Hot New (Gay) Hockey Series on CRAVE: Heated Rivalry

[Becket]

I have spent hours watching the various YouTube videos people have created using either scenes from the show or "in real life" snipits from the now very busy lives of Storie and Williams. From the obsessed fan's perspective I have come to the conclusion that both leads are having the time of their lives. Also I am more and more impressed with the pure acting chops of both guys. Storie IRL is completely different in personality and behavior than Ilya Rosenov, so what he is displaying on screen is just amazing. Plus the ability to speak Russian so well in such a short time (especially the scene where he is on the phone describing to Shane his true feelings) is jaw dropping. Williams best strength is his ability to communicate a wide range of emotions and "dialogue" without saying a word. The things he tells us using only his eyes and ears are extensive, and add so much to the story and character development. 

[+ Gar1eth]

 

 

So many disappointed gay men (and straight women) right now. 
 

 

I'm surprised it hasn't been commented on already.

Edited March 17 by Gar1eth

[dutchal]

On 3/15/2026 at 3:01 AM, Becket said:

In Red White and Royal Blue no lubricant at all was indicated, and the bottom acted as if he were a seasoned veteran. 

 

He was.  It's much clearer in the book, but my memory is that in the movie he said something to Alex about "you're in good hands" or something else indicating that he was not an anal virgin.

[+ jeezopete]

1 hour ago, dutchal said:

He was.  It's much clearer in the book, but my memory is that in the movie he said something to Alex about "you're in good hands" or something else indicating that he was not an anal virgin.

Henry, a man who’s known he’s gay for his entire adult life, proposes to Alex that they “make love” that night. Alex, a man who’s only just come to terms with the fact he’s bisexual, is understandably nervous. After a crack about Henry’s word choice (“Who says ‘make love’ these days? Are we going to listen to Lana Del Ray while we do it?”), all of Alex’s usual bravado falls away. He’s suddenly soft and unsure. “It’s just…” he says, hesitating. “Who’s gonna… do what? Because I’m— I’ve never— Oh my god, I’m so not playing this cool right now.”

“I went to an English boarding school, dear,” Henry quips. “Trust me, you’re in good hands.”

[samhexum]

The best reaction by a straight only fans model with a head cold to the end of episode 5:

[+ sniper]

On 2/26/2026 at 11:38 AM, samhexum said:

Also... Unless Kip & Elena are sitting in Scott's two seats, how he could find them in the crowd? If they ARE Scott's seats, it makes sense that the team captain could secure the seat adjacent to his seats, but wouldn't dad have wondered how Kip got those seats if he didn't know?  So why is only Elena consoling Kip's tears and encouraging him down to the ice? 

The buzzy sports romance series "Heated Rivalry" is expected to return for Season 2 in Spring 2027, as revealed during Thursday's "CBS Mornings" interview with series creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady. During their Q&A with Gayle King, the EPs confirmed that Season 2 begins filming in August 2026, with King later stating an April 2027 premiere timetable for the new episodes.

A rep for the Canadian streaming service Crave confirmed to TVLine that a Spring 2027 premiere is being targeted, but did not confirm that the show would be back in April. It's also not yet known if Season 2 will arrive simultaneously on Crave and the show's Stateside home, HBO Max.

 

I mean they were broken up at that point, I wouldn't think they were Scott's seats. I thought he looked around and realized Kip was there which yes seems unrealistic. I still cried.

 

But when you think about it...."Scott's seats" would be in the middle of all his teammates' seats, so it kinda never made sense that he put Kip his secret lover there, unless he bought them. Def have to suspend your disbelief there.

[+ sniper]

I will say this show hit me a LOT harder emotionally than I expected going in.

[samhexum]

20 hours ago, sniper said:

I will say this show hit me a LOT harder emotionally than I expected going in.

I have watched (literally) at least two dozen sets of reaction videos and you'd be in the minority of people if you DIDN'T feel that way.  That's especially true for straight people.

One advantage of watching them all is occasionally seeing something I didn't before, like the fact that Kip's coworker was at the bar during Scott's speech.  Like with Kip's dad at the end of episode five I hadn't noticed her because the focus was on Elena and Kip.

I also occasionally get interesting perspectives other than my own. For example, in the first reaction video that I watched, the what chaos hockey podcast, which was posted in this thread, host DJ said we love Shane; we call him our sweet boy, but he asked such a dumb question in this episode and I had always had that same reaction.

This was in the big hotel scene in episode five, the one with the powerful performance by my former roommate's dresser in the corner, holding up the television, when Shane starts talking about them possibly being something and Ilya says I would never be able to go home again. Shane asks because of your family? DJ's reaction, and mine as well, was Shane! We went over this during the Olympics. Russia is not safe for gay people.

But one of the reaction people pointed out that Shane does not live in a country where he could be jailed for being gay and he has a great level of anxiety about his parents finding out, so when he hears I would never be able to go home again, he associates that thought with familial rejection.  And after Ilya says I don't want to find out (what would happen to him) Shane still says but would your family… So it may not have been that Shane asked such a stupid question after all, but just that given the parameters of his own existence, he was interpreting Ilya's words in a different way.

Edited March 23 by samhexum
... wanna try to guess why?