Arriving on HBO Max this week is new series Heated Rivalry. It’s based on the popular Game Changers series of novels by Rachel Reid.
The story introduces us to professional ice hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are opponents on the field, but behind closed doors they have a blossoming romance. The story follows them from their time as rookies to being the biggest stars in the league.
Newcomers Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie star as Hollander and Rozanov respectfully in the Canadian series.
The show has a lot to say about homosexuality is treated in the sporting realm ,but its also been praised for not holding back on the sex scenes.
The first two episodes are now available with new episodes dropping each Friday. The series has six episodes in total.
In the first episode the two have a sizzling moment when they meet in the gym, later in the showers Ilya takes things a step further with an over sexual moment. Not long after the two are getting intimate in the bedroom.
The second episode Olympians sees the pair hooking up in one of their hotel rooms and taking their sexual adventure a step further. Later another encounter sees Ilya revealing his love for sexual suspense and power games.
The television version is written and produced by Jacob Tierney who previously co-created the series Letterkenny. In an interview with Toronto Life Tierney shared that he’d discovered the books during the pandemic lockdown.
He shared how he loved the story because it gave a consensual and realistic portrayal of a same-sex romance and sexual encounters.
“This is a gay love story set in the world of hockey, so its very existence is an act of rebellion. But the show itself is happily ever after. I didn’t want to subvert too many romance tropes—I love these stories. This show is queer joy for adults.” he said.
Find Heated Rivalry on HBO Max
