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!

Yes, I think so too. Claire Rushbrook was one of the stars for me. I thought she played Monica really sensitively.

Absolutely. She was given very little to say but every line & watchful expression had meaning.
I don't want Tony to be dead because I think that will mean less Monica!

I get Claire Rushbrook and Caroline Quentin confused as well . I saw CR in a Miss Marple adaptation years ago and thought it was CQ, and also in Home Fires.

In the book Tony attacks Cameron and she doesn't retaliate. Apparently the producers discussed it at length but ultimately felt it would be a terrible look and went with what we saw.

I know there have been discussions about how they let certain scenes through but I do believe a lot of thought went into it all.

I think CQ has a distinctive voice & mannerisms so hard to confuse with anyone.

I agree that CR was very good in this.

Also love her as Lesley Manville's sister.

In both Sherwood & the Magpie Murders!

Claire Rushbrook was perfect casting. She just embodied the part so well.

Oh I agree, Claire Rushbrook was amazing, it was very nuanced acting. I rewatched the second episode at the weekend and the bit where she's shooting as Mousie tells her the rumours is comedy gold!

CR is v good. I think they introduced the scene where Taggie watches RVB and SS shagging on the coats so that he could have "justifiably" thought she might be up for it, if you see what I mean, otherwise it really is hard to get over these days (although sadly quite normal at the time).

Holy shit ! Was it not her? !! I was watching and googled it and I honestly did say she was in it as Monica - oh well Claire is doing a fab job !!!

An awful lot of the language and attitudes in JCs books are no longer acceptable.

I read them all as they were published and a lot of it was archaic and shocking even then. I particularly remember a scene in the predecessor to Rivals (Riders , published 1985) when RCB and his best mate Billy gang rape Rupert's wife. Billy's eventual 'apology' was along the lines of "Sorry Angel, I thought you'd enjoy it'.

Yep, I'm re-reading Riders now, and it's pretty jaw dropping in some pretty unsexy ways. Maybe we should have a "Read Along Between My Fingers" thread?

The Jilly cooper Rutminster books are my guilty pleasure 🤣 I've read all of them (including the weaker ones - Wicked and Mount I'm looking at you)

Have to say my faves are the more musical based ones although my All Time Fave is The Man who made Husbands Jealous (Rannaldini is the best villian). I usually shy away from the adaptations as for me they don't always live up to the books but I am really enjoying Rivals. Devouring this series slowly ........

Oh no! He's an Alan Partridge clone, especially in his jumpers.

I wonder who we would cast as the evil Rannaldini were they to make Score? Someone called Derek de Lint played him in 1997 The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous but I wonder who we could cast now? One of the Fiennes springs to mind maybe influenced by Voldemort though!

Yes, but the jumpers were very typical
of the era, and Alan Partridge was a parody of these.

I may have to binge watch this again in a bid to avoid all politics on TV for the next few weeks!

I read up-thread about Tony and Monica's name being changed - looked in my original hardback copy and they are Bullingham and then in my paperback and they are Baddingham!! I don't remember noticing that at the time.

In the 90's my best friend was called Abigail. She met Jilly Cooper at a book signing and Jilly asked her her name. Jilly's next book was Appassionata with heroine Abigail Rosen. My friend was totally convinced Jilly gave her character the name after hearing her name.

Ah that’s lovely @HesterLee - may well have been!

I’m re watching, am halfway through episode 6 and I’ve just remembered that at the evening with Jilly at the Royal Festival Hall, Katherine Parkinson said “Jilly said to me, you’re basically playing me, which was an honour” or words to that effect.

So although I’d never thought Lizzie Vereker was based on Jilly, if Jilly says she is then she definitely is!

I love that Lizzie Vereker is Jilly as Lizzie is one of my favourite characters. All the actors have won me over. I was so not looking forward to Danny Dyer because I thought he would be his EastEnders character - he wasn't, he was brilliant as Freddie. And I also loved Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton, really well played. Oh and Monica. And Bas. And...and...and...

But the actor isn’t! Oliver Chris can be pretty hot. Although the line for hotness for RCB seems to be drawn incredibly high given how he’s written.

my DH had those exact jumpers,
i loved the fashion
Monika knew but wanted to keep the family together i am sure

Just looked him up. I wouldn’t have recognised him as the same actor, and yes to being good looking!

I find Oliver Chris much more attractive than the guy playing RCB!

Oliver Chris is a gorgeous man. Always had a thing for him since his Green Wing days! I agree he'd have made a better RCB for me, but I don't think he usually does lead actor roles.

I think someone has already mentioned him as Oberon in Midsummer Night’s Dream - it’s on NT Live. Definitely worth watching - he manages to be sexy and funny at the same time.