Rivals Season – Rivals is back on Hulu and Disney+, led by David Tennant’s Tony Baddingham and Nafessa Williams’ Cameron Cook as Season 2 leans into revenge, 1980s wealth-fuelled chaos, and a fresh wave of critical praise.
For Hulu subscribers, the feeling hasn’t been subtle: Rivals is back, and it’s coming in hot.
The steamiest show on streaming earned its reputation after debuting in late 2024. building huge word-of-mouth momentum as viewers binge-fed the filthy-rich debauchery set against the 1980s British countryside. Earlier this month. the battle between Corinium and Venturer returned in all its NSFW glory. with David Tennant’s Tony Baddingham still reeling after his run-in with Nafessa Williams’ Cameron Cook. Tony vows revenge by any means necessary—an oath that practically sets the tone for what’s next.
In Season 2. Tennant and Williams are joined by Aidan Turner’s Declan O’Hara. Alex Hassell’s Rupert Campbell-Black. Bella Maclean’s Taggie O’Hara. Danny Dyer’s Freddie. Katherine Parkinson’s Lizzie. and more. New arrivals also join the cast, including Rupert Everett and Hayley Atwell. Following the three-episode premiere of Season 2 on May 15. the show’s momentum picked up without a hitch. helping Rivals rank as one of the most-watched shows on Hulu in the U.S. at the time of writing.
Across the Atlantic, the numbers are equally loud: in the UK, Rivals ranks #1 on the Disney+ charts and places seventh on the global ranking.
The arrival of Season 2 also arrives with a rare kind of confidence in the conversation around the series. After the loss of the late great Jilly Cooper in October last year. the team behind Rivals set out to make Season 2 “the perfect way to celebrate her legacy.” The early reception suggests they succeeded. Rivals Season 2 has earned a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. and critics and audiences have praised the series’ subtle shift toward more emotionally grounded territory without giving up the raunchy chaos that made the first installment so sticky.
Therese Lacson, in her review for Collider, wrote that “Rivals Season 2 surpasses Season 1 on nearly every front,” a line that seems to match what many viewers are already feeling. The show continues to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
One season after Tony’s revenge vow hits the 1980s countdown clock, Rivals is signaling that it didn’t just come back for the laughs. It’s back to win—again—on both sides of the screen.
Rivals Season 2 Hulu Disney+ David Tennant Nafessa Williams Tony Baddingham Cameron Cook May 15 Rotten Tomatoes 100% Corinium Venturer