Rivals Season 2 Episode 6 Review

I would like to apologize to Rivals for accusing it of character assassinating Declan, since it turns out he and Cameron did not sleep together. However, Rivals Season 2 Episode 6 gives me a brand new complaint to lodge.

After the fun festivities of Rivals Season 2 Episode 5, fans are in for a real downer of an episode. Despite being a downer, the episode is also emotionally poignant, beautifully acted and narratively tense.

The wind from Challengers has nothing on the storm that rocks Rutshire to its core as the sins of this season come to light in a gruesome way. Caitlin and Archie’s sweet tryst turns into something much more sinister when Caitlin discovers nude photos of her mom taken by Tony.

From there the dominoes fall, with Monica finding out and Tonya being confronted by Archie and then Monica going out into the stormy night like. She’s like a lost ghost wandering through Rutshire to remind them of their sins.

Like I said, not a fun episode! It turns out Rivals isn’t only good for fun and sexy scenes, it can deliver some real heartbreaking drama.

Claire Rushbrook’s simmering performance all season, portraying the restrained Monica, finally gets bubbles over as she comes to terms with her grief. Not only about her marriage but also about the woman she thought she would be, a woman brave enough to live the life she wanted.

A beautiful scene between Monica and Lizzie where they discuss Lizzie’s affair provides tension as you first think Monica wants to expose Lizzie. Really she just wants to understand why in order to understand her own life better.

It turns into a conversation about expectations and what they would want for their daughters with the horrifying realization they are doing the opposite by staying with cheating, useless husbands.  A piece of entertainment hasn’t made me so emotional about how far women have and haven’t come since Barbie.

Rivals is set in the 80s and upperclass England where the things Monica wants are still taboo, and watching her turn from a punching bag for Tony into a woman finally ready to break free is inspiring. Which makes the decision to end the episode with her dying in a car crash all the more infuriating.

How dare Rivals let Maud and Tony get away with it (at least for now), while killing off Monica and robbing her of her fresh start. Of course the show has always glorified misbehavior and scandal for fun, but this decision just feels cruel.

It’s certainly a shocking note to end the first half of the season on, but not the normal scandalous but entertaining twist we’d expect.

The only silver lining, and even calling it that feels like a stretch, is Lizzie is inspired to shove duty aside to go after Freddie. Of course we don’t know how that will change once she learns of Monica’s death, but we can be hopeful at least one mistreated housewife will get a happy ending.

It’s ironic of course that Maud and Declan seem to be getting on better than ever, with her even genuinely praising his Yeats special. Victoria Smurfitt gets plenty of chance to practice her worried face though once Maud learns Caitlin knows the truth.

The RuTaggie crumbs from this episode are sparse but tasty as Taggie shows up in the middle of the night saving Rupert’s horse. Sigh, if only he didn’t have a pesky live-in girlfriend to squash the epic romantic moment.

Fans will be waiting to see if the second half of the season delivers the punishment Tony and Maud have coming or whether they weasel their way out once again.

What did you think of this episode of Rivals? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

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Rivals airs Fridays on Hulu. 

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