Rivals is a character study in redemption arcs and unlikely pairings that indisputably work. Everything on paper notes why Rupert Campbell-Black and Agatha “Taggie” O’Hara shouldn’t get together, especially toward the end with things finally looking up for Venturer, but that’s almost precisely why they should be together. All the tension and longing is what makes Rupert and Taggie’s first kiss in Season 1, Episode 8, so wildly brilliant.
The intimacy during their first dance might never be topped, but the fervency and heartbreak in their first kiss is something I’m going to be thinking about for a while. Somehow, things are even worse today than they were when Rupert and her dad, Declan O’Hara, were at each other’s throats. Because now, their partnership is crucial to Venturer’s success, and Rupert’s ties with Cameron need to remain unchanged. There’s also the matter of Seb, and even while he’s the least threatening factor in this relationship, the web is now more tangled than ever.
In truth, Taggie understands the weight of all this when she blurts, “But he isn’t you.” She knows that she has to not only pick up the pieces after her mom left, but he has full responsibility to her dad as well. But you know she’s been mulling over it for a while now—she’s been wanting him more than she’s ever wanted anyone else. There’s also something to be said about how she’s part of such a dysfunctional family, yet it doesn’t stop her from fully believing that love is worth it.Â
At the same time, every little thing is on the line for Rupert right now, yet all he can do is lean closer and voice that he can’t breathe without her. And for a man like him to put so much into a single person says everything because it’s undeniable now that she’s the reason for all his growth. The fact that she sees every ugly part of him alongside the good and still cares is everything he needs to believe in himself. It’s why he puts the weight of his entire life in her hands, physically drawing close to her to actually breathe for a second.
The intimacy of an empty kitchen where Rupert and Taggie’s first kiss takes place also says plenty because this is the location where she’s constantly hidden. It’s the place where her parents position her and where her creative talents come to life, but where she simultaneously has no one taking care of her. She’s taking care of everyone else. So when he kisses her, it’s yet another moment for Rupert to be the one to stand beside her—to take care of her when everyone else is too busy with celebrations. She’s his reason to breathe, and in turn, he’ll do anything for her.Â
If (hopefully when) Rivals is renewed, Rupert and Taggie’s relationship is bound to get even more complicated. We’re going to be spinning in this tangled web for quite some time before anything even remotely close to a happy ending can come to pass. Still, their first kiss is proof of the flaming fact that they’re each other’s equal. The delicacy in how he holds her and pulls her as close as humanly possible? It’s unlike how he touches anyone else, and the show doesn’t shy away from showing various examples. Taggie is the only one Rupert worships—the only one he values because, to him, she’s the most precious thing. She’s hope, second chances, and happiness all wrapped in one person. She’s a reason to live and continue trying.Â
Additionally, if Rupert and Taggie’s first kiss is the only one they’ll get for a while—the only beat of complete clandestine intimacy they’ll allow themselves, then they’ll savor it. Give each other everything they have to hold them over. And they do. It’s slow and tender as every facet of their longing comes to life in their kiss. So much of their relationship could’ve been controversial, but credit where credit is due because Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean ensure that in a deeply chaotic environment, the admiration the characters have for one another is purely genuine.
There’s much to appreciate about how everything about this relationship examines the importance of taking care of people and appreciating every part of them. The healthiest relationships on this show explore the idea of loving people with every part of you, and this very kiss materializes the concept beautifully. While everyone sees Taggie as lacking something, Rupert knows she’s the most capable person in every room she enters. He knows she deserves unwavering adoration without having to change a single thing about her, and he continues to do everything in his power to become a man worthy of her affection. And their first kiss brings all of this to the surface in a scene that’s wistful, profoundly intimate, and warm.
Rivals Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+.
First Featured Image Credit: Screenshot via Disney+.
This is beautifully written and captures their chemistry and relationship perfectly. You are a poet