In Just 1 Day, Hulu’s Sleeper Hit Becomes an Instant Global Streaming Hit After 100% RT Score

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Hulu boasts a fantastic lineup of popular and award-winning shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, and Love Story. Recently, the British comedy-drama Rivals has become a surprising success and is now topping streaming charts worldwide.

According to data from FlixPatrol, the show Rivals is currently very popular on Disney+ in several countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Sweden. It’s actually the top show in both Ireland and the United Kingdom! In the U.S., you can watch Rivals on Hulu, where it’s currently ranked as the eighth most-watched program.

What Is Rivals About?

Rivals is a comedy series with a brilliant cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer. The first season of 8 episodes premiered on October 18, 2024, and a second season began airing on May 15, 2026.

As a total movie and TV buff, I’m already hooked on this new show! It’s set back in the late 80s and centers around a really interesting rivalry between Rupert Campbell-Black and Tony, who’s a former Olympic show jumper and now runs a local TV station. The story unfolds in this made-up county called Rutshire, and it’s all about Tony trying to turn his company around by bringing in some fresh faces – an American producer and an Irish journalist. It sounds like a really compelling setup!

The novel Rivals is based on Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles. Published in 1988, it’s the second book in the series, which is known as Players in the United States. Cooper has said the character of Rupert Campbell-Black was inspired by Andrew Parker Bowles, the 11th Duke of Beaufort, and the ex-husband of Queen Camilla.

Hulu’s Rivals series, much like the popular books it’s based on, is packed with comedy, drama, and romance—plus plenty of scandal and intrigue. Jilly Cooper’s original Rivals novel was a bestseller, remaining on the Sunday Times list for 23 weeks. The TV adaptation has also been a hit, with both seasons praised by critics for their excellent storytelling, performances, and humor.

Rivals Has a Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

The series quickly became popular with both critics and audiences, earning very high ratings. It currently has a 97% score on the Tomatometer and a 90% score from general audiences. The first season received a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating with a 95% score from critics, and the second season was even better, achieving a perfect 100% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating.

According to Martin Robinson of The Guardian, the second season of Rivals portrays the wealthy as amusingly foolish characters, while also skillfully highlighting the experiences of those excluded from important discussions – showing both the harm caused by this exclusion and the ways people adjust. J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe and Mail simply called Rivals “a highly enjoyable comedy.”

When Rivals first came out, it didn’t immediately attract a large audience. However, the show captured what made the original book series so popular, and with its strong cast, it’s no surprise Rivals eventually became a hit with viewers around the world.

You can watch the series Rivals on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ everywhere else. New episodes come out every Friday.

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2026-05-20 21:10