‘Rivals’ Season 2 Plays Hide the Sausage in a Comedy of Pantries
'Rivals' second episode of Season 2 is the series highlight so far, as muffins are buttered up in a single-take kitchen comedy of errors sequence.
I do love an old school 1980s political advert, so Rupert’s run for MP in the General Election in Rivals Season 2 definitely ticks all my boxes, even if (or perhaps especially because) it’s interspersed with the man himself taking care of his most important constituent. (I’m talking about the one in his pants; Cameron just happens to be on the receiving end of it.) It’s also a perfect framework for re-introducing Helen Gordon (Hayley Atwell, taking over the role from Anastasia Griffith) and Rupert’s children, Tabitha (Charlotte Rice-Foley) and Marcus (Leo Weston), none of whom are best pleased when Cameron introduces herself as their father’s girlfriend.
Thankfully, Rupert gets an opening before Cameron and his kids can get into a full-scale war. Declan’s Yeats documentary, which he pitched to the BBC in the premiere, has been put into development. Cameron, of course, doesn’t see why the company needs to film in Ireland; as far as she’s concerned, all these little islands look the same. (This is the same logic that causes most American cities in low-budget shows to look suspiciously like Toronto or Vancouver.) Rupert convinces Declan to do him a solid and take Cameron to Ireland to show her why filming on location is so important, even though Declan’s pretty sure Rupert just wants to bang someone else for a few days.
The Campbell-Black ads are relentless, at least for 1987; Taggie’s seen them and so has former MP Paul Stratton, whose jealousy is barely contained as he complains to Sarah about their pervasiveness. As she notes to Tony over lunch, she knows the baby isn’t her husband’s because he lost his sex drive when he lost his seat.
