diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Movie Reviews, Reviews, TV Reviews

The Alchemy of HEATED RIVALRY

The Gay Hockey Romance Everyone Is Obsessed With…and Why

Photo of Heated Rivalry characters Shane and Ilya with their foreheads pressed together on the balcony of a Las Vegas hotel after the Most Valuable Player Award ceremony. Credit: Crave/HBO Max.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Watch the six-episode series then return here.

Logline: “Two rival hockey stars at the top of their game face an unexpected challenge when they develop feelings for each other, complicating their careers and the sport’s expectations.” (IMDb)

by Kat Valdez/The Defiant Curtsy

After watching the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry in early December, I was intrigued.

But I wondered about one thing, so I Googled, “Is Heated Rivalry all about sex, or is there character development later?”

The answer was basically, yes, the main characters become acquainted through physical intimacy but they evolve and their situationship develops into a real relationship over nearly 10 years.

Satisfied, I proceeded to eagerly await each new weekly episode—six total—ending with the finale on Dec. 26. And, dear reader, my heart flutters to reveal this: I became obsessed.

Oh, my goddess. The yearning.

Heated Rivalry staircase kiss. Credit: Crave/HBO Max
@skytv “If yearning were an Olympic sport. (They’d probably share the gold medal.)”
Heated Rivalry club scene. Credit: Crave/HBO Max

The writing, acting, directing, production values, and music are impressive. The story, based on the best-selling Game Changers romance series by Rachel Reid, is scintillating but also tender and heart-warming. This show has depth.

The actors, newcomers Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, are talented and share off-the-charts chemistry as superstar athletes Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov (thus the couple nickname “Hollonov” fans picked up from the novel) who play on opposing teams—Montreal and Boston—with a legendary, century-old rivalry.

Easy to see why it captured the attention of millions of other viewers. Even Pedro Pascal!

This show has blown up the internet.

“It’s all I can think about. I can’t even sleep at night without thinking about [it].”
— Musician Brandi Carlile,
commenting on Heated Rivalry

Why? For all the reasons I mention above, plus it’s a beautiful, slow-burn romance between two equals who have worked hard all their young lives to reach the top of their profession.

Your favorite romance tropes are here: opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, etc.

But more importantly, Heated Rivalry has given millions of people around the world one thing: hope.

Hope that queer joy isn’t just a dream.

Hope that people can be kind and respectful to one another, and that men can be vulnerable without being seen as weak.

Hope for a better future.

Some fans who weren’t familiar with the six-novel Game Changers series expressed surprise at the “happily ever after” in the Episode 6 finale.

“That’s romance, baby. We never let you down,” to paraphrase one romance author.

That video clip of people cheering at a sports bar during a pivotal moment at the end of Episode 5? <Heart eyes> New York team captain Scott Hunter, a few minutes after he and his team win The Stanley Cup, invites his secret boyfriend, Kip, down to the ice for a kiss and hug that serves as his coming out on international television to the tune of “I’ll Believe in Anything” by Wolf Parade.

Total goosebumps moment.

The powerful, emotional scene is also the impetus for an important breakthrough for Shane and Ilya in the Episode 6 finale “The Cottage.”

I was soooooo disappointed to find zero—zilch!—finale watch parties in my region. I would’ve driven the 65 miles to Denver. Seriously.

It was still magical.

@frenchnbookish posted “My Heated Rivalry wallpaper empire…” featuring a screenshot of Ilya kissing the back of Shane’s neck while he grills hamburgers during Episode 6 with the “The Beautician & The Mathematician” in all caps font in the background above their heads.
One of my favorite authors, @jandy.nelson, posted “So happy we all get to end 2025 at the cottage! Happy New Year!”
@frenchnbookish posted “My Heated Rivalry wallpaper empire…” featuring a screenshot of Ilya and Shane smiling on the couch at Shane’s cottage in Episode 6 with the show’s title in the background.
@elizaisntfunny posted “Ilya: I’m willing to uproot my whole life to be closer to you and I’ll tell you that in front of your parents. Shane: wait but what are we” over a photo of the cottage sunrise scene.
@kateiyowyow posted “The framing of this last scene – not only the heart, but us (as the viewer) in the backseat because we’ve been with them through this whole journey” <crying emoji> above a photo of Shane and Ilya’s in the car smiling with Shane gripping Ilya’s jaw.

