You may have heard about Heated Rivalry, the “gay hockey show” that everyone, including Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, and even Oprah, is watching. The TV series, now streaming on HBO Max, has quickly become one of the hottest topics over the holidays and caused a sense of collective psychosis amongst fans of the boy love genre. This writer included.
But even though Heated Rivalry has more than a couple of very steamy scenes – we would not recommend bingeing this with your parents – the show is about a forbidden romance between 2 sports prodigies that have been pitted against each other from the beginning. And we viewers are given a front-row seat to watch them navigate their complex, emotional bond.
If your curiosity has been piqued, even just a little, here’s a primer into the universe of Heated Rivalry, how you can watch it in Singapore, and when season 2 is coming out. Don’t worry, this article is mostly spoiler-free.
Shane Hollander (left) and Ilya Rozanov (left).
Image credit: HBO Max
Heated Rivalry is a 6-episode TV show adapted from a book series, Game Changers, written by Rachel Reid; Heated Rivalry is the name of the second book and where the TV show gets its name from.
The main characters of the show are the Canadian Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie), 2 young ice hockey players who go from rivals to lovers over a years-long romantic relationship that they have to keep hidden from the world.
Each episode is around 40-50 minutes long, with Episode 5 being the longest at 55 minutes. With all 6 episodes out already, you should be able to binge-watch the series in just a little under 5 hours.
Image credit: HBO Max
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what made Heated Rivalry blow up the way it has.
Perhaps it’s the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. Each of the 6 episodes is a masterclass in slow burns. The subtle glances at each other during press conferences, the playful flirts at each game day face-off, and, more importantly, the hesitation and denial that Shane and Ilya box themselves into, realising that they can be more than nothing but rivals. It’s a delicate dance that has us asking “will they, won’t they” every episode, and we’re just yearning for more when the credits roll.
After all, they are basically the Messi and Ronaldo of the fictional ice hockey world. Imagine if those 2 superstars were secretly lovers? That’s how high the stakes for Shane and Ilya are in the Heated Rivalry universe.
Then, there’s the on-screen chemistry. Credit where credit is due: the actors, 24-year-old Hudson and 25-year-old Connor, are selling the steamy relationship between Shane and Ilya as though their rent was overdue.
It’s not for show, either. The 2 breakout stars also connected immediately when the cameras stopped rolling, with each of them calling the other “my best friend” in every single interview I’ve watched. They also got matching tattoos that say “Sex Sells”, another show of commitment to their friendship. Most co-stars aren’t that close.
On top of all that, the show itself is also well directed and beautifully shot. Each scene has a cinematic flair that elevates the emotional plotline. Couple that with a soundtrack that oscillates between electrifying and tender, and a visual and aural spectacle is born.
But the bigger reason Heated Rivalry has gone viral is its cultural impact. The show, at its core, celebrates queer joy and connection. In a landscape where LGBTQ+ stories often end in trauma or tragedy, the arrival of Heated Rivalry and the happily-ever-after it promises is a welcome change. And viewers – in particular, women – are eating it up.
Fans have been spreading the gospel about the show everywhere. Over on TikTok, fan edits of the show have been viewed, reshared, and saved millions of times. Even brands that have nothing to do with hockey are “coming to the cottage” with all of us. The Heated Rivalry phenomenon is essentially word-of-mouth on steroids that most producers would kill to have.
During the recent Golden Globes, Hudson was the most talked-about celebrity on X with 590,000 social media mentions and over 9.4 million engagements. The kicker? Neither he nor Heated Rivalry were nominated for any awards that night.
You can watch Heated Rivalry in Singapore on HBO Max. A subscription to the streaming service costs $14.98 for the standard plan and $18.98 for the ultimate plan. Certain Starhub and Singtel plans also come with a complimentary standard subscription to HBO Max.
Existing Starhub mobile and broadband subscribers can also sign up for HBO Max from $9.
Heated Rivalry is highly NSFW, and you wouldn’t want to be caught watching the first 3 episodes of the show if you’re working from the office.
Ilya Rozanov (left) and Shane Hollander (right).
Image credit: HBO Max
The main stars of Heated Rivalry are Canadian actor Hudson Williams and the Texan-born Connor Storrie, who play Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, respectively. The 2 actors were practically unknown prior to their roles in the show, with Connor having one small – but pivotal – role in Joker: Folie à Deux back in 2024.
Starring alongside them are François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Sophie Nelisse, Christina Chung, Dylan Walsh, and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.
Heated Rivalry was originally written by Rachel Reid as the second of 7 novels in the series, Game Changers. It was then adapted by Jacob Tierney for the Canadian streamer Crave after he read the books and was immediately besotted by the stories.
The books in the series are, in chronological order:
Heated Rivalry, The Long Game, and the just-announced and yet-to-be-released seventh book, Unrivalled, all centre around Shane and Ilya’s relationship.
Image credit: HBO Max
Author of the books, Rachel Reid, has stated that the plot of Heated Rivalry was never based on a true enemies-to-lovers story. However, she did draw inspiration from the real-life rivalries between ice hockey players like the one between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. Other hockey players also served as models when she was writing Shane and Ilya.
Yes, there will be a season 2 of Heated Rivalry. Shortly after the success of the first season and before the final episode premiered, season 2 of Heated Rivalry was announced. While the exact date of its release is still up in the air and may not come till 2027, showrunner Jacob Tierney has already begun work on the next season, and he doesn’t want viewers to wait 2 years between seasons.
“I don’t want to put out a rushed shitty second season just because the show is very popular,” Jacob told Variety in an interview last month. “But we’re very aware that our creative partners are enthusiastic and don’t want to wait too long. We’re getting back to work!”
It’s expected that Heated Rivalry’s next season will focus on the storyline as written in The Long Game.
Image credit: HBO Max
For many of us who’ve watched Heated Rivalry, we came for the smut, but stayed for the heart. The show offers more than just a fleeting viral moment; it tells a compelling narrative that is resonating with a global audience hungry for stories that represent them.
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Cover image credit: HBO Max
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