Rivals on Disney Plus is a racy eight-part adaptation of the bestselling Dame Jilly Cooper novel that delves into the world of 1980s independent television in the UK. Set in the fictional British county of Rutshire, the story centers around a long-term rivalry between ex-Olympic rider turned politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), who, along with their friends, family and neighbors, drip with ambition, lust and power.
Here's everything that happened in Rivals episode 3...
The third episode brings us to Christmas 1986 and Taggie is thrilled when she finds a present under the tree addressed to her. She opens it and finds a beautiful bracelet and an apology note, signed by 'R'. Taggie and Caitlin are convinced it is from Rafe, Taggie's ex, and the man he lost her virginity to. Declan and Maud are hosting a New Year's Eve party and Rafe is coming, which Taggie is very excited about, thinking he wants to pick up where they left off.
Just as Caitlin, Maud, Declan and Taggie are about to have Christmas dinner, the door goes and it is Patrick, Declan and Maud's eldest. They are all thrilled to see him, and the party at New Year's is also for him because it will be his 21st birthday.
Meanwhile, Christmas Day is a different affair over at Rupert's as he dresses as a sexy Santa, ready to seduce the naked woman in his bed. But things turn sour when later he tries to call his kids and his ex, Helen, won't let them speak to him.
New Year's Eve arrives and Declan, Cameron and Tony discuss how to ruin Rupert live on TV if he agrees to be interviewed on Declan's show. Outside Tony's office there is a New Year's party kicking off, so Declan decides to head home as he thinks it will be quieter to work. However, he is stunned to get home and find it is total chaos there... Maud has gone all out for the New Year's Eve party and Declan isn't happy, saying he is still trying to pay off the leaving party she threw when they left London.
While Taggie is in the kitchen peeling potatoes for the party, Maud is more worried about the fact she hasn't booked herself a bikini wax and Caitlin comments that she thinks her mum is up to her old tricks and is going to try and seduce Rupert that evening.
Declan is fuming when he realizes half of Rutshire is coming to their party when he specifically told Maud to cap the guest list at 30. But, there is no expense spared for this event and Maud is panicking about the seating plan, however, Declan is more concerned about the fact she has hired a camel for the evening. Taggie is heartbroken when Rafe turns up and he has brought his girlfriend with him... she cries and Patrick tells her he is sorry and that she is too good for him anyway.
As the party starts, everyone from the world of TV and beyond turns up in their finery as paparazzi snap their every move. Everyone is drinking and getting in the party spirit when Declan questions where Maud has got to - just as she makes her entrance on the back of the camel and everyone claps and cheers.
It gets to 10 pm and Taggie is worried that they need to eat because otherwise they won't be done by midnight, but Maud doesn't seem bothered about the effort her daughter has gone to in the kitchen and tells her they have to wait until Rupert arrives. Right on cue, he makes his entrance and all eyes are on him... especially Maud's who can't help but flirt with him in front of Declan.
During dinner, Caitlin is sitting next to Rupert, and he has Maud on the other side. Rupert asks Caitlin if Taggie has forgiven him for groping her yet, and Caitlin says no. He is surprised and asks if her sister liked the bracelet he sent her, and realizing Taggie's gift was from Rupert and not Rafe, Caitlin races off to tell her sister, who is cross.
Declan makes a speech about how proud he is of his son and they all sing happy birthday to Patrick... but as Patrick takes the microphone from his dad to do the New Year's countdown to midnight, he is distracted when Cameron walks in, looking a million dollars. He makes a beeline for her and kisses her at midnight, much to Tony's horror, who told his mistress not to come to the party because his wife will be there.
Charles and Gerald arrange to meet in the garden at midnight for their own secret rendezvous, but while Gerand is eager to have sex, Charles tells him he has something important to ask first. He gives Gerald a key to his flat and tells him he can treat it like his own home and that way they won't have to sneak around anymore. However, Gerald tells Charles gently that if he wants to get anywhere in politics he is going to have to find himself a wife, which leaves Charles heartbroken.
Rupert tracks Taggie down in the kitchen where she is washing up. He asks her to come and dance, and initially, she doesn't want to becasue she still hasn't forgiven him for groping her at the dinner party. But when Daysee comes in and is sick in the sink where she was washing up, Taggie's had enough and agrees to dance.
The pair dance to 'Lady In Red' as bubbles fall from the ceiling and Rupert tells Taggie that she scares him, because he can see his true self reflected in her eyes. She tells him people can change, and he says he isn't sure he is able to. He apologizes for the bracelet mix up and she relaxes in his arms and they dance, but when they almost kiss she pulls away and goes back to hiding in the kitchen.
As Freddie and Lizzie grow closer and dance together when no one is looking, Maud corners Rupert in a room where they can be alone. She tries to seduce him, but he admits he likes Taggie and she is both heartbroken and horrified at the same time, telling him that Taggie is nothing more than a child and belittling her daughter by saying mean things about her.
As the party draws to a close, Tony and Freddie are looking for their kids and their coats, but when they look upstairs they find Tony's brother Baz having sex with lots of women at once and Tony looks impressed. As Taggie goes to get everyone's coats she finds Charles crying in the corner of a bedroom and he tells her that he is lonely because Gerald doesn't want him and his mother, the only person who ever truly loved him, has dementia and doesn't remember who he is. Suddenly he starts getting chest pains and Taggie calls an ambulance. When the ambulance arrives Taggie helps Charles in, but the paparazzi take pictures and Taggie is fuming.
With most of the guests now gone, Taggie continues clearing up and Rupert comes to find her. He says she is tired and needs to go to bed, alone - for once being the perfect gentleman. She says the DJ needs paying and that someone has been sick on the sofa and he says he will sort it. He puts her to bed and as he tells her that she is special, she falls asleep.
Rupert then goes to find the paparazzi outside and says he will act drunk and let them take photos to sell to the papers if he gives him the roll of film that has the pictures of Charles being carried off in the ambulance. Knowing he will get paid a lot more for drunk pictures of Rupert, the photographer agrees.
Meanwhile, Patrick and Cameron are talking, but while they have kissed, she won't sleep with him and leaves the next morning. However, when she gets home, she finds Tony waiting for her. He tells her she is fired because he thinks she slept with Patrick. She tells him that she didn't and promises to never see him again. Tony tries to have sex with Cameron and she tells him no until he says he will promote her to Controller of Programming at the TV company, to which she agrees to sleep with him.
The episode ends with Patrick going back to university, while Caitlin asks her sister if she met a nice man at the party. Taggie replies that she did... clearly thinking about Rupert.
All episodes of Rivals are available to stream on Disney Plus now.
