r/RivalsSeries

I enjoyed the first three episodes of season 2 don’t get me wrong, but to me episode 4 was the best yet. Probably helps that I love Charles so much and this was a Charles heavy episode (I cried!). Forever upset we have to wait for the weekly releases and a mysterious amount of time for the second half of S2!

Everyone is fabulous! I’m having a good time!

Season 2: Episode 4

Release Date: May 22, 2026

Synopsis: Maud returns to Rutshire, igniting fury from Declan as Tony draws her into Corinium. Rupert tries to find a way forward, only for old sins to resurface.

Please do not post spoilers for future episodes.

So. I started this show yesterday, and finished S1 obviously. I'm currently watching S2 and i keep having to rewatch scenes because good lord Taggie is gorgeous....i genuinely get lost when she comes on the screen and cant pay attention. Is anyone else having these problems...?

The scene where she goes with the kids to see Biscuit, and he sees her petting the horse....that smile made me rethink everything i know about life.

Just curious now that we'll have had a third of the series out by May 22nd, does anybody have any more predictions for the remaining 8 eps? I'm not an expert on the source material so I'm keen to see what people think...

Is it just me or have the first 3 EPs of series 2 driven the point overwhelmingly home that the female characters who are unsure about or actively don't want children are to be judged and looked down upon (specifically Sarah and Cameron).

Taking Cameron situation first, she is the 2nd choice clearly for Rupert's One True Pairing. However, Taggie is maternal and thus worthy of Rupert's respect and love, while Cameron (who was portrayed as, while flawed, a successful independent woman in S1) says "I love you" to Rupert and it isn't returned. I can't help thinking her lack of motherhood ambitions around his kids has made her character be portrayed as more unhappy (ie, she isn't instantly Maria Von trapp and has her own thing going on, and so she isn't getting the great meaningful relationship).

The knife of "I wish she was good with them" like WHY?!?!? They're YOUR children. Isn't her being a loving, faithful partner to you enough, she has to fill the adoptive mum role too? Taggie is so compliant and just ready to meekly step into the role of mummy and the kids adore her instantly, and this is meant to be the highlight relationship of the show? What a horrible precedent to set.

Then, Sarah contemplating termination (fully valid given her concerns) and Tony being the one who encourages this with vile language ("flushed away" etc) really pushes that this path for her is the wrong, immoral one (if it's backed by Tony, that's a given). She shouldn't do it, look who wants her to. She is also made to act incompetent (faking cooking, having a horrible relationship with her husband) during the times she is confident she will abort it. All this to give the impression this is not the right path.

If those weren't bad enough, Maud is seen as selfish and evil for going to her play, she literally said last series she "needs to work", and she's now being show as essentially swanning off, as if the implication is she should stay home and ... What? Exist for Declan?

Loving the show still, but man this is leaving a sour taste. Can't be the only one who sees this, can I?

I went to do a rewatch today and only episode three is listed on both Hulu and Disney. Any reason as to why?

David Tennant mentioned on Radio 2 yesterday morning that Season 3 is apparently in the planning stages, although he said he hasn’t personally heard much beyond that yet.

https://www.releases.com/p/rivals-season-3

Considering how successful Rivals has been, it feels inevitable at this point.

What do people think — do we get an official renewal announcement soon?

I’ve just watched episode 3 of the Second season. Love it and completely addicted but limited myself to one per day 😂. I’m curious since I see they are starting to fold elements of the Polo storyline - Who do ppl think they will do to incorporate Polo without losing half the cast? They’ve built up so many of the side stories. Or will they do a refresh and just keep the main characters who go through to Polo - essentially only Rupert, Taggie and Bas?

Also wondering if they will try to cover further stories from the Rutshure chronicles? I love pretty much all of them (except Jump that was awful) but some of them are almost completely unrelated to this story - Riders had more of a through thread. I would love a Riders prelude !

Okay discussion. Am I the only one who wants Declan to end up with Cameron? I mean the two have such good chemistry in the book and series. I’m loving that enemies to lovers flavor I’m getting from them and hate Cameron with literally every other man (I have read the books so I know who she ends up with, which I feel is kind of meh….). The only other couple I want is low key Tony and Cameron (even though he’s the worst and super toxic) but that’s just because I love the drama and toxicness between them lol. What are your thoughts?