I’ve been re-living the vibes by singing these songs featured during pivotal moments of Episodes 4, 5 and 6: “I’ll Believe In Anything” by Wolf Parade, “Bad Things” by Cailin Russo, “All The Things She Said” by Harrison, and “Boys Will Be Girls” by Keir.

Not to mention listening to songs from the newly-released Heated Rivalry soundtrack by Peter Peter, including “It’s You (from Heated Rivalry).“

Photo of Instragram post by @shay.they reposted by various fans: “Q1: the horrors, Q2: the horrors, Q3: the horrors, Q4: queer joy” over a photo of Connor kissing Hudson’s cheek during a behind-the-scenes moment during filming of the All Star Game scene.
Photo of Instragram post by coocoochanel reposted by @love.books.and.coffee “Taking a break from watching Heated Rivalry by reading Heated Rivalry” over a photo of green and yellow tree leaves.
Photo of Instragram post by @skover524 reposted by @love.books.and.coffee “I honestly feel bad for Stranger Things because unless the demagorgon comes to the cottage I don’t care anymore” over a photo of green and yellow tree leaves.

Like Shane falling down a rabbit hole watching videos of unlikely animal friends, I dived into articles and social media posts about the show.

Connor Storrie’s mastery of Russian in such a short time (starting work with a dialect coach one week before filming, and daily lessons during the month and a half of shooting) has been a major topic of conversation online, and his nuanced performance of Ilya, an immigrant athlete still grieving the loss of his mother years earlier demonstrates this actor has a bright future.

The fact that Shane is neurodivergent, which is never mentioned but is apparent in everything he says and does, and that Hudson Williams—whose own father is on the autism spectrum—portrays this trait in a sensitive and authentic way is also exciting to viewers. (How does Hudson bring himself to the verge of tears, eyes shimmering, without letting them spill over? Masterclass.) Author Rachel Reid has shared that her older son has autism, which informed the character. Shane’s mother, Yuna, is of Japanese heritage, which is another important aspect of Shane’s life and family. Hudson himself is Korean Canadian on his mom’s side and Canadian-Dutch-British on his dad’s side.

Hello, representation!

I followed Hudson and Connor on Instagram when they each had about 350,000 followers—I’m claiming OG fan status—and watched the numbers quickly tick upward as they reached 1 million and more over the weeks after the series premiere. By the time Hudson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 7, his numbers had reached 1.5 million. And Connor’s followers reached 1.8 million ahead of his Jan. 12 debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers with Hudson quickly matching that.

And after their Golden Globes appearance? 2.5 million followers.

So many people have edited their Instagram profiles to allude to Episode 6, including me: “Heading to the cottage,” or “Mentally still at the cottage.”

The other day, I even changed my outgoing greeting to—nerd alert—“Hi. This is Ilya. I will never listen to your voicemail.”

Heated Rivalry actor François Arnaud said, “Women–but really, everyone — [are] really tired of emotionally unavailable men, and to see people open up in that way and characters show up in that way on TV, its a rarity.”
@_ivanthegreat._ posted a comment about the appeal of MM romance: “I think a big reason women gravitate toward MM romance is because it shows men experiencing a full emotional range we rarely see in straight romances. In MM stories, men are allowed to be soft, vulnerable, unsure, opening yearning, even submissive, without it being framed as weakness. There’s no rigid gender script, no automatic emotional imbalance. It’s intimacy rooted in mutual vulnerability, and that’s incredibly compelling.”

Another important theme and popular discussion topic: it’s OK for men to be vulnerable. One fan said it best in the post above about why women gravitate to “MM” romance.

