Rivals - Time to have a hot bath, trim my hedge and get the MOET out

[RupertCampbellsBack]

Are there any other Jilly Cooper fans out there? I feel ridiculously excited about Rivals coming out.

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

I was there too! They asked Jilly my question, which was "If you could choose to bring just one of your characters to life so you could spend some time with them - let's say a long boozy lunch in the Bar Sinister with a few bottles of Pouilly Fume and fat garlic prawns - which character would it be and why?"

Jilly said Bas, Alex said Charles I think?

I agree, the sound wasn't great, I struggled to hear and we had good seats.

The rock star-like standing ovation for Jilly was truly moving, it was a veritable SEA of middle aged women, cheering and whooping and wolf whistling, amazing to be there! I loved, loved, loved it.

We stayed and (re) watched the first episode and at one point, when some man in the show (sorry, can't remember who) was behaving badly a pissed woman behind us said loudly "what a cunt" 😂

That was a great question @TheSecondMrsCampbellBlack

That was such a fantastic answer! I love her!

Thank you! The friends I was with all went ooh, ooh, it's your question and the rows behind and in front of us went !ooh, ooh, was it yours, good question!"

I rewatched too- it was quite something on the big screen!

yyy re great on a big screen, I liked the subtitles too, I think I will rewatch the whole lot again with them on.

Before we sat down my sister and I ate crab and drank Pouilly Fume in Skylon downstairs in honour of Jilly! I wonder how many posters from here were there all together?

That was a great question! And I agreed with Jilly, Bas would be great company. Although I also liked the suggestion of Maud as a lunch companion, she would be gossipy fun. . I do like how the series has taken time to show Maud's loneliness as well as her selfishness - it's one of the areas I think they might have improved on the book!

so that is where i remember the bacon scissors line from!

loved jilly cooper as a teen
loved this programme, the jumpers and fashion especially

Bas but I think with him it's always going to be foreplay so Fred, you're always going to have a laugh, nice food & he's an absolute sweetheart

I'm absolutely loving it, but full disclaimer I've never read the Rivals although I love Jilly Cooper. I'm the wrong generation but grew up near where she lives and even got to have lunch with her once when she was researching a book 😁

It's interesting to read 'book readers' responses to the tv show vs my own. I thought someone might find my impressions interesting for someone who loves Jilly and the show but hasn't read Rivals.

I love Lizzie and Fred-Fred so much, that for me they are the main couple and main interest of the show. I could watch way way more of them. I never in a million years thought I would be totally invested in Danny Dyer. Hats off to the man, and to the casting director for that one (although I think the casting director has played a blinder here all round)

I have absolutely no interest in Rupert and Taggy as a couple. I don't think there's chemistry, I don't understand why either of them would be attracted to the other. For me this is the worst part of the adaption. As an aside, it's also irritating that Taggy dresses like she's in 2024 when the other characters are so of the period.

I think Rupert is a colossal ass and have sympathy with Baddingham for wanting to take him down a peg or two. In fact I was rooting for Baddingham long after he became 'evil'.

I'm also very sad at the thought that the future books don't focus on the same characters and I don't want to say goodbye. I think the casting and characters in this are so wonderful I want to watch them for longer and so perhaps heretically wouldn't mind if their stories went on totally unrelated to the books ...

But perhaps that is heresy to think round these parts 😁

and so perhaps heretically wouldn't mind if their stories went on totally unrelated to the books ...

Well if there is a series 2, they've departed from the book in two quite significant ways with that ending....

I was there too and my sister and I sniggered at orgasmic. I thought it was sweet Alex Hassel's mum was in the audience.

I love how naughty Jilly still is. She's a total legend.

anyone hear Alex Hassell on Zoe Ball, that was such a great listen

@MrsLargeEmbodied , yes I listened back on bbc sounds - Zoe ball and friends show. I wonder if Hugh Bonneville was peeved he hadnt been in the cast!

On episode 3. I actually think I want this to go on for ever.

Just watched the first 4 episodes. So good. Even DP enjoyed it. All the cast are brilliant. Danny dyer is fantastic and the best I've ever seen him.act tbh.

It's reported that there'll be 12 episodes in season two!

I wonder will that mean they'll cover some of the storyline from Polo? I can't see how they could fill 12 episodes from the remainder of Rivals?

Oh that’s great news I cannot wait!

12 hours of telly - hurrah.
yes, surely they must have incorporated another novel.

I did wonder watching the first season would they introduce Perdita, considering Declan gets the tip about her which he doesn't use for the interview. I guess we'll know more once there's details about the new characters.

It's a pleasant surprise to see they're expanding the number of episodes, usually they stretch out the material once something is a success. I almost expected 8 episodes split across two shorter seasons. Disney must have increased the budget! It just about makes the wait until 2026 worth it 😄

I hope that they do incorporate Polo and don’t just start making stuff up.

This is my worry. They shouldn’t have to though as the books provide enough material for several series! I’d love to see Appassionata on screen.

Appassionata is one of my favourites so would also love to see that (and orchestras have got to be easier to film than polo matches!)