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Dame Jilly Cooper may no longer be with us, but her legacy continues to speak for itself – and frankly, Rivals season 2 on Hulu and Disney+ is the perfect homage to the insane chaos that is synonymous with its name.

Picking up shortly after where we left off in season one, the collective excitement of our Rutshire ensemble turned somewhat sour. Cameron (Nafessa Williams) lays low after being convinced she killed her boss, Tony (David Tennant), after beating him with a televised prize in self-defense.

Rivals Season 2 Opens Another Hornet’s Nest — But It’s Not Full of Exhilaration or Heartbreak

If I’m honest, I still don’t know if I like it or hate it Rivals season 2 delves further into a heated clothing rivalry. Tennant’s Tony Baddingham is somehow even more heinous than in season 1, determined to get revenge on Rupert, Cameron, Declan (Aiden Turner) and even Sarah in one fell swoop.

For me, Declan and his family are by far the weakest link of the season. While Declan gets lost in Cameron and Rupert’s drama with Tony, his wife, Maud (Victoria Smurfit), is on screen for what seems like two seconds. Taggie, who relentlessly pines for Rupert, also begins to become tiresome.

But their loss means gains are made elsewhere, particularly with Tony’s long-suffering wife Monica (Claire Rushbrook). She finally begins to respond to Tony’s adulterous ways, and instead of languishing in bed with a pile of shaggy dogs in her lap (which is not an understatement), she begins to see the benefits. More of this energy in season two, part two, please.

Everyone feels too stressed or scared to desperately need sex. So while steamy scenes are always present, they often flash and you’ll miss them. The noisy whores Rivals It’s both half the fun to watch and it’s integral to the series’ DNA, so the missing exhilarating energy is noticeable.

Dame Jilly Cooper’s legacy continues in the safest hands

What is clear Rivals Season 2 is that Cooper is clearly involved in every inch of these episodes, with most of the production taking place before her death in October 2025. Her contribution is clear, concise, and was delivered with aplomb, a testament to the quality with which the series will be handled in her absence.

Additionally, we are starting to see the first seedlings of the JCU (Jilly Cooper Universe). Passionate readers of novels will know this Polo takes place between Cooper’s novels Riders And Rivals…and without giving anything away, there’s a mind-blowing ode to how The Rutshire Chronicles could easily be expanded to television.

My personal favorites of the season? Emily Atack’s quietly devastating portrayal of Sarah’s solo storyline and the gift that keeps on giving in the form of Lizzie and Freddie’s desire not to have an affair. This is the most wholesome part of the salacious series, and that’s considering the fact that they’re literally cheating on their spouses.

HAS Rivals did season 2 ensure that it was the most coy, bawdy, bonkers show available to stream? Absolutely. Is this a slight step back from season 1? Maybe. But is it likely to pick up again later in the year? I would put money on it.

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