The second season of Disney Plus's Rivals returns to the fictional county of Rutshire with a blend of lust, lavish parties, and a notable increase in full-frontal male nudity. The first set piece features identical twins who, according to rumour, differ only in their nether regions. They soon strip off their polo kits and perform a 'helicopter' manoeuvre into the pool, side by side, offering two penises for the price of one scene.
Producer Alexander Lamb dubbed the moment 'silly willies', while showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins described it as a 'silly fun reminder early on' that this is Jilly Cooper's world. The creative team were conscious of avoiding 'second album syndrome' and aimed to maintain confidence and swagger while exploring new territory. The season is described as both 'dafter' and 'darker and sadder', with Emily Atack's character Sarah Stratton central to the latter.
The late Dame Jilly Cooper, who died at 88 after a fall when production was two-thirds complete, provided notes on everything. She insisted on changes to season one scenes where Taggie was more 'active', as that did not align with the character. Her assistant would call Treadwell-Collins to relay 'the Dame's' feedback, and her instincts were always right. A tribute at the end of episode one features a photo of Cooper reclining in fishnets, capturing her spirit.
The cast attended Cooper's memorial service in January, where Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean read an excerpt from Rivals. Queen Camilla and Joanna Lumley were also present. Director Elliot Hegarty expressed a collective desire to make the show 'even better and bigger than season one, in her memory', with hopes for a third season. The team holds rights to Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles series, of which seasons one and two cover only one of eleven books.
