'Rivals’ Most Quotable Moments Are Your Afternoon Delight

The David Tennant-led Rivals is funny, clever, and quotable. Although the biggest draws are arguably the shirtless men and countless sex scenes, author Dame Jilly Cooper is a witty one, and her source material is ripe with textual play, which translates well onscreen. Tennant’s character, Lord Tony Baddingham, steals the show with some of the absolute funniest and most iconic lines. As the resident baddie, Tony’s ferocious dialogue is often meant to intimidate, but can sometimes be intended to inspire. Tony clings to his power and status whilst challenged by his nemesis, Rupert Campell-Blank (Alex Hassell), which leads to a host of showdowns, show-ups, and class warfare.

But it’s not just Tennant chewing the scenery: his fellow castmates give as good as they get, slinging barbed arrows in return. Tony’s wife, Lady Monica (Claire Rushbrook), delivers a couple of lines that almost go unnoticed, flying under the radar in Rushbrook’s brilliant and understated performance. She blends her upper crustiness with a sharp tongue, often countering or undercutting Tony’s harshness with deft, measured retorts.

After a tantrum, when Tony wants Monica to tell whoever’s calling to f*ck off, she replies: “I would, darling, but it’s Margaret Thatcher.” These recurrent moments of drollery make Rivals fun and well worth a rewatch.