Rivals season 2 review: Jilly Cooper bonkbuster is still as steamy as ever — but troubling tensions take over in first three-episode release
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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 tribute to the bonkbusting chaos that’s synonymous with her name.
Picking up shortly after where we left off in season one, our Rutshire ensemble’s collective horniness has turned somewhat sour. Cameron (Nafessa Williams) is lying low after being convinced she’s killed her boss, Tony (David Tennant), after battering him with a TV award in self-defense.
Rivals season 2 opens up another hornet’s nest — but it’s not full of headiness or heartache
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If I’m honest, I’m still not entirely sure if I love or loathe Rivals season 2’s swing further into clothes-on heated rivalry. Tennant’s Tony Baddingham is somehow even more odious than in season 1, intent on getting revenge against Rupert, Cameron, Declan (Aiden Turner), and even Sarah in one fell swoop.
For me, Declan and family are easily the weakest link of the season. While Declan gets lost in Cameron and Rupert’s drama with Tony, wife, Maud (Victoria Smurfit), is on screen for what feels like all of two seconds. Taggie, relentlessly pining after Rupert, is starting to get tiresome, too.
But their loss means gains are made elsewhere, especially with Tony’s long-suffering wife Monica (Claire Rushbrook). She’s finally starting to bite back against Tony’s adulterous ways, and instead of moping in bed with a pile of shaggy dogs on her lap (not a euphemism), she’s starting to see the benefits. More of this energy in season two, part two, please.
Everyone else is feeling too stressed or fearful to be in desperate need of sex — so while steamy scenes are still present, they’re often blink-and-you ‘ll-miss-them. The boisterous bonking in Rivals is both half the fun of watching and is integral to the show’s DNA, so the missing heady energy is noticeable.
Dame Jilly Cooper’s legacy is continuing in the safest of hands
What is clear about Rivals season 2 is that Cooper has obvious involvement over every inch of these episodes, with the bulk of production happening before her death in October 2025. Her input is clear, concise and has been carried off with aplomb, speaking to how highly the show will be treated in her absence.
What’s more is that we’re starting to see the seedlings of the JCU (Jilly Cooper Universe) being sown. Avid novel readers will know that Polo takes place between Cooper novels Riders and Rivals… and without giving anything away, there’s an eye-popping ode to how the Rutshire Chronicles could easily be expanded into on TV.
My personal shoutouts 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 will-they-won’t-they-affair. It’s the most wholesome part of the salacious series, and that’s considering the fact that they’re literally cheating on their spouses.
Has Rivals season 2 made sure that it’s the most bashful, bawdy and bonkers show available to stream? Absolutely. Is it a slight step down from season 1? Possibly. But will it likely pick back up with a vengeance later in the year? I’d put money on it.
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