Hudson Williams (Shane Hollander) and Connor Storrie (Ilya Rozanov) in the series 'Heated Rivalry.' SABRINA LANTOS/HBO MAX
Fueled by enthusiastic buzz from across the Atlantic, Heated Rivalry is not just another series, but a true television phenomenon that premiered on HBO Max in France on Friday, February 6. Offering an intriguing alternative to Bridgerton, the series brings themes of gay romance into the world of ice hockey and its prestigious North American league – a setting better known for macho values than open-mindedness.
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'Heated Rivalry,' the show that's shaking up hockey culture in Canada
Like its costume drama cousin, but on a much smaller budget, Heated Rivalry draws its material from young adult literature, specifically the Game Changer series by Canadian author Rachel Reid, adapted here by Quebecois creator Jacob Tierney, who co-wrote Laurence Anyways (2012) with Xavier Dolan. Yet, since its 2025 debut in Canada on the small streaming platform Crave and in the United States on HBO, the fervor sparked by the series has far exceeded its core audience of young, socially progressive viewers. This is partly thanks to the attractive cast, but, above all, to the way the show skillfully blends the codes of romantic comedy with those of softcore erotica in its most progressive form.
