Despite Bridgerton (2020) rising to popularity and every new season making the show more popular than the one before, we have yet to get more historical romance adaptations like it. While shows like The Gilded Age (2022) are delicious and so fun, they aren't exactly alike, nor is a series like The Buccaneers (2023). But while Rivals (2024) isn't a Regency romance, the steamy period piece set in England during the '80s scratches a lot of similar itches with scandal, spice, and delectable romantic relationships scattered throughout.
Maybe this is a desperate attempt to get all my fellow Bridgerton fans aboard Rivals so you could bear witness to all the wild drama, but truly, if you've ever wanted something to hit like a ton of bricks to the face, the new season is dropping on Hulu on May 15, 2026, and here's why you should catch up.
What Is ‘Rivals’ About?
Rivals is basically Bridgerton's steamier distant descendant in the sense that the romance is just as delicious, but the stakes are vastly different. Based on the bestselling novels by the late Dame Jilly Cooper, the narrative examines the aristocracy in a completely different way while also highlighting the ever-changing world of broadcast television and its evolution. Starring sensational stars like David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, and more, the series is a diligent exploration of class struggles and wildly complex characters who are each so exquisitely written and messy that they deserve dissertations just to crack all their idiosyncrasies.
The narrative involves greedy ambitions, shocking betrayals, even more surprising reconciliations, and deliciously romp romances that'll both scandalize you and make you swoon. From the very first scene to the last, Rivals keeps you glued to your seat with one scandalous scene after another. It's riveting because there aren't many words to describe exactly how steamy Rivals is. The sex scenes aren't as subdued, but they aren't so provocative that they feel derogatory to the characters, nor are they lacking in the consent that's necessary to make every scene feel earned. It's not a rambunctious sex scene that comes out of left field, but instead, every scene informs us of the characters and dynamics in a manner that amplifies the characters's journey and where they'll end up going.
The romance isn't similar to Bridgerton's anthology approach, but there's nuance in each of the relationships that allows every dynamic to feel deliciously enticing. At the same time, the differences in how money is a source of power speak. The glamorous lifestyle of the Ton versus what we're seeing in Rivals is so similar in how, even though costumes, locations, and circumstances look different, the time change doesn't exactly alter much about human struggles or hierarchies. And it's through shows like this where we see the various ways people are treated based on their rank or career that's also so riveting in delivering complex character journeys with wildly gripping narratives.
Why ‘Bridgerton’ Fans Would Appreciate ‘Rivals’
Two words: romance and scandal. A huge part of Bridgerton that differentiates the adaptation from the books is that the drama is significantly heightened. The larger role of Lady Whistledown and Queen Charlotte's inclusion amplifies the stakes with more scandal to allow the relationships to have a bit more edge. While Rivals isn't explicitly a romance like Bridgerton, the forbidden romance between Alex Hassell's Rupert Campbell-Black and Bella Maclean's Taggie O'Hara results in something enrapturing. In comparison, while Bridgerton romances take on the age-gap trope more subtly (like Simon and Daphne, as well as Colin and Penelope), Rivals goes hard.
This one's for the girls who read "dad's best friend" or, in this case, business partner. But don't let that significant age gap deter you if it's typically not your jam, because how Rivals explores the dynamic is exceptional, and never once does it feel "wrong." If this were Regency England instead of the Cotswolds in the '80s, something tells me the Queen would deem Taggie O'Hara as the season's diamond. And for the people who especially loved taking a detour from the city and heading to My Cottage with Benedict and Sophie in Season 4, Episode 3, the setting in Rivals adds an extra layer of coziness to the show that makes it feel like a perfect escape despite the drama.
