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Whose perm needs its own postcode? How many horses are there? How much yearning can you fit into two minutes? H&H investigates the *serious* questions in the latest Rivals trailer
H&H takes a closer look at the latest Rivals trailer and rounds up what we know so far as we prepare to return to Rutshire...
Without wanting to lean into the doom and gloom, there’s been a lot of heavy news recently, what with the cost of everything going a bit nuts, the end of British summer time reminding equestrians what it's like to ride in the dark and the fact that certain supermarket fridges can now be hacked (isn’t that last one a plot from Wallace & Gromit…?)
To know a slice of Rutshire escapism will brighten up our Wednesday evenings gives a nice warm glow on the edge of winter. And it’s important, I think, always to keep looking for those cheerful moments and delight in them wherever we see them.
So, to Rivals! What news can we bring you since our last update on the Disney+ series. This launch is the second half of season two and there are six new episodes to come (episodes seven to 12).
The first three will land on Wednesday, 11 November, followed by one a week, on Wednesdays, until 2 December.
The latest trailer was released last month and appears to confirm the death of a major character, which happened off screen in the last episode released in May. For those wanting to avoid spoilers (where have you been!), catch-up pronto before watching the trailer for part two of season two as it’s given away within the first five seconds.
Watch the Rivals season two part two trailer
Rivals Season 2 - New Episodes | Official Trailer | Disney+ UK - YouTube
As far as I can gather, it looks like most of the storylines will pick up where we left them mid-season. Yes, there’s plenty of yearning, but beyond the longing looks and tear-filled eyes, there are some gems we really need to talk about.
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Firstly, the horses – I counted around a dozen in total. The grey, who I think must be Rocky, cantering towards Penscombe, a handful of polo scenes somewhere warm and sunny, plus a lovely skewbald (accompanied by hounds) being ridden into a hunt ball.
Taggie’s lovely scruffy dog Gertrude is back, there’s a wedding, actual fireworks (alongside the longing kind), one Concorde, plus baby pink Christmas decorations to match the baby pink Range Rover. Sarah Stratton’s perm, too, deserves an honourable mention, and perhaps its own postcode.
In the words of the Disney+ press office: “As the return to the scandal and excess of 1987 edges closer, the residents of Rutshire reunite for more revelry, rivalry and romance, but as the stakes ramp up they must face tragedy, heartbreak, backstabbing, and betrayal head on.”
A sneak peek at the first episode of the second half of season two (episode seven) also landed on social media last night. Have a look at the video below, but be warned it does contain a spoiler...
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
