The Chicken Song” after Episode 3’s joyous post-election celebration.

This first batch of Rivals Season 2 episodes will satisfy viewers and leave them wishing there weren’t only 3 more in this first half of the season.

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Rivals airs Fridays on Hulu. 

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