David Tennant‘s returning period series is back for Rotten Tomatoes glory.

From the detective in Broadchurch to the demon Crowley in Good Omens, Tennant has dominated the television sphere for over two decades. Those humble beginnings broke through with his iconic portrayal as the Tenth Doctor on the hit sci-fi series, Doctor Who, and that stint ran from 2005 to 2010 before a brief return as the Fourteenth Doctor in 2022 and 2023.

While Tennant has portrayed plenty of heroes, he also has a fair share of antagonists in both movies and TV series, including Kilgrave in Jessica Jones. His most recent villain role is Lord Tony Baddingham in Hulu’s hit series Rivals, based on a 1988 book by Jill Cooper.

Now, Tennant will be back as the ruthless director of Corinium Television, who is out for revenge in Rivals season 2. The first reviews for the returning Hulu series are trickling in, and the sophomore installment is winning critics so far. According to Rotten Tomatoes, season 2 currently has a 100% score based on six reviews, continuing a positive trend for the series since the debut installment also earned a high 95% in 2024.

Although the season 2 score will fluctuate closer to its premiere, reviews assent that Disney+’s period adaptation doubles down on the trashy bonkbuster, intense backstabbing, and campy drama. Although not as flawless as season 1, the cast performances are the standout, particularly Alex Russell as Rupert Campbell-Black, who brings heartbreak to his Casanova, especially in light of his ex-wife Helen (Hayley Atwell) now present in the picture.

Until recently, Tennant’s return in Rivals season 2 seemed questionable. Season 1 ended with Tony being struck by Cameron (Nafessa Williams) after a violent confrontation, a key departure from Cooper’s book. The final moments saw him lying on the floor motionless as blood spread, which left his fate ambiguous.

However, the Rivals season 2 trailer confirmed that Tennant’s antagonist survived the head trauma and was pursuing revenge against his foes, especially in light of Venturer winning the franchise bid over his company. On the other hand, Russell needs to uphold his deal with Declan (Aidan Turner) by staying away from Taggie (Bella Maclean). However, those matters are complicated when the two star-crossed lovers embrace and kiss in season 1’s final moments.

After its initial streaming success, Rivals season 2 will see a major upgrade, courtesy of Disney+. Firstly, the episode count increased to 12, which is four more than season 2. According to some critics, this change helps with the sophomore installment by providing more space and depth to the overall story and character arcs.

Season 1 was a Disney+ success after cracking the top 10 most-watched series list, according to Reelgood data. The series also performed fairly well during award season, including the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 2025. Tennant also earned a nomination for Leading Actor at the British Academy Television Awards.

Interestingly, Rivals won’t be the only Tennant series returning to streaming. The acclaimed actor will reprise Crowley one last time in Good Omens season 3, which is a 90-minute final episode releasing on May 13. Even though Tennant won’t be returning to Doctor Who anytime soon, he continues to venture into new television projects, including Time season 3 and Hide.

While the majority of the Rivals ensemble cast will return, season 2’s fresh additions include Rupert Everett, Atwell, Maxim Ays, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, Amanda Lawrence, Olive Tennant, Amelie Child-Villiers, and Oliver Dench. Elliot Hegarty, Dee Koppang O’Leary, and Alexandra Brodski are the main directors.

Rivals season 2 will drop the first three episodes on May 15, 2026, on Hulu and Disney+.

Release Date

October 18, 2024

Network

Disney+

Directors

Dee Koppang O’Leary, Alexandra Brodski, Elliot Hegarty

Writers

Clare Naylor, Mimi Hare, Kefi Chadwick, Dare Aiyegbayo, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Marek Horn, Sophie Goodhart