Also: we love the smart, supportive women besties! Ilya has Svetlana. Shane has Rose. Kip has Elena. Queens, all.

@buzzfeedcanada reposted @boughs of hali “I WAS TAKING PICTURES OF MY TELEVISION LIKE IT WAS A FUCKING CONCERT #heatedrivalry”
@swoondotcom posted “yeah we took pictures of the club scene like we were at a concert.”

Heated Rivalry, which has been renewed for a second season (with the two stars contracted for a third season), is the antidote to everything that has ailed us in the U.S. and the world since before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020: racism, toxic masculinity, homophobia, transphobia, white supremacy, misogyny…you name it.

As many have mentioned, professional hockey is the only major league sport lacking any “out” queer players currently playing.

Which, of course, says a lot.

François Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter featured in Episode 4 (based on Reid’s first novel in the Game Changers series), mentioned that his agent heard from agents of professional hockey players who said their clients have experienced what Scott did: keeping their sexual identities secret for years, an exhausting but necessary survival strategy.

Earlier this month, Hudson mentioned hearing similar stories from closeted professional athletes, across many different sports, who slid into his DMs on Instagram. And then, surprise!, a former professional hockey player was inspired by Heated Rivalry to come out.

Post by @saoirdaya reposted by @hercampus “I feel so sorry for everyone not experiencing the HR mass psychosis of dec 2025 – jan 2026 like this type of TL adrenaline from a tv show happens only once every couple years.”
Post by@elizaidet “don’t think I’ve ever been this obsessed with anything. <heart emoji>The books, the show, Hollanov & HudCon…all of it!” Can’t get enough!! Reply by @eric_captrandom “Girl!! I already purchase and wore the shirt that says stupid Canadian Wolf Bird <four heart emojis>
Post by @amanda_schmidt_fit reposted by various fans: “OK so hear me out. Yes, 2025 brought us closer to the collapse of human civilization. But it also gave us Heated Rivalry.”
Various fans reposted @therobinlowe’s words “I’m 67 and gay. I lived through the AIDS epidemic and buried way too many friends. It is a hole in my generation…Watching Heated Rivalry is a tonic for me…Do not take this moment for granted. This is a triumph, a cultural phenomenon…” Comment by @bullcityanna: “Queer joy is resistence. After such a horrific year, this was such a wonderful and needed moment of joy.”

Hudson and Connor have mentioned hearing from many fans who felt seen by their portrayals, who gained strength and encouragement from seeing characters who are like them. Online comments have ranged from Gen Z fans to fans in their 50s, 60s and older who posted glowing comments.

What good is this, if it’s fiction? A lot. Storytelling helps us understand our human experience. It connects us.

And we need these joyful, aspirational stories to guide us toward a better future in which everyone has what they need to thrive: love and support from family and friends, and the safety to be totally, unapologetically yourself. No matter what your identities are.

The main characters don’t die or marry women or go away.

Queer joy is revolutionary these days. Representation, diversity, equity and inclusion are revolutionary.

They shouldn’t have to be.

But you know what? We’re up for the challenge. I believe in us.

“Well, personally? I kinda want to slay the dragon. Let’s go to work.” (NoCo residents, sign up here. Everyone else, sign up here.)

Thank you to author Rachel Reid, writer-director-showrunner Jacob Tierney, actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, and the entire Heated Rivalry cast and crew for giving the world this gift.

