Jilly Cooper’s Andrew Parker Bowles fantasy is coming to Disney+ with RIVALS

[quote]Set in the fictional upper-class county of Rutshire, Rivals dives headfirst into the cutthroat world of independent television in 1986 when a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over: ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament and notorious womanizer Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and his neighbor Tony Baddingham (Tennant), controller of the independent TV franchise Corinium Television.

This seems so niche. What sort of tone will this have? Is it going to be like Industry, or more soapy?

Oh, and Hassell better get naked, his bod is insane.

It's a Modern British Classic, r1

Well that narrows it down.

Jilly Cooper wrote bonkbusters. Think Bridgerton cast amongst Princes Charles’ set in the 1980s.

I hope it will be a period piece. Imagine the awful clothes.

David Tennant is quite nicely bulgy.

Should have cast Gabriel Byrne as Declan.

Is that Leo DiCaprio, in the black shirt, to the left of the elderly lady?

That’s ex-twink Danny Dyer who specialised in gay teen roles at the beginning of his career, but he turned to fat in his 30s.

Much like Leo himself.

R1 less Industry/Lena Dunham, more Jackie Collins meets Jeffrey Archer with a lighter touch and more sex chat complete with multiple uses of the words cock, cunt and clitoris.

Oh Jesus, not David Tenant again!

r9 Thanks, I'll check out a couple of episodes when the show comes out since I have no experience with this genre, plus I'm curious as to how she managed to land all these guys.

Oh, and I don't get why you mentioned Lens in the same breath as Industry, since she literally just directed the series premiere for some reason. She's not involved with the running of the show or the writing in any way. On the TV front, she's known for Girls and that's about it, Industry creatively isn't her thing at all.

So it's based on the horsey set who live in Gloucestershire, which is where King Charles's house Highgrove is (that he moved into not long before his engagement to Diana) and where the Parker-Bowleses, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips, and practically everyone in the UK who was wealthy and sexy and in the Establishment lived in the 1980s.

It's about a lot of wealthy, privileged, shallow people having sex outside of marriage, and the Rupert Campbell-Black character at the center (based on Andrew Parker-Bowles) is a highly sexed superstud polo player who fucks just about every woman in the county.

The tone would best be described to Americans as exactly like r9 described it, only Americans don't really know Jeffrey Archer. It's very sexy and trashy like Jackie Collins, but not depressing the way Jackie Collins is, and has a little wit to it despite the trashiness. There is a LOT of sex. There's also far more detail about horseback riding than I would ever have cared to read.

Can we expect some homo stuff as well? Did she touch on that in her work at all?

I love David Tennant. I have watched most of his work and find him to be superb actor. Very a versatile actor.

R4 : Yes!

Bad clothes, bad hair, bad makeup.

I would so watch a series not afraid to lean into the kitsch of the 80s.

And Fergie in r4 actually looks … not so bad? Considering it’s the 1980s and, ya know, Fergie.

Danny’s moustache and wig tends to suggest it will be set in the 80s.

Hopefully the ladies clothes are more Princess Diana and Kim Wilde than Margaret Thatcher.

R17, that's what I thought... quite presentable. Broken clock, twice a day, I guess.

The trailer for Rivals is out.

I don’t understand the plot. Alex Hassell Parker-Bowles is trying to seduce Aidan Turner’s daughter which annoys David Tennant because?

Though I gather Jilly Cooper is read for the sex scenes not the story.

I saw an interview with her about this yesterday. She said something like "men aren't as macho now, so no wonder women don't want to have sex as much".

I mean, I know she's old and batty, but even so.

Oh wow. Aidan Turner looks…not good.

Alex Hassell and David Tennant are too skinny.

I really can't stand to look at Tennant anymore, he hit the wall so hard.

David Tennant was showing quite the moose knuckle there. It's usually Danny Dyer assaulting our eyes with his moundage, but he looks like he's getting fat.

I thought Asian Turner looked ok, actually.

Elder gays might remember the prequel of sorts - the adaptation of the first "Rutshire" book Riders, starring Prince Michael of Moldavia and Sable Colby.

The casting may work but Alex Hassell looks a bit TOO jolie laide for this and feels too old.

But the trailer gets the era right, you can smell the nicotine smoke.

The clothing is too tasteful.

How anyone can talk about David Tennant being bulgey in a lineup that includes Danny Dyer is just insanity.

None of the men look good. Even Luke Pasqualino looks past his sell by date.

And going back to the earlier "Bridgerton" comparisons, Jilly Cooper is a VERY funny writer. She has a light touch and a wit that the Bridgerton books simply don't have.

