Rivals makes it very clear that the age-gap, will-they-won’t-they relationship between Rupert Campbell-Black and Taggie O’Hara drives the central plot of the show — but our hearts belong to the far less obvious couple, Freddie and Lizzie.
Forget Taggie and Rupert. THIS is the couple we can all root for — and for countless reasons.
Both Jilly Cooper’s books and the Disney+ adaptation place aristocrat Rupert firmly in the spotlight, while other characters remain in his shadow. Yes, he looks fabulously handsome and has a body to die for. But he also behaves like a caricature — and not always a pleasant one.
Star-crossed lovers have always made a successful plot device. Shakespeare made Romeo and Juliet one of his most famous plays for a reason. But when the relationship includes an age gap of roughly 20 years? It feels a bit icky.
Does Rupert Campbell-Black really deserve a happy ending?
Series 1 of Rivals showed Taggie O’Hara falling hard for Rutshire’s lothario Rupert Campbell-Black, despite the fact he had slept with most of the village and possessed the moral compass of a pebble.
Taggie comes across as wholesome, naive and — crucially — far less sexually experienced than the much older Rupert. We understand the appeal from a one-night-stand perspective, but supporting a genuine love affair between them feels much harder. In series 2, Rupert moves on with Cameron while heartbroken Taggie pines for him from afar. Not literally, of course — although with this show, you never know.
Honestly, Taggie, several metres away feels like the safest place to stay from Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell). We all know where he’s been. Yes, Taggie’s kindness and sweetness bring out Rupert’s softer side. But what does she actually gain from the relationship apart from a potential STD?
In the books, Taggie and Rupert eventually get together and marry. Rupert proposes to Taggie in the final chapter of Rivals, and the pair later tie the knot. However, the TV adaptation may choose a different path.
Freddie and Lizzie have our hearts in Rivals
Businessman Freddie Jones and author Lizzie Vereker carry all our hopes in Rivals. Like Rupert and Taggie, they also live through a forbidden romance. Both are married, and an affair in the Cotswolds would create a huge scandal — not to mention tear apart their families. And both characters feel far too lovely to cause that kind of damage.
Still, they deserve happiness more than almost anyone else in the series. Freddie remains trapped in a marriage with the vacuous Valerie, who possesses the emotional depth of a postage stamp. Meanwhile, Lizzie endures life with TV host James, a self-absorbed egomaniac who cheats on her whenever he gets the chance — which, admittedly, happens far less often than he’d like.
Although Freddie ranks among the most powerful men in England, his wife constantly belittles him. Lizzie may write naughty novels, but she suffers through an emotionally barren home life.
Freddie and Lizzie deserve far better than what they currently have. They also stand out as the sweetest and most likeable characters in the Disney+ series. Series 1 finally allowed them to give in to the simmering tension between them when they snuck away from a Venturer celebration and made love for the first time.
And this feels like genuine lovemaking — not the perfectly choreographed “TV sex” Rupert and Cameron perform. In series 2, Freddie and Lizzie try to stay apart, but their feelings remain strong. They accept each other exactly as they are — jiggly bits and all — and they create one of the most beautiful, realistic love stories currently on television.
Their relationship slowly develops into a secret affair built on quiet tenderness rather than lust.
‘Two really nice, kind people’
Talking about their characters, Danny Dyer recently said of Freddie: “We’re just blessed with two really lovely characters, really nice, kind people. You’re rooting for them anyway I think. And then you put them both in a room together and they have this little spark between them and it’s quite exciting.”
Katherine Parkinson, who plays Lizzie, added: “We were surprised by how much the characters resonated because we’re not in it that much.”
In short, Freddie and Lizzie have never truly felt valued — but they value each other. And that’s enough to make our eyes leak.
Do Freddie and Lizzie get together in the books?
Yes, Freddie and Lizzie do get together in the Rutshire Chronicles. In Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, the pair grow closer and eventually begin a passionate affair that gives them emotional refuge from their unhappy marriages.
Although their romance starts as an illicit affair, they provide each other with the love and validation missing from their home lives. Their relationship eventually develops into a committed and loving partnership.
And we cannot wait to see that happen on screen.
‘The best ship in Rivals is literally Freddie and Lizzie’
Rivals viewers have fully boarded the Freddie and Lizzie — or “Fizzie” — train.
One fan wrote: “Did not expect Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson to have the best on-screen chemistry I’ve seen all year. But you know what? Thrilled about it! I hope Freddie and Lizzie live happily ever after! #Rivals.”
Another added: “Came for Taggie and Rupert, stayed for Lizzie and Freddie.”
A third wrote: “Lizzie and Freddie are making me believe in love again #Rivals.”
Another viewer said: “I’ve concluded that Taggie and Rupert really aren’t all that. I tried to like the pairing but I’m not gagging. Like at all. Didn’t even crack a smile when they kissed in series 1. Freddie and Lizzie thooooo #Rivals.”
Other viewers admitted they got “butterflies in their stomach” over Lizzie and Freddie, while another wrote: “One episode into Rivals series 2 and I am right back in that Lizzie/Freddie space. I’ll keep everyone updated.”
Finally, one viewer spoke for all of us: “Sorry but the best ship in the show is literally Freddie and Lizzie.”
Special mention to Gerald and Charles’ relationship
We’d also love to see Gerald Middleton and Charles Fairburn end up together in Rivals series 2. Their love remains just as hidden as Freddie and Lizzie’s — if not more so. During the 1980s, society still treated being gay as taboo, and exposure could easily have ruined both their careers and lives.
As secret lovers, neither man openly identifies as gay. Series 2 also sees Gerard engaged to the lovely Muffy (short for Caroline). She’s a fantastic new character — but she’s not Charles.
In the books, Charles and Gerald never share a romantic relationship. The TV adaptation expanded their storyline and created a sweeping romance shaped by the discrimination of the era.
Loving someone without being able to openly hold them feels quietly devastating. And for a TV series famous for its sexy headlines, these grounded relationships ultimately steal the show.