David Tennant's Raunchy '80s Period Drama Officially Returns To Hulu Next Month

Published Oct 15, 2026, 9:30 PM EDT

El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel.

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David Tennant's raunchy '80s period drama officially returns to Hulu next month after a devastating cliffhanger. Following David Tennant's tenure as the happy-go-lucky Tenth Doctor on Doctor Who, the fan-favorite actor has played a range of roles, from an emotionally exhausted detective in ITV's Broadchurch to a mind-controlling Marvel villain, a terrifying serial killer, a demon in love, and even a Star Wars droid. Clearly, David Tennant is a chameleon.

Whatever show or movie he appears in, Tennant always leaves an impression; still, few of his roles are as imposing and memorable as one of his most recent characters, the deviously vindictive Lord Tony Baddingham. The dastardly villain of Disney+ and Hulu's bonkers, R-rated, brilliant '80s-set Jilly Cooper book adaptation, Rivals, Tennant's character Tony is constantly scheming, fighting to cement his legacy as a TV production legend. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants, and what he wants is revenge, especially against former Olympian, current MP, and TV "rival" Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and investigative journalist Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner).

Tennant's performance stands out in Rivals, a real feat given he's only one part of an incredibly talented, charismatic ensemble that involves not only Hassell and Poldark's Aidan Turner but also British TV icons like Katherine Parkinson and Danny Dyer, as well as mesmerizing performers like Nafessa Williams and Bella Maclean. Rivals is one of the freshest, most original dramas on streaming, an adults-only adventure of sexual politics, family dysfunction, cutthroat business, and gloriously colorful '80s throwbacks.

What makes Rivals truly special, though, is that beneath its camp, glamorous veneer, the show is bold and fun and heartbreaking in equal measure. The premise might be outlandish, but the show remains compelling because the characters are painfully flawed — perhaps none more so than Lord Tony Baddingham, as Rivals' new batch of episodes will undoubtedly prove.

David Tennant's Tony Baddingham Will Be Even More Unpredictable In Rivals' New Episodes

Rivals season 2 will return for its second six-episode run in November, following a devastating cliffhanger that threatens to tear Tony's world apart. For the first time since the show began, Tony won't just be driven by lust, power, or even vengeance. He'll be driven by grief, forced to face his demons and inexcusable behavior. That makes him even more dangerous and unpredictable, however. Lord Baddingham was already prone to terrible outbursts and violent behavior. What will happen now? How will he face his family? How will he handle his greatest enemies knowing his deepest shame?

At his core, Tony is little more than an embarrassed schoolboy, desperate to prove his worth in a privileged world of excess and greed. From his sexual relationships to his business decisions and even how he handles his family life, he only truly wants to prove he's better than everyone else. In a show filled with complex characters, Tony is the most complex. He's easy to hate, yet Tennant's performance softens his ruthlessness. Somehow, despite all he's said and done, Tennant's portrayal makes it strangely easy to feel sympathy for Baddingham. That's a tough balance to strike, but Tennant manages it with aplomb.

Rivals Has Already Been Confirmed For Season 3

Credit: Hulu/Disney+ via MovieStillsDB

Thankfully, Rivals has already been renewed for a third season, even before its next run of episodes. This is unsurprising, considering season 2's mightily impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score and its status as the "biggest ever EMEA original premiere for Disney+ in the UK and Ireland" (via Disney). The official Rivals season 3 synopsis reads as follows:

"As the dust settles post the scandalous revelations in season 2, we see the stakes become higher and the alliances more fragile, with nothing staying buried for long. New romances blossom, old flames rekindle and shocking secrets will be spilled in this third series which takes everyone’s favorite rivalries to the next level. In a world of power, passion and betrayal, everyone has something to lose."

Interestingly, Rivals is only the second installment in the late Dame Jilly Cooper's 11-part Rutshire Chronicles saga, with each book featuring a different, hedonistic and competitive niche of countryside living in the fictional, Cotswolds-inspired county of Rutshire. While some characters overlap, the books also often introduce new leads. The fiercely combative world of regional TV production as shown in Hulu's Rivals is only one part of Cooper's iconic bestselling series.

If Rivals maintains its current success, the show could develop as a franchise, following new characters and exploring different industries, sports, and arts. Whether they'll find a cast as good as Rivals' is another question entirely, of course, but still. Disney+ and Hulu can explore a lot more in this raunchy world.

Rivals season 2, part 2 premieres with three episodes on Wednesday, November 11 on Hulu and Disney+.