Rivals

I am laughing at some of the reviews, clearly by readers who take themselves far too seriously.

This is a Jilly Cooper adaption.

It's not a series to be intellectualised or morally judged.

It's so much fun.

Superbly cast.

Yes, RCB's hair and eyes are the wrong colour. As is Taggies hair. But they work. Somehow.

RCB will disappoint some for this reason. But Alex Hassell is captures everything else about him.

Danny Dyer is perfect. David Tennant is EXCELLENT as always. And Aidan Turner is just gorgeous, if slightly young to play Declan.

Falters slightly in the final third. But yes. It's fabulous fun.

Watched it all in 1 go.

This series is hilarious it's kind of is like a mixture of League of Gentlemen, Pride and Prejudice, Alan Patridge and maybe a bit of Industry !!

So much British talent keep this engaging and compelling so that you just have to keep on watching. Anyone who grew up watching British ITV (channel 3) in the 80s can relate to almost every character. Still strange to think we only had 4 TV channels during this decade so each channel commanded huge viewing figures. Each character reminds me of someone on TV during that era or who they may have been slightly modelled on.

Definitely worth watching just to see who is going to do what next. Even if you didn't grow up watching British television definitely recommend.

In terms of TV shows, this year has been fairly average. Rivals stands out as an absolute highlight. It's a multi-layered work that definitely deserves a sequel.

Conceptually, it's a soap opera, narratively a satire, and stylistically a period piece. A careful viewer will find a message within that, for once, isn't superficial or forcefully pushing political idealism but instead seeks truth. Rivals is entertaining, clever, raunchy, and funny. Not a single episode feels loose, unnecessary, or forced; the story and characters build beautifully toward an outstanding climax.

The writing, scenes, lines, and direction all serve the greater whole. The soundtrack appeals to every child of the '80s. The acting is a pleasure to watch. The always excellent David Tennant shines as a humanized villain, with Alex Hassell as his opposing force. Victoria Smurfit and Aidan Turner form a believable, well-matched broken couple. The audience witnesses the rise of a few new stars, especially Bella Maclean will be name to recon in the future.

Highly recommended, the best show of the fall.

I read Rivals a few years ago and enjoyed every page! It's quite difficult to compare the book and its characters to its television adaptation, since we all bring our own perception of what certain characters should look and act like. Also, while we can read a book at our leisure, television has to move along at a pace that fits the format and doesn't drag, so some characters or side story lines may have to be cut for time's sake. That being said, yes, there are differences from the book, but none so great that it ruins the overall fun and entertainment value. The characters, especially Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara, the upstanding journalist and David Tennant, the nasty Lord B are great! Makes us love Declan as much as we hate Lord B! The 80s music is fantastic, though the one part I found annoying was the opening high pitched opera music, just not a good fit. As to all the sex scenes, yes, we could do without some, since we all have an imagination, but that would not be the book Cooper wrote. It was wonderful to spot Jilly Cooper herself in the restaurant lunch scene. She looked as though she was thoroughly enjoying the show, as did I. The last episode ended quite different from the book, so I'm hoping there will be at least another season where we get to see what happens with Taggie and RCB . . . And of course, we know nasty Lord B has to be around to wreak more havoc.

A very easy and bingeable watch, thoroughly enjoyable. Great characters, storylines, drama and 80s music to sing along to. David Tennant again plays a fantastic antagonist. Aidan Turner is amazing as always. The cast clearly had a blast filming this and it comes through in the series. So many talented actors and actresses in one programme. The series starts off comical and gets more dramatic as the episodes go on. The series has remained faithful to the book and the nature of the 80s. The characters are enjoyable and easy to become invested in. I ended each episode wanting to watch more right the way until the end. Hoping for season 2!