What began as a small show with a small budget on a Canadian platform called CraveTV, “Heated Rivalry” is the little show that could. From humble beginnings, “Heated Rivalry” eventually got picked up for U.S. distribution by HBO Max and soon became a hit.
The TV series, which premiered in November with little promotion or online chatter, follows two queer rival hockey players, Ilya Rosenov and Shane Hollander, who develop an over eight-year complicated relationship with one another and their sexualities. The show made waves for featuring various explicit sex scenes while also developing a profound romantic relationship. According to television executives, the show stands as a rare success story for a program that centers on gay characters.
Although the first season wrapped up on Dec. 26, 2025, fans have been glued to the show, creating social media content and keeping up with the two once unknown lead actors, Connor Storrie as Rosenov and Hudson Williams as Hollander, on their road to fame.
“I loved ‘Heated Rivalry.’ I thought it was an extremely sweet watch…I think it says a lot that it's become so popular, loved, and well-received within the context of our current sociopolitical climate,” Miriam Kimani, a junior accounting major, said.
Fans are now anxiously awaiting season two and sharing the positive message that comes with the character’s stories. The show has impacted viewers and athletes alike, showcasing a queer story that is not commonly presented in the media.
Aidan McCoy, a junior biology and philosophy major, said he thought the show positively portrayed masculinity and appreciated its appeal to a wide variety of audiences.
“I think it’s good for pop culture, and more queer representation is really awesome,” McCoy said. “Especially queer representation with dynamic characters that can appeal to a lot of people.”
Another reason fans have been loving the show is that the lead characters were plucked out of obscurity and thrust into the limelight.
Williams and Storrie have taken over the internet with their social media and television appearances, most notably on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”. Their latest appearance was in Milan, Italy, on Jan. 25 after they were chosen as torch bearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The duo’s overnight success could be attributed to their “realness,” rather than being a-listers; both were waiters before landing what turned out to be the roles of a lifetime. Kimani is one of the viewers who became enamored by the actors.
“The actors are really talented and are total heartthrobs. I’m charmed, they’ve charmed me,” Kimani said. “When you watch any kind of clip of [them], they’re so obviously fun and sweet and amusing. So I’m not exactly shocked that the internet has fallen in love with them.”
With the overall message of the show resonating with so many, the impact has been felt off and on the ice, influencing former hockey players to come out themselves in a space that doesn’t always welcome them.
“I think it's with a lot of sports, but I think it kind of just reinforces a very toxic masculine culture that doesn't allow people to express themselves,” McCoy said.
Despite its emergence into the mainstream, “Heated Rivalry” still has its critics towards its gay sex scenes. While some may be uncomfortable, for many, it’s been a refreshing portrayal of a male same-sex couple. Lindsay Dyndiuk, a junior public relations major, agrees.
“Sapphic relationships are often fetishized, so seeing it in a male form is very refreshing…It doesn’t feel like it's just a show about, like, these two men having sexual experiences,” Dyndiuk said. “I think it shows a very gradual understanding of each other.”
This unique perspective gave the show the boost it needed; the first season of the show ran just six episodes, but managed the highest average episode rating of any series this year, per IMDB.
The National Hockey League (NHL) has picked up on the show’s success, with teams hosting pride nights and ticket sales increasing. Chacey Cox, a sophomore visual and sound media and public relations major, recalled an NHL team’s pride night in response to the show.
“An NHL team had a pride night recently in the wake of ‘Heated Rivalry,’” Cox said. “So I think the show is making us have those uncomfortable conversations about making spaces that are welcoming.”
Athletes and fans alike are forced to have these uncomfortable conversations in the wake of situations like the NHL banning pride warm-up jerseys and, at one point, rainbow stick tape.
“I think kind of going back on that is a little suspicious,” Dyndiuk said. “I think it feels very inauthentic to have that ban on it and then try to be supportive. Just be honest and accept that maybe you weren’t the most supportive and move on, rather than covering it up.”
With season two on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how else sports and fans are impacted by boundaries broken by “Heated Rivalry.”
“The players are people, and they should be able to live as the people they want to be,” McCoy said. “I think it’s really awesome that ‘Heated Rivalry’ is kind of allowing these players to embrace who they are.”
Jacqueline Litowinsky is a copy editor and the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Social Media. She can be reached at jacqueline.litowinsky@student.shu.edu.
Grace Tylee is the head editor for The Setonian’s Social Media. She can be reached at grace.tylee@student.shu.edu.
