David Tennant’s New Disney Series Debuts With Solid Rotten Tomatoes Score

The Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed for the series Rivals. Rivals is a new Disney+ show based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Jilly Cooper about a rivalry between Rupert Cambell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) that is set in 1986 and centers on the Corinium television station in the fictional Rutshire county in England. The show, which was written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade and directed by Elliot Hegarty, features a supporting cast that also includes Aidan Turner, Claire Rushbrook, Katherine Parkinson, Luke Pasqualino, Lisa McGrillis, Victoria Smurfit, and Bryony Hannah.

Rotten Tomatoes has now aggregated an official score for Rivals. Although it could fluctuate as more reviews are added, at the time of writing, the series holds a Fresh 86% score from critics on the Tomatometer. This score has been tabulated from seven different critics’ reviews and is a full 26% above the 60% threshold past which a title can be considered Fresh. If it maintains this score by the time it has 20 reviews, five of which are from top critics, it will be officially Certified Fresh by the review aggregator platform.

What This Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For Rivals

Rivals Could Succeed On Disney+

Of those who have reviewed Rivals so far, the praise comes largely from how the show weaves in its key themes. Collider‘s Jeff Ewing wrote that “the ride is charming enough, making Rivals a love letter to extravagance and its perils worth tuning in to.” London Evening Standard‘s Nick Curtis added that “Rivals is gloriously trashy and arch, the epitome of guilty-pleasure TV.” So, the consensus seems to be that while Rivals is far from a perfect show, it is thoroughly entertaining.

[Early buzz] could help the show to succeed in season 1…

Rivals‘ early Rotten Tomatoes score success is a good sign for the show’s performance on Disney+. It still has over a week until it debuts its first episode, as the series premieres on October 18. As a result, Rivals will be able to get early buzz, which could help the show to succeed in season 1. Between this initially high Rotten Tomatoes score and the draw of Doctor Who alum Tennant, Rivals has a lot of things going for it.

How Rivals Compares To Other Non-Franchise Disney+ Dramas

The Show Stands Strong Among Well-Received Series

Rivals is in a unique position as a non-franchise series on Disney+. While it is technically not an “original” series as it is a literary adaptation, it does not come from a pre-existing movie or television IP. This is somewhat unusual for the platform, which prioritizes franchise series, particularly those in the Star Wars saga and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, alongside reboots such as Turner & Hooch and Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., the latter of which was a remake of the classic Neil Patrick Harris series Doogie Howser, M.D., set in Hawai’i.

Disney+’s non-Marvel and non-
Star Wars
slate of dramas also includes the Rick Riordan adaptation
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
as well as the sequel series
National Treasure: Edge of History
and
Willow
.

However, Disney+ has aired its fair share of original dramas or non-franchise adaptations since its launch in 2019. This includes the children’s book adaptation The Mysterious Benedict Society, the original 18th century fantasy adventure tale Renegade Nell, and the sports drama The Crossover. Below, see how the Rotten Tomatoes score for Rivals compares with those other recent Disney+ original dramas:

Generally, these original dramas have been well-received, with Rivals tying for second place with its 86% score. While The Crossover did not receive enough reviews to earn an official score on the platform, all four of its extant reviews are positive, which effectively gives it a 100% score, though it is not statistically significant. While none of these series have achieved the same level of prominence as the streamer’s IP projects, the new series could turn things around.

Our Take On the Rivals Rotten Tomatoes Score

Tennant Has Had A Good Television Streak

I can appreciate Tennant in many roles, but it is great to see this actor succeed in yet another TV show. Tennant’s career in television has been extremely positive thus far, with nearly all of his works getting glowing ratings. In fact, of the more than two dozen television titles of his that have received scores on Rotten Tomatoes, only one – 2018’s Camping (28%) – has received a Rotten score. Below, see how the score for Rivals compares to his other recent television work:

Of his most prominent recent television projects, all of which have earned Fresh scores from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Rivals is tied for fourth place with the prominent franchise spinoff Star Wars: Ahsoka and the biblical fantasy adaptation Good Omens. As it depicts an intense and at times bitter rivalry, I think the new show will be a great chance for Tennant to shine in a more strictly dramatic role. The early reviews make it promising that Tennant has succeeded again with Rivals.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes, Collider, & London Evening Standard