It’s been a real minute since we heard from “Rivals,” Disney+’s series based on Jilly Cooper’s adaptation of the same name. An eight-part series “Rivals” dives into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986 — where it’s every man and woman for themselves. The series follows the world of English social elites and the fictional characters Rupert Campbell-Black and Tony Baddingham as they have a longstanding rivalry that spills over into mercilessness and comes to a head.
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“Rivals” stars David Tennant (“Doctor Who,” “Good Omens”), Alex Hassel (“The Boys,” “His Dark Materials”) and Aidan Turner (“The Hobbit” franchise, “Poldark”) and the larger ensemble includes Nafessa Williams (“Black Lighting”), Bella Maclean (“Sex Education”), Katherine Parkinson (“Humans”), Victoria Smurfit (“Bloodlands”), Claire Rushbrook (“Sherwood”), Oliver Chris (“The Crown”), Lisa McGrillis (“Mum”), Emily Atack (“The Inbetweeners”), Rufus Jones (“W1A”), Luke Pasqualino (“Skins”) and Catriona Chandler (“Pistol”).
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“Rivals” is part of Cooper’s bestselling “Rutshire Chronicles.” The two powerful men at it centers are neighbors— Olympian turned politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) and television executive Tony Baddingham (Tennant). Turner plays Declan O’Hara, a fierce intellectual and TV presenter with an even fiercer temper who is wooed to Corinium Television—controlled by Baddingham— from the BBC.
Rivals is produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins’ (“A Very English Scandal”), also a executive producer and writer on the show along with Laura Wade. The lead director is Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso”), along with Dee Koppang O’Leary (“The Crown”) and Alexandra Brodski (“Somewhere Boy”). Additional writers on the series include Sophie Goodhart (“The Baby,” “Sex Education”), Marek Horn, Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor (“The Accidental Husband”), Dare Aiyegbayo (“The Dumping Ground,” “EastEnders”) and more.
Hulu and Disney+ have not given “Rivals” a release date, only saying “coming soon” in the teaser trailer, but that probably means it’ll arrive later this summer or in the early fall. Watch the teaser below.