TW: Racism and Sexual Assault
Disney Plus’ 2024 series ‘Rivals’ follows the lives and lusts of an elite group of countryside dwellers in Rutshire. The series, based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, has been well received by critics and fed everybody’s current craving for escapist soapy melodrama. I did not realise though, that the series would shift focus to the world of television in its latter half. As someone at the beginnings of their television career, the series highlighted the highs and precarious pitfalls of this cut-throat industry. Amongst all the romance and romping, it was Nafessa Williams portrayal of Corinium producer Cameron Cook that held my interest.
As a person of colour, I was immediately grabbed, and intrigued, by Cameron Cook’s presence. Originally Cook was described in the novel as having ‘pale skin.’ When decisions to race-switch characters are taken, one wonders whether it was for genuine reasons or the diversity quota. I have frequently discussed my thoughts about diversity and representation, and diversity on screen makes little to no impact if it is just for the tick box. Including Williams in the cast without addressing the racism within the television industry and the attitudes in the 80s, would have been a pointless waste. Thankfully, ‘Rivals’ does not shy away from the minority, specifically the minority female, experience, and manages to address the issue with subtlety and balance, refraining from shoving it down your throat with risk of alienating viewers.
Whilst reading reviews for the show, I noticed that Cook herself, and the racial prejudice she faces, received a real lack of attention. More focus was given to the sex in the show, and the performances of David Tennant as Tony Baddingham and Alex Hassell as rogue Rupert Campbell-Black. People of colour, especially women, being overshadowed by older, privileged white men feels very true to life.
Although Declan O’Hara, played by Aidan Turner, is one of the more progressive and morally sound of the characters in the show, his initial reaction to Cook is steeped in blind prejudice. Upon meeting her, O’Hara immediately hands Cook his bag, believing Cook to be his inferior. It is unclear whether this is exclusively because she is a woman, or exclusively because she is black… but I am willing to go with a mix both. Considering the latter, O’Hara’s disbelief at Cook’s presence and position emphasises the bold step taken by the show’s creators to make her black in the first place, and highlights the lack of black female opportunities in television at the time.
Whilst O’Hara picks his jaw up off the floor, Cook recognises that he was not expecting ‘a woman and God forbid a black one.’ Not only is the rug pulled from under O’Hara’s feet, but the audiences’ too. O’Hara continues to dig his own grave, by confessing that he believed Cook to be a ‘publicity girl.’ His use of the word ‘girl’ to describe a grown woman is incredibly patronising. Cook sets him straight, informing him that she is a ‘prodcuer-y woman.’ This is the scene, and character that kept me watching. Shows about the sexual exploits of the privileged white upper class are ten a penny, Cook’s presence offered something different.
Quite early on Baddingham threatens to put Cook back on the ‘boat’ that she came from, knowing full well that she flew from New York. While Baddingham defends this choice as ‘semantics,’ the reality remains this phrase would not have left his lips if Cook was white. Not only is it a reference to her skin colour and status as an immigrant, but also to her class and wealth. Cook is clearly an outsider, in more ways than one, making the playing field she plays on less than level.
Whilst Cook wields her own power, she is always subject to the power of the white man. Although Cook and Baddingham are connected romantically, Baddingham does remind her that without him, she has no job, and with no job she has no visa. Without the visa, she has no choice but to return to America. The constant threat of being sent back to “where she came from” has xenophobic undertones. Phrases of that nature have been thrown around historically with the intent to make people of colour feel unwelcome, and grateful that Britain opened its borders to them. It is a constant put down, a constant threat, a way for those around Cook to lord it over her and exert control over her.
The relationship between Cook and Baddingham unsettled me, maybe because I did not fully understand it. Was Cook sleeping with Baddingham just to retain her job, or was she using him? Should we praise her for his, or doubt her morals? Did Baddingham bring Cook to Britain for her talent, or to bed her? I was never sure if any of it was genuine. But as a black woman in a white dominated male industry, would she have had much choice?
Being a minority in any situation comes with a degree of hyper awareness, which would only be exacerbated by comments about Cook’s modes of transport and visa. There is the added pressure of being in a minority, as you are not just representing yourself, but a whole host of others, a whole colour, a whole people who cannot be in the room to fight for themselves. Granted, it is a pressure that we may on ourselves, but it is the fault of others to not help alleviate that pressure, by ensuring that there are equal opportunities.
Cook also taps into the ‘strong black woman trope’ but is nuanced enough to not be a stereotype. Her name, Cameron Cook, exudes a masculine energy, which in Jilly Cooper’s world is synonymous with strength and virility.
However, Cook is not so career dedicated that it is all that she has in her life. She is sensual, and sexual and allows herself as much pleasure as any other man in her vicinity. Like them, she is virile, and willing to pair work and play. We see in Spain that she has a vulnerability, and we see in the office that she has an unbending strength, which is in no doubt fuelled by her minority status – she needs to be able to stand up to her peers, and remind them that that is what they are. With this trope, there is the risk that the black woman is only praised for her ability to help white characters, such as Gina Torres’ Jessica Pearson in ‘Suits,’ or Whoopi Goldberg’s psychic Oda Mae Brown in 1990 classic ‘Ghost.’ Cook stays away from this trap, as although her and Baddingham work together, towards the end of the series she acts on her own terms, joining rival Campbell-Black and O’Hara in their bid for the franchise to further her own career and status.
At the close of the series, Baddingham detects deceit on Cameron’s part, and a confrontation in their office ensues. She finally says no to him, and so he dishes out his usual threats, of sacking her which would put her visa in jeopardy. How will Cook ever break free of these men? During their confrontation, in which Baddingham strikes first, Cook bludgeons him with the television award that she collected in Spain for Corinium. Cook literally takes Baddingham down with her success, asserting a type of physical dominance that up until this point, had been asserted over her by her male peers.
Sometimes societal change has been born out of violence. Whether it’s the Holocaust, the American Civil War or the shooting of George Floyd, history tells us that big change has been sparked by the drawing of blood. Cook drew blood to topple Baddingham, and break free from his controlling nature, in the bedroom and in the workplace.
The series has explored several cover ups, most notably Daisy’s rape at the hands of Reverend Penney. Incidences like this happened and happen in the television industry and reinforce the troubling power dynamics present. We only have to look back at 2024 to reaffirm this. In this scenario, the men closed rank. In Cook’s case no one will know for sure that it was in self-defence bar the audience. As a black woman there is the risk that she will be stereotyped as overly emotional and essentially, in the wrong. It will be interesting to see if anyone comes to Cook’s aid, and their reasons for doing so. Campbell-Black and O’Hara need her for the franchise bid, but again, would their help put her in the debt of the white man again? She has just managed to break free of one. We will have to wait until series two to see whether Baddingham survives, and whether Cook does too.
Thanks for reading!
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