Movies News Talk
David Tennant's New Hit Show: A Streaming Success Story!
David Tennant, that iconic Tenth Doctor from Doctor Who, has another hit on his hands, folks! His new drama series, Rivals, boasts a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score (a whopping 94%!) and is already making major waves on streaming charts. This new period drama showcases just how versatile this legendary actor truly is and how capable this veteran really is at mastering his roles, delivering his amazing skills across a range of very distinct roles across many, very different franchises.
Tennant is incredibly versatile; showing off those incredible talents ranging across different genres. He delivered chilling performance as Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones, and more recently starred alongside Michael Sheen in Good Omens, the popularity of which is completely expected and the near universal appeal should’ve predicted his later success.
The article features several important details for those fans already anticipating this newest title:
Streaming on Disney+ (globally) and Hulu (in the U.S.), Rivals landed in the Top 10 TV shows during that specific time frame, based upon Reelgood data. This clearly highlights this incredible success and predicts an equally stunning outcome going forward; suggesting a highly likely upcoming Season 2.
Set in 1986, Rivals focuses on this incredible world of British independent television. It follows the fierce rivalry between Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), an arrogant ex-Olympian and notorious womanizer, and his neighbor, Tony Baddingham (Tennant), the powerful head of Corinium Television. The intense clash showcases this clash of lifestyles and personal values against this uniquely volatile 1980's social and economic background; the backdrop for a serious clash. This creates an environment ripe with drama. That awesome 8-episode series is well-reviewed; that 7.7/10 score is certainly one reason why it has also taken streaming charts by storm! The writing here is credited to Dominic Treadwell-Collins based on Jilly Cooper's novel.
The show’s design deserves a special mention; especially considering that design elements have impacted how appealing this story became. The period detail; especially that key design aspect centered around 1980's interior design that totally immerses viewers is entirely remarkable. Production designer Dominic Hyman (interviewed by IndieWire) used real houses in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, resulting in an impressive set which further increases how well that entire production captured that period! He also uses real home interiors in the story, even going further in capturing many 1980’s related details; showing just how authentic these houses were portrayed, which has contributed a lot to this shows reception!
Hyman crafted houses with deliberate intention, noting those characters themselves who were using these houses. For instance Tony’s home ("The Falconry") is a symbol of “nouveau riche”, striving for perfect appearances! Whereas Rupert’s estate ("Penscombe Court") highlights generations of wealth – things "beautifully decayed”. The key aspect; noted by Hyman in the IndieWire interview, concerns these properties that become more than mere locations—creating unique individual identities which mirror the personalities themselves, further emphasizing the uniqueness.
It is too early to say for sure, but considering how well Rivals is doing, that new Season 2 feels exceptionally likely! And that would only add to Tennant’s impressive list of works.
Rivals is clearly more than just another title; showcasing Tennant’s talent across those amazing, complex roles that showcase so much more than what most expect – and showcases his incredible range of abilities. It seems the actor's brilliant ability and commitment to character studies has made a very deep and lasting impression; generating more and more appreciation for the character across the board; generating immense fan anticipation.
Rivals is off to an amazing start! Those great numbers, alongside critics’ near-unanimous praise highlight those moments which made this a must-watch drama, even if these factors didn’t exactly predict success beforehand! The compelling story; its amazing cast—especially Tennant’s outstanding performance makes it even greater! The brilliant attention to detail concerning its set designs and use of real properties to show these characters; making for another impressive moment which created even stronger ties between those viewing and the storyline presented, leading to higher critical acclaim.