Rivals

It is 1986 and Britain is booming. "Rivals" dives headfirst into the cutthroat world of TV where hair-dos are big and ambitions are even bigger. Deals are brokered in boardrooms, as well as bedrooms. Nobody can be sure who will come out on top. With every man and woman out only for themselves, can true love really blossom?

Rivals (2024-present) is a British television drama created for Disney+ that adapts a novel by Jilly Cooper and plunges into the cutthroat world of 1980s television. Set in a booming 1986 Britain of big hair and bigger ambitions, the series follows a rivalry between ambitious figures in the media industry, with David Tennant as Tony Baddingham and Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara at its center, alongside Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, and Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook. Its engine is the constant jockeying for control of a television company, where deals are struck in boardrooms and in bedrooms, and every character seems out only for themselves. Season one ran eight episodes and season two twelve, with the story told as one continuing serialized arc across the two seasons. Shot with a glossy, lavish polish, the series balances sharp, lighthearted wit with romantic yearning and a cheerful, sometimes cynical edge. Its ambition-fuelled tone and crowded ensemble of rivals and lovers make it a natural fit for fans of Dallas, Mad Men and Bridgerton, who enjoy period escapism, scheming power players and romance that refuses to stay simple.

Audiences rate the series positively, enjoying its glossy 1980s period recreation and its blend of backstabbing business rivalry and romance.

• Dallasshared glossy 1980s excess, cutthroat media ambition and romantic entanglements
• Mad Menshared British period drama tone with boardroom power plays and romance
• Bridgertonshared adaptation of a bestselling novel with lush romantic soap energy

Release Date

2024-10-18

Episode runtime

55 min

Rating

7.9 / 10 (93)

What is Rivals about?

In 1986 Britain, rival television executives and their partners scheme for power and love in a glamorous, cutthroat media world.

What is Rivals like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rivals as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Rivals violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Rivals.

What did critics think of Rivals?

Audiences rate the series positively, enjoying its glossy 1980s period recreation and its blend of backstabbing business rivalry and romance.

Which shows are like Rivals?

Shows with a similar feel include Dallas, Mad Men, and Bridgerton.

How long is Rivals?

Rivals: 2 seasons, 20 episodes.

Is Rivals still running?

Yes, Rivals is still running.

Where can I watch Rivals?

In United States, Rivals streams on Disney Plus, Hulu.