This past fall, Heated Rivalry took the world by storm when it premiered on Crave and HBO Max. Based on the second book in Rachel Reid's Game Changers series, the romantic sports drama follows the complicated romance between rival NHL players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). After meeting at the start of their careers, Shane and Ilya soon start seeing each other in secret for years, risking everything for a connection that is much stronger than either of them is ready to admit.
Heated Rivalry stands out as a romance show, both for its unapologetic portrayal of queer love and joy, and for how it spotlights real-life issues that LGBTQ+ professional athletes face. The romance between Shane and Ilya is also just very captivating and beautiful. Williams and Storrie have fantastic chemistry, and Heated Rivalry's first season spans nearly a decade, giving focus to the evolving relationship between Shane and Ilya during that time. Heated Rivalry is a breathtaking and groundbreaking series, and it's no wonder that seven months after it premiered, the series is now climbing the charts once again – this time in the Apple TV store.
Heated Rivalry exploded when it debuted with its first two episodes on Crave and HBO Max, and it only continued to gain more fans with the release of each episode. Before it was released on streaming, the series already had an existing fanbase made up of those who loved the books. Heated Rivalry has since had astronomic success, so much so that many fans of the television show have since read the books as well. Recently, Heated Rivalry has been gaining success in the Apple TV store, even though it is not streaming directly on the platform. This new boost in sales for the show proves that fans are interested in buying the series and having the digital media of Heated Rivalry available outside of streaming.
Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.
You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.
You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world's beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.
You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what's right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.
You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.
You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.
While there is certainly a possibility that some of the viewers buying Heated Rivalry will be watching the show for the first time, the most likely reason that TV fans would typically buy a season of television would be to rewatch it. Heated Rivalry is certainly an emotional and entertaining watch the first time around, but it has also proven itself to be an immensely rewatchable series. Shane and Ilya's love story is very beautiful and easy to root for, and even the painful and angsty scenes are impossible to look away from. At the heart of Heated Rivalry is a queer romance that doesn't shy away from any of the big or little moments, and that gets to be front and center in a way that queer romances so often do not.
Heated Rivalry tells an emotional and gut-wrenching story that balances complex dramatic storylines with softer and more tender romantic moments. That said, a large part of Heated Rivalry's massive success lies in the fact that audiences crave queer romances with happy endings. Shane and Ilya are both well-developed characters who have their own storylines and conflicts outside of their relationship, but their romance is the heart of the show. Their growing feelings for each other face internal obstacles like Shane and Ilya's individual insecurities and struggles with miscommunication, as well as external obstacles like homophobia in the NHL and the fact that the two play for rival teams. Heated Rivalry doesn't shy away from the issues that Shane, Ilya, or Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) have to face, but it also allows them to have real moments of joy, acceptance, and tenderness.
The new series is based on Hannah Grace’s best-selling BookTok sensation.
TV fans have proven, especially in recent years, that they will show up for romance shows. There is an especially passionate enthusiasm, though, that accompanies queer romance shows. There's already quite a bit of budding excitement for Bridgerton's upcoming fifth season, which will tell the love story of Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza) – in what will be the show's first main queer romance, and first-ever sapphic romance. Additionally, romance fans have shown enthusiasm for the upcoming Heartstopper movie, which will wrap up the beloved teen series. Heated Rivalry has become a phenomenon unlike any other romance series because of its main queer romance that takes both its characters on a complex and emotional journey towards an eventual guaranteed happy ending.
Shane and Ilya's pining, tension, and eventual joyful romantic moments together are an absolute delight to watch. The series has phenomenal performances from all of the cast members, especially Williams and Storrie, and it is written with so much nuance and care. Even seven months after the show first premiered, Heated Rivalry is the perfect comfort rewatch – and for new fans, there's no better time than now to catch up on the series before the show's much-anticipated second season.
Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max.
