Jilly Cooper's Rivals on Disney - episode 1 discussion thread WITH SPOILERS! Open the Pouilly Fume & curl up on the sofa with a lurcher puppy here!

[TheSecondMrsCampbellBlack]

Exciting!

Binged it.

Confession- have not read books

The rupert & taggie thing just did not do it for me. He looks old for his age & she was young & naive, it was a bit vom in the mouth & implausible. Could not see at all why a gorgeous lovely young girl would go for this aging looking cad who's a tory mp, her dad's mate, a past it polo player? Sort of couldn't be less sexy.

Katherine parkinson & danny dyer stole the show & victoria smurfit & aidan turner were good.

It’s amazing, all the detail is superb, I’m back there reading the book. AH has the character but I just can’t see him as R-CB. In my head he was Julian Sands and in more recent incarnation, James Norton. Bas was Jimmy Smits and Taggie was Catherine Zeta-Jones in her Darling Buds years. The grubby slutty reporter, Paula Yates.

RCB actor giving me the ick so far. Too old and sleazy. And yes I did read the book.

I’ve been binging this tonight and I’m loving it. I started re-reading the book a week ago in anticipation. My favourite scene (so far) is RCB in the bath with the dog!
I’ve just about adjusted to Rupert having dark hair. I think the actor has captured his essence very well.
Back when first I first read Riders / Rivals, I always imagined RCB to look a bit like Sam Shepherd…

I really enjoyed it. But I'm not sure about the Rupert actor. I think he portrays him very well but he looks wrong.
He looks like he's been made by Aardman - like the baddie in The Were Rabbit film.

I'm just saying - Norton to me makes me think he'd play a good Ricky Frances Lynch Polo lead...we can only hope!

It’s not so much that Rupert is dark, it’s more he just isn’t that good looking. Reminds me a bit of James Nesbitt.

Yes true that would modernise the book too wouldn’t it. I noticed at the summer party scene Shelley/Tracy Makeoeace offered him a “sex on the beach” cocktail and he said something like “ill just have the sex” so you might be right.

I also loved Declan’s catsick yellow socks

RCB looks like Robbie Rotten from Lazytown.

Sigh I do miss Sportacus

I think he is better suited to playing a Bond villain tbh. I don't dislike him and he is playing the part well. But he is not the RCB in my mind.

I hope they make another series. But if it doesn't work in America they may not.

https://images.app.goo.gl/z5aKGXrmQ8gR53en8
Julian Sands will always be my version of RCB.

RIP Julian. What a handsome man he was.

I've binged it too but fumed about the poor casting! Taggie was like an Irish wolfhound if I remember correctly, very tall, slim with dark hair and Declan was nothing like Tom Selleck! Maud was probably the best piece of casting, Rupert was nowhere near as arrogant as he should have been. There has to be a series two though.

I though Mousie was awful, I've always visualised a younger version of Mary Whitehouse! Those bright pink outfits were totally out of character.

James V on the sofa in his awful sweaters screamed Alan Partridge at me.

Binged it over the weekend. Even DD and her (male) mates became engrossed in it. Did not read the books so had no pre-conceived ideas about RCB - unlike the remake of One Day which I enjoyed, but irked me a little because I loved the book so much, so I can understand why there are strong feelings about what RCB should look like.

Things I loved:
-Danny Dyer showing he can do nuance. Absolutely adored the scenes with him and Katherine Parker.
-Jilly Cooper's Cameo
-Felicity Kendal's surprise appearance
-David Tennant absolutely hamming up being the villan
-Victoria Smurfit knocking it out of the park
-Ditto Aidan Turner
-Lisa McGillis - divine in 'Mum' and equally perfect to play Valerie
-The soundtrack, the Music, the cars - all spot on.

Agree the Taggie/RCB storyline has not aged well - it would certainly be a bit icky now.

Cannot wait for S2!

Felicity Kendall! I thought it was Zoe Wanamaker 🙄

I thought Mousie and Monica were perfect. Aidan Turner wasn’t the idea I had of Declan (in my head he was a young Parky/Wogan type) but I absolutely loved him and the moustache. I love a moustache. Bring them back I say.

The six dashing society gents who inspired Jilly Cooper's Rivals 'super-stud' character Rupert Campbell Black - and how they captivated London's party scene with some VERY racy exploits | Daily Mail Online

David Somerset was very handsome! (article above about who RCB was based on)

From that article: "Disney+ has confirmed the future of Dame Jilly Cooper's unabashedly risque new series, Rivals.
The show, which boasts a stellar cast, officially landed on the streamer today (October 18) and has already earned rave reviews from critics.
Screenwriter Dominic Treadwell-Collins recently confirmed that he only adapted the first half of the Rivals book on purpose.
And now a TV insider has revealed: 'The feeling is that there is still so much more in the story that could easily be made into a sequel.
'Disney+ appear to be on board, even though they haven't announced an official commission yet."

Yes please! They'd be mad not to, surely?

Hi all, hope it's ok for me to pop in. I seen this thread on active a few days ago. We gave Rivals a go last night, watched the first 4 episodes. I can't remember ever reading the books. Anyway, I absolutely bloody loved every second of it. Loved the characters, music, houses, clothes and the story. It's like Towie/footballers wives for posh people

can't wait to watch the next 4 episodes tonight.

Oh and I may be way out in mumsnet wilderness here, but I wouldn't say no to RBC.

Praying that they make a second series 🙏