Heated Rivalry
Created by Jacob Tierney
Two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey are bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands. What begins as a secret fling between two fresh faced rookies evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery. Over the next eight years, as they chase glory on the ice, they struggle to navigate their feelings for each other. Torn between the sport they live… From TMDB
279 reactions from 3 sources (Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Oct 30, 2026 · last updated Oct 30, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
Sentiment labels for these sources are still being hand-checked; no score yet.
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 45 | 11 | 192 |
| Mastodon * | 2 | 0 | 15 |
| Lemmy * | 4 | 0 | 10 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
41 archived X posts (Mar–Apr 2026) are kept for the record and not used.
What people are saying
A written summary appears once the title has a score.
Critics, per Wikipedia
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 94 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The website's consensus reads: "Jacob Tierney lovingly adapts Rachel Reid's hockey-set romance novels into an all-consuming, steamy, dreamy love fest of true queer intent, making Heated Rivalry a bona fide winner." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 67 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Critics praised Williams and Storrie's performances and chemistry. In The Washington Post, Rachel Kurzius wrote: "Their faces capture a complex cocktail of feelings, their chemistry is bonkers and Storrie…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 279 · most liked firstIt took my wife one season of Heated Rivalry to show an interest in hockey. Anyway, we’re going to a game this weekend.
positive · AI labelView post →Watching Heated Rivalry, and couldn't help but realize that given the time frame it's set in the show could well end with Ilya Rozanov bleeding out in a Ukrainian trench. Then I thought, how much better would it have been if Frasier had ended that way?
neutral · AI labelView post →It must be really annoying being a gay hockey player these days. "Oh, like Heated Rivalry?". No, man, I liked dick before the acclaimed HBO Max television series. My husband is an accountant.
neutral · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry is a Crave production, from Canada. HBO is just a distributor. I really wish people would stop attributing anything in the production of this show to HBO.
neutral · AI labelView post →A coworker told me she is on her 5th time rewatching Heated Rivalry. Apparently this is a show I need to check out?
neutral · AI labelView post →good morning, I have noticed that some of the critical responses to the Crave show Heated Rivalry have been, let's say, incomplete sex scenes are craft! goddammit!
neutral · AI labelView post →As networks reportedly cut back on lgbtqi+ characters in response to Trump we have this viewership for a show with a lesbian fantasy romance novelist main charracter and Heated Rivalry, adapted from a gay hockey romance series, as the number 1 show on HBO.
neutral · AI labelView post →Or, Heated Rivalry only exists because of CanCon requirements. Otherwise CTV/Bell/Crave would have just imported another American show. Just because it's successful doesn't mean that it isn't a product of the ecosystem it was created in.
neutral · AI labelView post →the Heated Rivalry fandom has done a really remarkable speedrun from a celebration of a fluffy, sexy gay show to calling cast members pedophiles & journalists "klan members" (yes, really) — v excited about @wired.com's blow-by-blow feat interviews w fans on the front lines
neutral · AI labelView post →Netflix has made a hetero hockey show? I don't think they understand what people like so much about Heated Rivalry. Two white straight people fall in love. Wow groundbreaking. Never seen that on screen before
neutral · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry (Series, 2025)
neutral · AI labelView post →"The real question here isn’t why Heated Rivalry is a hit—it’s why this kind of romance series is so rare in the first place." The great @gavia.bsky.social returns to Fansplaining with an incisive piece on Heated Rivalry, romance publishing, and the TV industry. Read or listen to an audio version:
neutral · AI labelView post →Just finished Heated Rivalry. What has happened with this show in the last few weeks is just wild and FAST. True surprise hits are so rare. Do these two guys even understand that they're stars now?