Hey y’all! This has been haunting me since S1E1. Maud is depressed and angry that she gave up her career. But now Declan, her own husband, is a rising TV star, so he could’ve asked Tony to give Maud a role on one of his shows. If he doesn’t like asking for favours, *spoiler* then he could’ve offered Maud the chance to be the star of their own show/channel at Venturer by the end of Season 1, to prevent her from leaving.

I don’t understand why nobody thought of this. Not Declan, not Maud, not Taggie, nobody. And it’s absurd. The children are grown now and the youngest one is away at boarding school, so they don’t need their mum to look after them anymore.

Another possibility is that Declan is jealous and thinks Maud will cheat on him again once she starts working again. But she already did cheat on him, using “not working and being sad” as an excuse. Plus, Maud could be with him all the time if he gave her a role at Venturer, so it would actually be harder for her to cheat again that way. It makes no sense at all!

The lady giving the interview about Rupert's group sex.. is that Daisy Macleod?

The gist of her account is basically the same as Daisy's experience, but book Daisy wouldn't give an interview like that ..!!

Does that mean there won't be a TV adaption of Polo/Perdita?

Hi, I was curious about what all the characters’ political parties are. I’ve only seen the show, so I would love it if people who’ve read the book and have more insight could give me their two cents. Real-world politics are kind of a subtle background for the show, and I feel that I would be able to understand the characters and this world better if I knew. I’ve composed a short list of what political parties I think some of the characters are below (also, I’m American so please excuse me if I don’t get this completely accurate):

Declan O’Hara—left

Rupert Campbell-Black—conservative

Tony Baddingham—liberal? He seems to dislike Thatcher and obviously hates Rupert, >!who runs and win the election with her.!< Also, I vaguely remember him saying something like he donated money to Tony Blair?

Cameron Cook—Republican, conservative (she said that she voted for Reagan in s1). This is interesting to me because she’s a black woman (and republicans/conservatives aren’t known for exactly wanting to include black women that much), and additionally, wasn’t her mom a social activist? Now, it does make sense for her character to side with them even if their policies are against her because she has a tendency to side with people merely so she can elevate her own status.

Taggie O’Hara—liberal?

Like I just don’t get it, I don’t get them together, I don’t get why we’re supposed to root for them lool. Is this a case of the book not translating to tv?

I am finally getting around to watching season two but both my Disney and Hulu apps show that there are only two episodes released? Is anyone else having this problem?

So I know Oliver Chris from Trying, Luke Pasqualino from Criminal Record, David Tennant is well David Tennant and even though I know Parkinson has done other things, the first time I saw her was in Taskmaster. Anyway, I don’t know it if is because of them or the show itself but I’m only half hour into the first episode and I love it already? I’m really looking forward to watching the rest of It!

1. I’ve seen more of Rupert’s arse than my own.
2. Gawd I love how delightfully awful David Tenant is - “consider it a cleansing” - lol I LOVE HIM
3. I like Tabitha
4. That microwave dinner was… yikes
5. The angel scattering seeds in the sunlight framing of Taggie is so on the nose. We get it Mother Taggie, Cameron Whore. Bruhhhh….
6. Rupert is always scheming and no way will he spend time alone with the kids, I suspect he’s going to use them as a way to get close to Mother Taggie. But I am keen to see what a Declan Cameron road trip would be like.
7. Freddie and Lizzie awwww
8. Oh Lizzie those were sage words for Rupert - “the rules are there so we don’t hurt people” - but he is incapable of such reflection.
9. I like Monica. And I love the dogs. All the dogs...'dogs and horses'.. heh
10. "your three lovely children" ahahahaha I LOVE TOBY when he's casually catty
11. Emily Atack is so beautiful.
12. This dinner is chaotic in the cheesiest, silliest way possible. What in the Scooby Doo is going on in this kitchen? How are there so many doors!?
13. LOOOOOLZ I cannot think of a worse person to be in the closet with than Tony or Sarah’s husband.
14. Oh dear he thinks it’s his. Oh you sweet sozzled summer child.
15. Rupert is so handsome, so lovebomb-y that even though I’m rolling my eyes at his self-pitying over never making any woman he’s loved happy, I’m ready to throw myself at him.
16. Sarah Uncensored won’t ever be about you girl, you aren’t that relevant!
17. This show is the most female gaziest, smuttiest, silliest, soap-opera-iest and I hope it carries on for a 100 seasons.

do you think they should've kicked out Rupert from Venturer?