Rivals (PILOT)

Rivals is a new British drama on Disney+, based on Jilly Cooper’s 1986 novel. Premiering October 6, 2024, this saucy series explores the cutthroat world of 1980s television, where TV executive Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) headhunts journalist Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) to star on his network. Set in the fictional county of Rutshire, Rivals dives into scandal, politics, adultery, and high-society drama. In this episode, we break down the first two episodes, Tennant’s portrayal of an ambitious TV exec, and how the show compares to other ensemble-driven dramas. Welcome to Today’s Episode!