Stolen art, exotic locations, shady conspiracies and even shadier people: it's an all new season of Riviera, and it's now streaming at SBS On Demand.
The plot
A year has passed since the explosive finale of Riviera 2. Georgina (Julia Stiles) has abandoned the cursed Riviera, leaving all its devastation and damage behind, and has started her life over again, like a veritable phoenix from the flames. Now making a (new) name for herself in the field of international art restitution, she has partnered up with a nonchalant charmer, Gabriel Hirsch (Rupert Graves). Georgina and Gabriel share a passion for justice, a keen sense of adventure - and a healthy dose of notoriety - as together they scour the world for stolen works of art. But all is not well beneath Georgina's confident facade: though she enjoys being back in control of her life, she is plagued by realistic nightmares. Cut to Venice, where Gabriel confiscates an apparently random artefact from a corrupt art dealer, and throws them both headlong into a dark and dangerous conspiracy. A lesser pair might look to cut their losses and stay safe – but Georgina and Gabriel just aren’t built that way. They’re both hard wired to walk towards the problem, however intimidating. Their investigations bring them back to the French Riviera, and then onto Argentina in pursuit of the truth. In a world in which power and legacy are deadly obsessions, this season of Riviera will test Georgina’s loyalty, courage and resilience to the extreme, revealing the most surprising - and the very strongest incarnation of Georgina yet.
Riviera season 3 sees Georgina (Julia Stiles) joined by a new ally, Gabriel (Rupert Graves). Source: Sky
The cast
Julia Stiles returns as Georgina Clios - now Ryland
Though her ill-fated marriage to Constantine has given Georgina a certain status in the glittering world of the one percent, she is much more than just the widow of a corrupt billionaire – she doesn’t share the sense of entitlement and privilege of her peers. She carved out her own path against the morally grey backdrop of the ‘sunny place for shady people’ and isn’t afraid to make what others would consider the wrong decision, as long as she believes that it’s for the right reason. Fiercely loyal when the chips are down, and never afraid to walk towards a problem, she makes an unwavering friend - and an equally uncompromising enemy.
Rupert Graves makes his debut this season as Gabriel Hirsch
An art investigation takes Georgina to Venice. Source: Sky
The newest addition to the cast is Rupert Graves (Sherlock, A Room With A View) as Georgina's worldly "ally", Gabriel, an expert in stolen art restitution. On one hand, his audacity and sense of justice give him the confidence to negotiate with severely shady characters; on the other, he is a reckless opportunist with an elastic moral landscape – though he knows which lines not to cross. His impetuous spirit is intoxicating – but is clearly going to get him into trouble one of these days…
RETURNING: Clare-Hope Ashitey returns as Ellen Swan
Gabriel specialises in the restitution of stolen works. Source: Sky
Cool and calculated Ellen Swann is Alex Harewood’s Chief of Staff – a position that gives Ellen a unique insight into how Alex operates. Working for an apex predator like Alex means Ellen harbours few illusions about how someone becomes so successful and wealthy, but being forced to tow the line soon becomes a test of Ellen’s own morality. Emotionally intelligent and superbly strategic, Ellen likes to be in control, but she knows which allegiances are worth their salt and how to play the game to get what she wants.
RETURNING: Poppy Delevingne as Daphne Eltham / Jack Fox as Nico Eltham
Ellen. Source: Sky
On the surface, Daphne is still the megawatt socialite that we know and love, but now that she knows about Nico’s true nature, a darkness lies beneath. She has done her best to suppress her anxieties about his crimes – though this has cost Daphne her marriage – and she is throwing herself at life with hedonistic abandon by way of distraction.
Nico, meanwhile, is riding high. With an eye-wateringly huge bank balance, thanks to his merciless assault on the Clios Bank, at last he is to the manor born and loving every minute of it. Able to bully and manipulate twin sister Daphne into the shape that best suits him, Nico’s world is all yachts and entitlement - until Georgina returns to the Riviera… will Nico’s sins finally catch up with him?
Daphne and Nico. Source: Sky
How to watch Riviera
Start season 3 here
If you're yet to get hooked on this sun drenched drama about shady people, don't despair: you can go back to the beginning as seasons 1 and 2
Start from the beginning
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