Rivals TV Show Proves Quality Television Can Be Fun Rather Than Bleak
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jesscartnermorley. "Rivals’ Rutshire – a place where modern Britain’s brutal divisions disappear in a cloud of sex | Jess Cartner-Morley | The Guardian." June 5, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that the TV show Rivals proves we can have high-quality television that's actually fun to watch, instead of the depressing stuff that dominates prestige TV today. She thinks the show offers a refreshing escape to a simpler, more enjoyable time.
Conclusion
The TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals demonstrates that quality television doesn't have to be bleak and stressful, and can instead be fun, life-affirming entertainment
Premises
- Modern prestige television has become predominantly bleak and stressful (citing shows like Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, The Bear)
- Rivals offers television as it used to be: a naughty, indulgent treat with delicious villains, adorable heroines, and colorful minor characters
- The show presents nostalgia for a simpler time before life became overcomplicated, when pleasures were more straightforward
- Rivals depicts sex in a healthy, enjoyable way for all involved, contrasting with the sensationalized or transactional sex in other modern shows
- The show's portrayal of class divisions is less brutal than modern Britain's extreme inequality, making social tensions seem more manageable and ridiculous rather than devastating
Assumptions
- Television should provide escapism and entertainment, not just artistic merit
- Audiences are experiencing fatigue from consistently dark and stressful content
- Nostalgia for past eras can be psychologically beneficial
- Fun and quality are not mutually exclusive in television
- Modern Britain's social divisions are more brutal and harmful than those of the 1980s