positive · AI labelView post →Spent my Christmas listening to straight guys with hockey podcasts gush over Heated Rivalry and then watching the series finale and this day truly has filled me with love and goodwill
positive · AI labelView post →Hudson Williams accepting the award for “Best Lead Performer, Drama Series” for his portrayal of Shane Hollander in 'HEATED RIVALRY' at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards. 🥺✨🩵
neutral · AI labelView post →‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Coming ‘As Soon As Humanly Possible,’ Creator Says
neutral · AI labelView post →“Heated Rivalry takes home Outstanding New TV Series at the GLAAD Awards. Thank you GLAAD!” via heatedrivalrytv
neutral · AI labelView post →Jacob Tierney, showrunner of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ notes that Season 2 of the show will be more serious, but will always center on the main characters: “Ilya and Shane are the heartbeat of this series, of my show.“
neutral · AI labelView post →TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT is the perfect time to pull some anti-Trump shenanigans, because that's when he will be distracted watching the latest episode of his favorite new show HEATED RIVALRY
neutral · AI labelView post →SCREAMING at these headlines calling Heated Rivalry a YA series.
neutral · AI labelView post →now that my move is over, I can refocus on rewatching Heated Rivalry and thinking about the show all the time
positive · AI labelView post →Carly Rae Jepsen tells THR it would be a “dream” to write a song for ‘Heated Rivalry’ after show creator Jacob Tierney expressed interest in her involvement: “It was an incredible show. Ilya is the name of my son. Maybe, not maybe because of that show.”
neutral · AI labelView post →‘Heated Rivalry’ author Rachel Reid officially announces new book in the Game Changers series titled ‘Unrivaled.’ Out Fall 2026.
neutral · AI labelView post →The award profile for Heated Rivalry is up! “For showing how we can overcome our worst fears and ‘go to the cottage,’ Heated Rivalry has earned a Peabody.” 🔗: peabodyawards.com/award-profil...
neutral · AI labelView post →‘Heated Rivalry’ won the "Outstanding New TV Series" category at the 37th GLAAD Media Awards!
neutral · AI labelView post →I told a friend today that Heated Rivalry might eclipse Kids in the Hall and SCTV as the most impactful Canadian TV show of all time
positive · AI labelView post →“There is truly no feat too big (and no show too heated) when you have an incredible cast & crew like this. The faces behind HEATED RIVALRY!” via heatedrivalrytv
neutral · AI labelView post →“And the Best Guest Performance, Drama Series is Nadine Bhabha from ‘Heated Rivalry.’ Congrats, Nadine!” via thecdnacademy
neutral · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry has been nominated for Best Drama Series at the 2026 Astra Television Awards! The winner will be announced during the ceremony in Los Angeles on August 15th. 🔗: www.goldderby.com/tv/2026/2026...
neutral · AI labelView post →Episode three of Heated Rivalry is about an entirely different set of characters?? Is this my favorite TV show of all time??
positive · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry wins outstanding new tv series at the GLAAD Media awards #Canada #HeatedRivalry
neutral · AI labelView post →I can’t wait to watch this show Heated Rivalry next week!!!!!
positive · AI labelView post →‘Heated Rivalry’ is the winner of Members’ Choice Series Ensemble Award at the 24th ACTRA Awards in Toronto! via actratoronto
neutral · AI labelView post →“The GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New TV Series goes to Heated Rivalry!” via glaad
neutral · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry... Nirvanna the band the show the movie....... this is the year of CANCON babey
neutral · AI labelView post →Hudson and Connor are nominated for ‘Best TV Performance (Drama)’ at the 2026 Dorian (GALECA) TV Awards! “Heated Rivalry” is also nominated for: Best TV Drama, Best LGBTQ TV Show, Best Written TV Show, Most Visually Striking TV Show 🔗: nextbestpicture.com/the-2026-dor...
neutral · AI labelView post →I thought SNL handled this perfectly. INCLUDING the nod to the fact that Hilary Knight not only watched Heated Rivalry, but made several videos about her reaction to the show.
neutral · AI labelView post →I wrote about Heated Rivalry for Kirkus! tl;dr: HEA guaranteed! www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-fea...
positive · AI labelView post →Of course Hollywood has responded to the singular success of Heated Rivalry with a bunch of straight hockey shows. Smh. by @ejdickson.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/story/...
neutral · AI labelView post →“Heated Rivalry” is nominated for ‘Outstanding New TV Series’ at the 2026 GLAAD Media Awards!