The Guardian makes it sound like must-see trash TV.

[quote] There was a feeling, when it was announced that Jilly Cooper’s novel was being adapted for Disney+, that it would automatically be drained of fun. Those fears were unfounded. Watching this show is like drinking the very essence of Cooper, distilled and concentrated. It is a cavalcade of nudity and terrible wigs, an orgy of knowing bad taste. If such a spectrum existed, you would place Rivals between the Carry On movies and Eurotrash.

Aiden Turner continues to be extremely hot even in middle age.

I love Aidan Turner - he’d be a filthy fuck I’m sure

[quote]And going back to the earlier "Bridgerton" comparisons, Jilly Cooper is a VERY funny writer. She has a light touch and a wit that the Bridgerton books simply don't have.

But what about Cooper vs. Jackie Collins, R30? Who's better?

I haven’t read either since I was a young teen.

Due to her ironic depictions of the posh social set, Jilly Cooper is sort of considered a raunchier Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones author). Lots of posh girls had their sexual awakenings to a scene of cunnilingus amongst the bluebells. (To wit, Emily Blunt’s literary agent/lawyer sister is a producer of this show). Jackie Collins is more of a beach-read-meets-bodice-ripper hybrid, but I suspect Cooper had good marketing on her side to be considered sexy rather than trashy.

Cooper is beloved by media types.

Absolutely r35, i used to listen to a books podcast where the author invited several writers to discuss the books of their lifes, etc but she was absolutely obsessed with Jilly Cooper and asked everyone about her, it would seem she was indeed popular and deemed as trashy as it may sound.

^ and not deemed as trashy

R1 is the insane thing. Some body 🙄

We get these lean, fat-free guys, and tubby Danny Dyer.

Where is that perfect middle ground?

[quote]But the trailer gets the era right, you can smell the nicotine smoke.

Yep, the opening scene stank.

Did the Concorde really just have four seats in each row?

Won’t it be on hulu here in the US?

FULL FRONTAL MALE NUDITY!

R40 yes, two on either side of the aisle.

In one of which I once saw Jackie Collins’ sister, Joan.

So, first episode first impressions.

A RIOTOUS BAWDY ROMP! Several laugh out loud moments and every cast member gets to shine.

Very, very enjoyable.

Jilly Cooper always annoyed the fuck out of me with her horsey teeth, mullet hairdo and incessant sniggering about sex.

[quote][R40] yes, two on either side of the aisle. In one of which I once saw Jackie Collins’ sister, Joan.

Is Joan a writer like her sister?

There is a willy for every pair of tits.

Warning: interview may contain spoilers

I just want to hear David Tennant pronounce “Rivals”.

Watched the premiere just now, this is wildly entertaining. Great writing, camerawork and editing, can't wait to watch the rest.

Would lap up every last droplet from that bathtub Aiden Turner was in. Beautiful man.

My wish at r1 came true. Alex Hassell knows he has an A+ bod and loves showing it off while it's still taut, good for him. And good for us!

The UK reviews were all glowing while the US ones were very, very mixed. I'm partway through episode 2 and so far I agree with the US reviews. I don't think it's trashy enough to be a guilty pleasure, funny enough to be a comedy, or clever enough to be good satire. Everything just feels kind of flat. I also think it's badly miscast. The actor playing Rupert may have a good body but he's not particularly handsome, the woman playing the TV producer is chewing the scenery (and not in a good way), and the guy in episode 2 who was supposed to be an actor up for the role of James Bond could not have been less Bond-like if they'd tried. The whole production feels cheaply thrown together in my opinion.

After watching the first episode, I largely agree with R50 -- not trashy/funny/clever enough. I'm sure it cost a lot of money (especially for the music rights and all the bronzer they slathered over Alex Hassell -- sidebar: is Championship Show Jumper really a path to fame?), but it looks cheap. It has several actors I like, but they've been directed to play to the back of the auditorium. And that scrub brush of a moustache is doing nothing for Aiden Turner.

Two episodes in and couldn't disagree more, I think it looks amazing, especially the cinematography. Don't really see this cheapness that was mentioned, personally. I'm actually kinda shocked that something so fresh and snappy came out of Britain, not really used to seeing that very often.

It's hilarious how much more enjoyable this is compared to Cuarón's Disclaimer, even though that one was hyped to hell and back.

R50 and R51 suggest that there's a lot lost in translation - Downton Abbey frequently patronised its overseas audiences to help them understand but Rivals doesn't bother, thankfully.

