Rivals Season 2, Episode 1 is an action-packed and evenly-paced return, but it’s the emotional punches that leave a lasting sting on the characters in Rutshire. The season premiere, written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and directed by Elliot Hegarty, is this show at its most creative and clever as ever. From the jump, the addition of Uncensored is fantastic as a device. It just opens up a million opportunities for Rivals to run with – and it does.
That Corinium program, as well as the show’s practical effects and era-specific cameras, reflects that Rivals is a show that knows and loves the medium. This show also knows the impact of a good and nostalgic needle drop. The editing of the Declan and Maud sequence over the cover of “Your Love Is King” is breathtaking. Everything in this season premiere is cohesive, propulsive, and thoughtful–down to the changes in the title sequence. Even Rivals’ newest characters and stories fold seamlessly into the figurative and literal rich on-screen world of Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles.
The cherry on top of it all is the truly fitting iris shot of Tony’s kiss fading into the memorial to Cooper. It’s all so special, and I feel very lucky to write about it.
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Cameron and Staying Ahead of the Game
Given the Season 1 cliffhanger’s intensity, which Tony makes a meta reference to through Four Men Went to Mow with Lady Gosling, this episode must pick up somewhere near those events. The method in which it chooses to do so is incredible – a juxtaposition between a biased, sanitized version of the story and the raw truth of the violent scene. Rivals is skilled at forthy, elevated drama, but it also knows how and when to hold real terror in its hand, too. A prime example is the score crescendoing alongside Tony’s Corinium helicopter, just eclipsing Rupert on his bike – it’s terrifying.
There are also so many of those nuances in Nafessa Williams’ performance; Cameron’s physicality changes. That first shot of her is completely different from the Cameron that Rivals picks up with in Devon, and then her physicality visibly shifts back to that place when she sees Tony. Coming back for a second season means that Rivals can turn over new stones and delve into these characters more, and this first episode does a great job with everyone. It’s particularly fascinating to watch Monica and Cameron push and pull Tony in different directions. Sarah only exacerbates that strain when she tells him that the bay is his, which, knowing Tony, will only make him lash out more.
It’s also enjoyable to see Rupert’s feelings for Cameron and how they differ from what he feels for Taggie. He genuinely and visibly cares for Cameron, which, of course, complicates whether and how he can act on his feelings for Taggie. That tension plays out in the one-two moment of Rupert asking Cameron to move in with him in one breath and calling Taggie “angel” in the other. Alex Hassell is perfect at representing how caught up Rupert feels in all of this, which is critical in making the character’s internal conflict believable.
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Polo Takes Center Stage in the Bid
It’s exciting that Rivals Season 2, Episode 1 takes the franchise bid duel to the polo pitch – and Mousie’s pool party. It’s always thrilling when this show has as many characters as possible in the same setting, like the New Year’s Eve party in Season 1. Adding polo into the mix also means that Rivals can pull characters like Seb and Dommie Carlile from Cooper’s Polo, while teasing Holly Cattle’s role. This episode also introduces Mike Maples (“I’ve never been so poor or so happy”), who is entirely enjoyable, to the Venturer team. But both the polo and the pool are such great ways to involve the younger characters more. It’s also great to see how much it all means to Mousie to understand her better.
The pool party also tees up more from Bas and his dynamic with Taggie. He’s always been the biggest fan of her food! The scene with Taggie, Caitlin, and Patrick is one of my favorites in this episode. The camera knows that look from Patrick about Rupert kissing Taggie before leaving with Cameron is something to hold onto moving forward. Mostly, it’s always nice to see how attentive and caring they are with one another. Declan and Maud aren’t always the most present parents. Then again, their scenes in this episode are both so sweet and so disappointing. Watching Maud’s face just crumble when she realizes that Declan didn’t show up for her – again. Oh, Victoria Smurfit deserves her flowers.
Meanwhile, everything about the episode’s polo is spectacular. It’s a perfect backdrop for Charles to meet Muffy. Rivals earns that reveal with Gerald. Refreshingly, the episode gives Charles a beat to react before reminding himself of their plan. It’s such a smart choice to linger on Rupert’s reaction, too. It’s as if he’s trying to congratulate Gerald while looking for the truth in his eyes. Ultimately, the polo match is just a great place to have all of these characters interact. Even the James and Deirdre interactions pay off with Deirdre trying to prove herself by jumping out of a plane. How very Rivals!
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Do Happily Ever Afters Really Exist?
The season premiere culminates in Lizzie’s musings on happy endings after telling Taggie, “There are less complicated men to fall in love with.” As Lizzie and Freddie cross paths, it’s evident that giving and taking advice are completely different things. Rivals is rarely short on chaos, but Lizzie and Freddie always feel steady amidst it all. That’s why it works for them to find a quiet moment for Freddie to say one of the sweetest things: “It’s like a beautiful dream I had.” Now, Rivals finds them in a reality of very real marriages and very real feelings.
Relatedly, this episode does some exceptional character work with Monica, who holds her cards close to her chest until the final minutes. Claire Rushbrook is so wonderful in that quiet moment when Monica just takes in the extent of Tony’s wounds – all while he awaits his executive producing credit on Four Men Went to Mow. That sequence alone paints such a specific portrait of their characters and their marriage. The women of Rivals are so perceptive and powerful. Even that quick scene between Beattie and Sarah reflects as much – “The men around you may not have realized, but that’s men.” They’re all acutely aware of this intersection of love and war as everything heats up.
The only Rupert and Taggie scene brings that conflict into focus. These two characters see each other more clearly than they likely thought anyone ever could. They can’t cope without the other, and yet, these obstacles keep pulling them apart. Applause to the creative team, as well as Hassell and Bella Maclean. It’s all there, just on the surface. There’s no hiding the emotions; there’s only acknowledging them, Taggie standing up for herself, and Rupert not knowing how to move forward. And, thus, Rivals finds a dynamic spot to end its premiere.
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