If you're obsessed with the Disney+ revenge series Rivals, you're in good company. The raunchy '80s-set period drama based on Jilly Cooper's bestselling book series is currently in its second season, with Digital Spy describing it as a "fabulous, rip-roaring bonkfest" in our four-star review.
The popular show, set in the cutthroat world of 1980s television, follows the scandalous power struggle between the notorious womaniser and ex-Olympian Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and the media mogul Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant).
The series features a star-studded cast, including Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Bella Maclean, Nafessa Williams, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer.
Season two of Rivals comprises 12 episodes, but the complete season will not be released as a boxset drop. Instead, the first three episodes of season two are now available to stream on Disney+, with episodes following weekly.
Episode four drops this Friday, 22 May, at 8am on Disney+, with episode five arriving on 29 May and episode six on 5 June. The remaining six episodes will be released at a later date.
If you're craving something similar to Rivals in the '80s mould while you wait for new episodes to drop, then look no further. We've compiled a list of shows for you to get stuck into.
What to Read Next
It's a Sin
Set in London between 1981 and 1991, Russell T Davies' drama follows three friends as they move to London as the HIV/AIDS epidemic unfolds.
Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells, Lydia West, and Nathaniel Curtis star in the lead roles, with guest appearances by David Carlyle, Shaun Dooley, Keeley Hawes, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Neil Patrick Harris, and Stephen Fry.
Hailed by critics, Empire Magazine called the 2021 series a "masterpiece, a heartfelt series into which he has clearly poured every fibre of his being to create an involving, devastating and often very funny piece of TV".
The logline reads: "Drama from Russell T Davies about five friends. With their lives tested as they grow up in the shadow of AIDS, they're determined to live and love more fiercely than ever."
All five episodes of It's a Sin are available to stream now on Channel 4.
Pose
First released in 2018, Pose ran for three seasons, ending with its third and final season in 2021. Created by Steven Canals and Ryan Murphy, the drama spotlights the legends, icons and "ferocious house mothers" of New York's underground ball culture.
Set in New York City between 1987 and 1998, Pose made television history by featuring the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles, with stars including Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar and Angelica Ross.
Rounding out the impressive cast are Billy Porter, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Angel Bismark Curiel, Dyllón Burnside, Sandra Bernhard and Charlayne Woodard.
Seasons 1-3 of Pose are available to stream now on Disney+.
This Is England
Shane Meadows' BAFTA-winning 2006 film stars Thomas Turgoose as a bullied 12-year-old boy who befriends a group of skinheads. Set during the summer of 1983, racism eventually drives the group apart.
This is England boasts an impressive cast of British actors, including Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley, Joe Gilgun, Vicky McClure, Andrew Shim, Rosamund Hanson, Jack O'Connell, Chanel Cresswell, Perry Benson, Michael Socha, and Frank Harper.
Beloved by critics, This is England is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and holds a 93% score from 96 reviews.
"Shane Meadows’s most personal film is his best, combining the director’s impeccably observed comedy with a gathering storm of ominous ill will," wrote The Times, while The Sydney Morning Herald called it "a profoundly moving and disturbing film about the loneliness of a small boy".
This Is England is available to buy or rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Glow
Netflix's Glow follows Alison Brie as Ruth Wilder, who joins a 12-woman crew of Hollywood misfits in 1980s LA as they reinvent themselves as the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling led by Marc Maron's Sam Sylvia, a washed-up B-movie director.
Created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the show also stars Betty Gilpin, Britney Young, Sydelle Noel, Britt Baron, Gayle Rankin, Sunita Mani, Kimmy Gatewood, and Rebekka Johnson.
First released in 2017, the show ran for three seasons before being cancelled by Netflix in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seasons 1-3 of Glow are available to stream now on Netflix.
Changing Ends
Set in 1980s Northampton, Changing Ends is a semi-autobiographical sitcom based on comedian Alan Carr's life as a young man growing up in Britain. Oliver Savell stars as young Alan.
Beloved by audiences, the show has a user rating of 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb, with one user writing: "Changing Ends is something of a nostalgic throwback on every level to a time when comedy was, well funny!"
Another fan said: "Overall, this show is sweet, interesting, nostalgic, and full of known British actors. Binge worthy, and definitely the best series I've watched this year. Can't wait to see more!"
Seasons 1-3 of Changing Ends are available to stream now on ITVX.
The Newsreader
Created by Michael Lucas, The Newsreader stars Anna Torv and Sam Reid. Set in Melbourne, the critically acclaimed Australian drama follows a group of professional journalists and crew in a 1980s newsroom.
The logline reads: "1986: The big news is behind the camera. In a world on the cusp of change, star anchor Helen and rookie reporter Dale join forces to survive the cut-throat world of commercial TV."
Critics praised the show, with The Age writing: "It's been one of the best dramas of the decade. With its third and final season now airing, the series has proven to be consistently compelling."
"Well-drawn characters, strong performances and a good pace keep this format engaging, although for me this latest – and last – season has dipped a little, losing spark and lustre," penned The Guardian.
Seasons 1-3 of The Newsreader are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