The "James Bond" actor was fine - Roger Moore was in his late 50s when he filmed A View To A Kill, and the idea of AN AMERICAN playing Bond was I imagine revisiting the George Lazenby casting. Aiden Turner's chatshow is clearly based on Russell Harty, down to the clip of him being attacked by a Rod Hull and Emu type guest (google it).

And yes, being a show jumper was a path to fame in the 80s, as well as becoming a member of the Royal Family.

What it gets absolutely right is the class issues. Rupert Campbell Black isn't attractive to women *just* because of his looks, he's attractive to women because of his attitude, much of which he inherited via the class system. Then you've got Danny Dyer's Thatcher success story new money family who are very common and laughed at but kept close because they're very influential.

I can understand why the British are loving seeing that era again but also why Americans don't quite get it.

I find Hessel just gorgeous. That Roman face! And yeah, it's his attitude that gets those panties dropping.

I do think Tennant's character's wife is a mismatch for him, casting-wise. She looks more like his mother?

[quote]I do think Tennant's character's wife is a mismatch for him, casting-wise. She looks more like his mother?

David Tennant and Claire Rushbrook are the same age, both born in 1971.

Looking at the cast it's quite strange that no privately educated actors are in main roles. I wonder if that's intentional?

Emily Atack has been branded a nepo baby by some because her her parents and a particular family member, but she's cast well because of her past roles.

[quote]David Tennant and Claire Rushbrook are the same age, both born in 1971.

Yikes! She looks so matronly, I guess that's what threw me off. And Tennant has that boyish vibe in everything on top of it.

Claire Rushbrook is styled to look like women in their 50s who were stuck at home with their dogs running a stately home while their husbands were busy making money in London.

She and Tennant have strong Cecil and Ann Parkinson vibes.

The adaptation of Cooper's books have, of course, been corrected for the 21st century... which I think, from reading this piece in The NY Times, is unfortunate. Characters have been changed - gender and race - to appease modern/current sensibilities. i wonder if these changes are the reasons for some some of the above comments about the show not really "clicking."

...The show’s executives also made changes to Taggie’s character, making her older and a little more assertive. In the book, Taggie is 18 when she meets Rupert, who is in his late 30s; onscreen, she is 20.

... Another change from the book is that Cameron Cook — the American producer at Tony’s male-dominated television network — is now a Black woman.

"I thought it was an interesting twist,” said Nafessa Williams, who plays Cameron. Changing Cameron’s race, Williams added, encouraged people to “confront those prejudiced environments and the assumptions that were made not just about Black women, but about women, in the ’80s.”

Read on if you'd like, but don't bitch, Bitch, about a paywall.

I don’t have a problem with them making some tweaks to update it. But the actress playing the black female producer wouldn’t even be believable as a high powered executive now let alone in the ‘80s.

Yeah, it was unheard of for a black woman to be a powerful business executive in the mid 80s.

As for the casting of the actress, she is playing the role as if she's been watching clips of Grace Jones - see the Russell Harty interview with her.

Trying not to pay too much attention to the soundtrack choices but the party in episode 3 could only have featured the 2 songs in 1986 at the earliest.

I didn't realise Luke Pasqualino is playing David Tennant's younger brother until the "little brother" line of dialogue.

Victoria Smurfitt steals episode 3, she's 9 years older than Aiden Turner but they have great chemistry and she really does look like she could be Bella Maclean's mother.

And Gary Lamont as sad lonely homosexual Charles Fairburn is very effective.

[quote]the woman playing the TV producer is chewing the scenery (and not in a good way)

That character is an annoying cunt in the book. And Cooper can't write Americans, the producer starts every other sentence with "Right."

I was quite surprised by how much fun it was. Great cast and very well made.

David Tennant has always had the GAY stare in his eyes 👀.

What a great series.

Perfectly cast, not a single actor was out of place and the supporting characters were all given things to do, from Denise Black, famous for being Hazel in Queer as Folk and The Ghost Of Hazel in Cucumber and one of Ken Barlow's wives, to Bryony Hannah from Call The Midwife as that awful cunt as Dierdre the TV assistant who is given Dierdre Barlow specs to dazzle in.

The only aspect I didn't like was the lack of redeeming arc for Valerie/Mousie who was left as a stereotype.

But roll on Polo!

[quote] And Cooper can't write Americans, the producer starts every other sentence with "Right."

Hahaha

[quote] And Tennant has that boyish vibe in everything on top of it.

He looks desiccated.

Will there be a season 2?

The follow up novel is Polo and then there is Appassionata which follows some of the characters from Rivals into the world of classical music.

I’ve just watched the first three episodes and it’s great fun. David Tennant doesn’t look well.

Renewed.

My fave was Danny Dyer.