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Season 1 – Heated Rivalry

Play trailer 1:29 Poster for Season 1 – Heated Rivalry Nov 2025 Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 61 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A romance set in the world of hockey; Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are two stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands.
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Heated Rivalry — Season 1

Heated Rivalry — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

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.

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Audience Says

A charged Heated Rivalry between two captivating protagonists delivers a magnetic love story that leaves us wanting more.

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Critics Reviews

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Rebecca Nicholson Financial Times 1d
3/5
...[Heated Rivalry] offers red-blooded, hot-headed fun, and never stays still for long enough to be boring. Go to Full Review Peter Travers The Travers Take 5d
3.5/4
This blushingly explicit guy-on-guy hockey love story is an erotic viral sensation that shouldn’t distract from the sweetness at its core. It isn’t all tonsil hockey; these two have actual feelings for each other. Go to Full Review Dominic Baez Seattle Times Dec 31
Speaking of performances, Storrie and Williams, each with only a few credits to their name, are revelatory here. Go to Full Review Amelia Harvey Frame Rated 21h
3.5/5
It’s cheesy, clunky, and strangely paced, yet it remains an endearing love story. In a world of never-ending "unprecedented events," a low-stakes romance about beautiful men who keep falling for each other is welcome. Go to Full Review Brooke Obie Black Girl Watching 2d
Tierney’s incisive writing; the incredible cinematography; the dynamite performances; the editing; the addictive soundtrack; and two groundbreaking Happily-Ever-After endings for queer men make this one of the best seasons of television ever. Go to Full Review Asyia Iftikhar metro.co.uk 2d
3/5
You’ll enjoy it much more for what it is, as opposed to what you want it to be. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Michael Ian C @Micampbell444 6h This show stunned me. At first i thought it was just al about sex. Then it got WAY deeper than that. As I straight man, I can connect to it on a personal level in ways that I never thought possible. The acting was spectacular. I was so invested in the characters. I dont think I ever cried as much as I ever had with a show before. If you want an emotional roller-coaster ride, this show is for you. I was even shaking watching the last episode. Still trying to figure that one out. Wow. Just wow. I hope the show, and especially episode 6 gets all the awards it deserves. See more Sergio A @Sergio83 7h It has strong cinematography and solid performances. The only drawback is that the themes can feel repetitive, but it remains visually appealing and delivers a message. See more Jonathan @JJBlade 9h There’s so much I could say about this series, but I’ll leave it to the professional critics. 5-Stars. See more Ray S @raysong 10h Absolute perfection. The synergy between the writing, acting, editing, and music is flawless. It outshines high-budget productions through pure craftsmanship and intentionality. The 'after-glow' of this show is immense; I find it resonates more deeply in the quiet moments after viewing than when I'm actually re-watching. See more Gabriela T @Gabrielasw 14h I'm obsessed, I've already watched everything, I've watched all the interviews, I NEED MORE!!!!! See more Justin T @SpookyBooky 1d Brokeback Mountain and Moonlight were more obvious artistic achievements, but Heated Rivalry is not merely a hot and fun romance. It has a lot to say. We’ll be talking about it for decades. See more Read all reviews
Heated Rivalry — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Jacob Tierney

Creator

Hudson Williams

Actor

Callan Potter

Hayden Pike

Connor Storrie

Actor

Kolton Stewart

Carter Vaughn

Sophie Nélisse

Actor

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Nov 28, 2025 Rookies Two rival hockey stars at the peak of their careers face an unexpected emotional connection, challenging their professional paths and disrupting the sports world's expectations. Details Episode 2 Aired Nov 28, 2025 Olympians Shane and Ilya keep their secret fling alive while their growing connection is tested by personal and professional pressures. Details Episode 3 Aired Dec 5, 2025 Hunter Four months before the 2014 Winter Olympics, hockey golden boy Scott Hunter stops into a smoothie shop and orders a smoothie recommended by an employee named Kip; Scott finally breaks a scoring slump. Details Episode 4 Aired Dec 12, 2025 Rose A moment of unexpected vulnerability and a high-profile romance unleash a storm of turmoil for Shane and Ilya. Details Episode 5 Aired Dec 19, 2025 I'll Believe in Anything At dinner with Rose, Shane confirms her suspicions and admits he is gay, they agree to remain friends only; at the 2017 All-Star Game, Ilya and Shane reconnect when Shane reveals his breakup with Rose, and play on the same team for the first time. Details Episode 6 Aired Dec 26, 2025 The Cottage Kip and his friends watch on TV as Scott discusses his public coming out while accepting the MVP award; Shane drives Ilya to Shane's cottage, where Ilya reveals his exclusivity and later shares the trauma of his mother's death by suicide. Details
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Heated Rivalry — Season 1

Heated Rivalry: Season 1 Trailer Heated Rivalry: Season 1 Trailer 1:29 View more videos
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Heated Rivalry — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Jacob Tierney
Creator
Jacob Tierney
Executive Producer
Justin Stockman, Brendan Brady, Jacob Tierney
Network
HBO Max
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date
Nov 28, 2025