neutral · AI labelView post →Scott Hunter Gear 🏒 Fom the Heated Rivalry tv-series, starring François Arnaud, oh OUI ! ♥ See the Heated version > www.patreon.com/posts/scott-...
neutral · AI labelView post →‘Heated Rivalry’ has won both Best TV Drama and Best LGBTQ TV Show at the 18th Dorian TV Awards! GALECA's Dorian TV Awards highlight both mainstream and queer-focused television.
neutral · AI labelView post →who cares about the plot of Heated Rivalry when every single man on the show is so unbearably hot… RAW, next question!
positive · AI labelView post →The cast and crew of 'HEATED RIVALRY' accept the award for "Best Drama Series" at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards.
neutral · AI labelView post →New Jacob Tierney interview! “Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney takes a break from writing season 2 to tell The National’s Ian Hanomansing about the show’s phenomenal success, and why it's so much more than just a gay, smutty hockey series.” youtu.be/9I-9P7kjl8s?...
neutral · AI labelView post →“Things are heating up at the Balenciaga photo call ahead their fall 2026 show. Tonight in Paris, “Heated Rivalry” star Hudson Williams arrived in a sleek, all black look.” via harpersbazaarus
neutral · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry is also the number one show on HBO Max (U.S.) #heatedrivalry
neutral · AI labelView post →Hegseth declares blow jobs not gay if both men are fit, clean-shaven. ::: spoiler Article ___ WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified Pentagon policy on homosexuality this week, declaring that oral sex between two men is not gay provided both participants are physically fit and clean-shaven. “It’s plain and simple,” Hegseth said. “I don’t want fatties or beardos in my military, and I don’t want them involved in any other activities affecting unit cohesion.” “But,” Hegseth…
neutral · AI labelView post →The Heated Rivalry (Original Series Soundtrack) is officially out in the US! Links to different streamers below. heatedrivalry.lnk.to/soundtrackLI...
neutral · AI labelView post →Some of the 'Heated Rivalry' cast accepting the GLAAD Media Award for Best New Show
neutral · AI labelView post →Finally watched the Heated Rivalry finale, that show is magic, I hope everyone involved gets everything they want
positive · AI labelView post →Caved in and finally started watching Heated Rivalry.
neutral · AI labelView post →With the Canadian hockey romance series Heated Rivalry firing up fans here at home and around the world, some say it's proof of not only the quality of Canadian content but how much it resonates. #Canada #HeatedRivalry #Video www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
neutral · AI labelView post →“Heated Rivalry” has been nominated for the Members' Choice Series Ensemble Award at the ACTRA Awards in Toronto. The ceremony will be held on May 11, 2026, hosted by Nadine Bhabha. 🔗: actratoronto.com/news-release...
neutral · AI labelView post →Hudson and Connor have been nominated for Best Drama Actor for their work on Heated Rivalry! The show is also nominated for: ‘Drama Series’ ‘Drama Episode’ (The Cottage) ‘Ensemble of the Year’ ‘Literary Adaptation’ 🔗: www.goldderby.com/tv/2026/2026...
neutral · AI labelView post →Robbie G.K. went on the TODAY Show Australia to talk about ‘Heated Rivalry’! youtu.be/l1ammL1he_E
neutral · AI labelView post →I wrote about a show about love. Maybe you've heard of it. Me, on HEATED RIVALRY, for @newrepublic.com newrepublic.com/article/2055...
positive · AI labelView post →Heated Rivalry wins big at Canadian Screen Awards, taking top prizes for best dramatic actor and drama series - 16 awards in total. Arctic sitcom North of North wins best comedy #Canada www.cbc.ca/news/enterta...
neutral · AI labelView post →Jay Leno’s head would’ve exploded like in Scanners if Heated Rivalry existed when he was hosting the Tonight Show.
neutral · AI labelView post →Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” will see “a much more expanded universe” of the world Jacob Tierney helped create for the series’ viral first season, while still focusing on his “North Star”: Shane and Ilya’s relationship. via CBSMornings
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