Hulu’s Rivals Is Going Viral With Pride & Prejudice Comparisons

Looking for a new series to swoon over? As Sophia Benoit recently put it for Bustle, Nobody Wants This showed that doomed romance — the kinds of relationships you root for as the world works against them — is all the rage right now. So what better time to start Hulu’s Rivals?

In case the series hasn’t been all over your FYP like it has mine, Rivals is based on Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novel of the same name. Set in the 1980s, it follows a group of men battling and backstabbing over a TV franchise in England’s Cotswolds region.

Sure, it doesn’t sound like a romance — but the show spends plenty of time on the men’s respective love lives, which often end up playing a role in the titular feud. And there’s one relationship in particular that has fans recalling their favorite Regency pairing.

Welcome Back, Mr. Darcy?

On Rivals, Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) is a retired show jumper-turned-sports minister who is known for being a womanizer. He soon begins working with a news anchor named Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) to bring down Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant)’s TV station.

Along the way, Rupert forges a connection with Declan’s daughter Taggie (Bella Maclean) when the family moves in near him. But knowing Rupert’s history, Declan warns him not to pursue her — which only adds more romantic tension to every interaction between the pair.

The dynamic has inspired comparisons to 2005’s still-adored Pride & Prejudice. Particularly, several fans on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) said a scene in which Rupert bites his knuckle when Taggie walks in the room reminded them of Mr. Darcy’s hand flex in the film. “I haven’t been this obsessed with a show in forever,” one viewer wrote after comparing Rupert to the brooding Regency hero.

Another simply dubbed him, “Mr. Freaky Darcy.”

Indeed, there are other similarities: from Rupert’s billowy horse-riding shirt, to his slow dance with Taggie. Like Lizzie in Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Taggie starts out quite repulsed by Rupert — and not to spoil anything, but she certainly has reason to be.

And while Rupert is not awkward or brooding like Darcy, his and Taggie’s relationship is defined by angst-filled glances and tender moments that certainly feel reminiscent of Austen’s iconic couple.

Rupert’s Literary Inspiration

Even before Rivals, the character of Rupert has been compared to Mr. Darcy — and during a 2023 appearance on the You’re Booked podcast, Cooper pointed to Austen characters such as Darcy and Mr. Knightley of Emma as favorites of hers.

Despite the comparisons, it’s worth noting that Rivals is a much more NSFW take on love in the English countryside. Darcy’s greatest fault may be his aloof arrogance, while Rupert’s behavior can be genuinely problematic. As Hassell recently told Grazia, “The show shines a light on how far we’ve come since then. And it’s important for the arc of the character and his relationship with Taggie, not to shy away from the fact that Rupert is a total sh*t.”