Perhaps this passion and momentum can propel us to a better future, if we choose to accept the most important mission of our lives:

Watch the recording of Dr. Cori Wong’s Jan. 21, 2026 “Live Weekly Update: Like We Love Heated Rivalry (or, How To Be Part of The Movement).“

@popfaction posted about author Rachel Reid’s update on her Parkinson’s diagnosis and says the show’s success is helping her fight the disease.
Target sold more than 600 copies of the Heated Rivalry novel from late November to Dec. 24, 2025 and sold out of preorders until Feb. 3, 2026.
Target has sold more than 2,000 copies of Heated Rivalry novel over the past month, as of Jan. 24, 2026

More examples of the power of Heated Rivalry:

  • Public relations led to medical care: Author Rachel Reid lives in Nova Scotia, far away from proper medical care for her Parkinson’s diagnosis that she’s been living with for years and that makes the physical act of writing challenging. After a CNN interview featuring Heated Rivalry writer-director Jacob Tierney, who mentioned Reid’s diagnosis, a Parkinson’s expert contacted Reid directly and coordinated Parkinson’s specialists to provide the care she needs.
  • Quenching the fandom’s thirst: Fans of the Game Changers novels created such buzz about the upcoming TV series that audio erotica app Quinn took note and hired Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie a few months before the premiere to record the main characters in Ember & Ice: (“Meet Finn (Williams) and Dane (Storrie), two fae princes from feuding courts, bound together by a years-long forbidden affair.”)
    • Side note: Too bad the publisher of the Game Changers series didn’t have the foresight to release a TV tie-in edition, let alone additional printings. The paperbacks sold out immediately nearly everywhere after the TV series premiered, forcing fans, including this one, to buy the ebooks. (Hint: you can save money by purchasing Gamer Changers Volumes 1 and 2, which contain three ebooks each). Now Heated Rivalry is a New York Times best-seller and the publisher is playing catch up. Oops.
  • Representation: The TV series employed two trans actors: Miss Niki Nikita (as Rose’s makeup artist) and Harrison Browne (as Ilya’s teammate). Read “Heated Rivalry star Harrison Browne unpacks coming out as trans and historic hockey career.”
  • Essays and articles abound on the topic of why Heated Rivalry is so popular. Here are a few:
Various social media posts by Entertainment Weekly: “It’s official. Everyone in Hollywood loves the ‘Heated Rivalry’ boys.” Photos of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams with celebrities at The Golden Globes.
Photo of Connor Storrie and “Sorry, Baby” writer-director-actor Eva Victor in Entertainment Weekly social media post that reads ““It’s official. Everyone in Hollywood loves the ‘Heated Rivalry’ boys.”
Entertainment Weekly social media post photos of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams greeting each other then forming a shield between their faces with their hands so they could see each other amidst the camera flashes.
@semra.says post of Connor and Hudson hugging: “are you not entertained? and we haven’t even gotten to the golden globes yet.”
Post by @cassmorann of promotional photo of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as the main characters in Quinn’s Ember & Ice audio novella: “Finn and Dane, our fae princes.”

Help! What Should I Do Until Heated Rivalry Season 2 premieres in 2027?

Suffering from Heated Rivalry withdrawals, even after re-watching the entire series or your favorite episodes multiple times? I’ve got you.

Kat Valdez forced herself to stop reading fans’ Heated Rivalry social media posts because she has, like, a job. And chores. And family and friends. And a dozen other hobbies that bring her joy. Like this website.

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More links to art, articles and essays about Heated Rivalry:

Feb. 14 Beautiful and funny Hollonov fan art by Wildflowerfanart_

Jan. 19 Esther Perel binge-watched Heated Rivalry. Here’s her take on why it’s so popular, and how it explores a “beautiful corrective experience.”

Jan. 21 Wolves of Glendale wrote a song using lines from Heated Rivalry

Jan. 4 The “boyfriend?” scene but make it Country Critters by @crazysadart on Instagram (Shane is a chipmunk and Ilya is a bunny)

Jan. 29 “Shane Hollander’s Viral Canada Fleece Can Now Be Yours, Thanks to a Made-in-Canada Brand” (GQ)

It’s Real. It’s Official. The Fleece Will Be Released. Province of Canada x Heated Rivalry

Jan. 11 “The diary of a casual, not-at-all obsessed Heated Rivalry fan” by Viktoria Shulevich (Los Angeles Times)

Jan. 3, 2026 “How Heated Rivalry changed the game for Canadian TV” by Max Gao (Los Angeles Times)

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