Overview
- Rivals season 2, which premiered Friday on Disney+, launched with three episodes and a weekly rollout to follow.
- The 12-episode run is split into two six-episode blocks, with the back half slated to arrive later in 2026.
- Episode 1 closes with a monochrome title card honoring “Dame Jilly Cooper, 1937–2025,” after producers said she reviewed scripts and rushes during filming.
- Coverage highlights a faithful yet bolder tone with explicit sex scenes, full-frontal nudity, and a same‑sex romance, as well as the return of David Tennant’s Tony Baddingham.
- Critics from The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, and others praised the season’s performances and verve, and episode 4 is set to land on Friday, May 22.