‘Rivals’ Wraps Up Its Three-Episode Premiere with Togas

Rivals ninth episode opens ugly. The “Scarlet O’Hara” headlines would be bad enough, even if Declan hadn’t brought them on by throwing his wife to the wolves in a fit of rage. Not that he’s acting better in the light of day. Maud’s moved out, staying in a room above the pub for the time being, while Declan lies in the gutter beneath her window, passed out in a drunk stupor for Basil to round up and take home.

Perhaps ironically, Tony is in no better shape, unable to get out of bed, utterly sunken into a deep depression by the loss of Monica – though it’s notable when Ginger comes to rouse him, the enforcer seems to suggest he sees it as Maud’s fault Tony is acting like this. (He also wants credit for having the wherewithal to paint Maud as the seducer to the papers, and Tony a victim who had just lost his wife.)

That being said, Ginger is the difference between Tony and Declan – Declan is allowed to wallow and drink and make emotionally destructive choices, while Caitlin heads back to school and Taggie runs to Rupert, begging him to fix it. Declan stops in at Corinium during his drunken escapades to accuse Joyce of betraying him, and she kindly takes the booze away, telling him to go home and sleep it off. Ginger takes one look at Tony doing the same and tells him to snap out of it. Tony snaps out of it so hard, he even pulls off an apology to Sally Menzies-Scott for his behavior. It seems like Corinium will be fine under the new IBA administration.