Jacob Tierney’s six-episode sports romance series “Heated Rivalry,” based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Reid, has amassed a large following with over 600 million minutes viewed worldwide. Distributed by HBO Max, the Crave original series has become a cultural phenomenon due to its LGBTQ+ representation and erotic nature.

The series follows the relationship between two professional hockey players over the course of 10 years. Shane Hollander engages in a secret relationship with archrival Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). The chemistry between the two actors makes the audience swoon as they experience the rollercoaster of emotions that stem from being closeted and falling in love despite an on-ice rivalry heightened by the media.

Their relationship begins as purely sexual and then grows into a partnership, with Ilya calling himself Shane’s boyfriend in the season’s final episode. The stellar performances of Storrie and Williams are most evident in the romantic scenes that are foundational to the characters’ development.

The actors worked closely with intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter, who purposely choreographed the sex scenes to showcase the characters’ queer identities. These scenes are essential in demonstrating the thoughts and feelings the characters are unable to convey verbally. The two strictly call each other by their last names, leading to a moment of cowardice from Shane when he ends their relationship after being called Shane, instead of Hollander, during a sex scene in episode four.

Impressively, Texas-born Storrie learned Russian for his character, mastering the diction and mannerisms of a native. His speech was so convincing that Russian background actors on set actually believed he was Russian. Storrie’s exceptional performance is showcased primarily in episode five, where he delivers a five-page-long monologue, confessing his love to Shane entirely in Russian.

On the other hand, Williams’ portrayal of Canadian native Shane is ingenious, as he subtly demonstrates the character’s personality, particularly his experiences with autism. His autism is represented through behaviors, like his need to fold his clothes immediately after undressing or his patterned dialogue. Williams’ modest performance of the character makes a huge impact on the audience and gives Shane more depth.

The series also explores the internal battle Shane faces with his sexuality. After Shane leaves Ilya, he dates actress Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse) to convince himself of his attraction to women. After they break up, he ultimately comes to terms with his sexuality, reconciles with Ilya and even shares a touching coming-out moment with his mother in the last episode.

Shane’s journey in accepting his sexuality has made a significant impact on the audience and even inspired a real hockey player, Jesse Kortuem, to come out by sharing a post on social media. He explained how his position as a center/defenseman in various leagues caused him to hide his sexuality from the public. Kortuem credits “Heated Rivalry” for giving him the strength to come out.

One of the most sensational aspects of this groundbreaking show is the wide audience it has garnered. Although it is centered around a gay couple, the show has captivated a majority female audience with central factors being the show’s erotic nature and themes of emotional vulnerability displayed between the two main characters.

The highly anticipated second season is set to release next year, where audiences can continue to follow Ilya and Shane. All in all, the success of “Heated Rivalry” has catapulted two young, talented actors into the spotlight and has paved the way for future queer media to shine.

Rating: 5/5