dswhitcomb

Though this show deals with modern day issues for the 20 something group, I can relate in so many ways. I used to live in a large city with a group of diverse personalities. We had our own financial and social issues, losing jobs, dating unhinged people, large medical bills, and putting off adult things. Traversing your way through adulthood is challenging but fun at the same time. I have mostly great memories and hung out with some great people in a vibrant city that I miss to this day. I feel this is far superior to Friends as far as real characters. I'm old and I've already rewatched all the episodes. I guess I've never given Nick Kroll enough credit.

I was excited to see this book turned into a series. Knowing Jilly Cooper's books, I expected authentic show jumping and fox hunting scenes. Darn it, when will I learn that those only exist in the real world? They certainly didn't shoot the authenticity moon in this tawdry, salacious, silly soap opera. I lived within the horsey set in the 80s (for which this series is set) and it wasn't always glamorous and clean. While yes, there was a lot of coke and sex happening around every barn door, in the end we all smelled and looked like disheveled backwoods barnacles. Once in a while we dressed up for the occasional charity event, where even then the coke was cut in the open, but we didn't boink everything in a pair of tall boots (Or maybe we did? Eh, who remembers with all that free flowing coke around) 🤷‍♀️. When a show or movie lets me down like a fresh backed 3 year old thoroughbred (horse freaks will understand that metaphor) I tend to move along and not finish it. In this case it was more than that. While Rivals is receiving decent reviews, I dismounted on the off side (another horse metaphor) and ran back to the barn. I found it way over top (I'm avoiding the show jumping metaphor here) and poorly cast. One of the main protagonists is a retired Olympic show jumper. First, he's not attractive yet every pedestrian is drawn to him. I'd let that slip by because finding a straight male show jumper is about as rare as finding a tuna fish sandwich on a 5 star Michelin menu and landing that cis male for copulating with and marrying is even rarer. Yet, I couldn't let that flaw go mostly because he doesn't "look" like an equestrian. He's not weathered or beaten down enough. No champion equestrian walks without a limp and uses a 5 step facial regimen morning and night. Aside from my personal upholding, I thought the writing was very cliche. It probably was intentional combined with cheesy acting in order to appeal to the drama lovers out there. I'm sorry, but I just can't get back up on this horse.