After making waves in 2025, Heated Rivalry is turning up the heat. The upcoming second season of the book-to-screen adaptation is coming in hot, and production has officially started. While the series won’t return on the 2026 TV schedule, the excitement is definitely building. So, unsurprisingly, when the show announced that it had begun filming, the comments section was full of unhinged reactions.

Season 2 of Heated Rivalry was announced late last year as Season 1 was airing, and fans were getting antsy for updates about The Long Game. They can now breathe easy, though, because it's Instagram offical that filming has begun. Take a look:

Plenty of people shared their thoughts about this exciting announcement in the comments, and it’s not just the fans who are enthusiastic. Series creator Jacob Tierney and Edvin Ryding, one of the newest cast members of Heated Rivalry, took to the comments section to express their excitement for the new season:

• Jacob Tierney: Wheeeeeeeeeeee
• Edvin Ryding: LETSGOOOOO

A handful of companies were also getting in on the fun, and I am right there with them:

• Panera Bread: this is about to become my entire personality (again)
• Ottawa Tourism: Ok it’s happening it’s happening!!!
• Cameo: plz take good care of me
• Explore Canada: Our bodies are ready.

While I get why Ottawa Tourism and Explore Canada commented on this update (seeing as the show takes place there), and I've been told Cameo's comment will make more sense when Season 2 comes out, the Panera comment threw me in the best way. There is just something about a brand account in the comments of a post that has nothing to do with it that makes it even more hilarious, because it shows that whoever is running the social media of said company is just one of us.

Of course, many fans were as pumped as ever, too, and there was quite a lot of Caps Lock being used to prove that:

• perksofabby: I AM ABOUT TO BECOME AN EVEN MORE ANNOYING VERSION OF MYSELF LOOKOUT WORLD
• andrewsgrotto: Am I supposed to care? 🙄… (PRETENDING I DONT CARE SO IT COMES FASTER 😍)
• julietfoxreads: IS THAT TROY IN HARRIS’ OFFICE?! SHOW US THE CAKE POP 😱😱😱😱
• nicholascaldone: suddenly, life has meaning again.
• bexlewis: HBO is scared and asking me to please watch something else because it's not yet 2027 but I'm simply too seated!

I, for one, am super stoked for Season 2 of the hit hockey romance. As someone who has never read the books, I have no idea what to expect, aside from challenges for Ilya and Shane's relationship, and that just makes me even more hyped. More info is slowly being released about the new season, including new cast members such as Ryding, who is portraying Ilya’s teammate, Luca Haas. Even though it won’t be premiering until sometime in 2027, the wait will certainly be worth it. And the fact that they're now filming has me more pumped than I already was.

The other great thing about Season 2 of Heated Rivalry starting production is that we could be getting some BTS content in the near future. It may not be a lot because obviously we don't want spoilers, but this post gives me hope that we could get to photos of Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie and co. working soon.

If anything, the post confirming production has started should be enough for the time being. And you best believe I'll be ready for more updates and unhinged reactions to them when the time comes. For now, the first season of Heated Rivalry is streaming for those with an HBO Max subscription. Season 2 will be coming in 2027.

Welcome back to Man In The Crease, your one-stop hockey shop…just kidding, I’m not about to dive into hockey politics like the fictional podcast that narrates Heated Rivalry. However, I do have big news to share regarding Season 2 of the popular gay hockey show. It was announced that Heated Rivalry has cast two new actors to be featured alongside Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in Season 2, and it turns out one of the show’s newest stars manifested his role years ago.

It’s no secret that production for Heated Rivalry Season 2 is in full swing. This upcoming book-to-screen adaptation will follow Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander’s relationship as a new couple, and it will be based on Rachel Reid’s novel The Long Game. Many fans wondered if Season 2 might also incorporate another couple from the Game Changers universe, Harris and Troy, and now we have an answer.

Per Heated Rivalry’s Instagram, actors Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie have been cast as Harris and Troy, respectively. And Gillespie seemingly manifested this role during an interview with E! News in 2020:

Gillespie, who is best known for his role as Luke in Netflix’s Julie and The Phantoms, was born and raised in Canada, so being cast in Crave's biggest show is so full circle. It also makes sense why his dream role is playing an NHL player, and he’s got the ice experience to prove it. In fact, the Suze actor played a hockey player last year in the movie Shattered Ice.

However, his upcoming role in Heated Rivalry Season 2, which should be available to stream with an HBO Max subscription sometime in spring 2027, will be a lot different from the coming-of-age drama.

Gillespie will play Troy Barrett, a closeted hockey player who gets traded to Ottawa, the same team Ilya Rozanov captains in The Long Game. Enter Harris Drover (Justice Smith), the team’s openly gay social media manager. The two get off on the wrong foot at first, but eventually break the ice, leading to a budding friendship that turns into so much more, as is written in Harris and Troy's book, Role Model. Over the course of their novel, Harris also helps Troy understand what life as an openly gay man can look like, and the community that comes with it.

The show's creator, Jacob Tierney, has assured fans that Season 2 will not only stay true to the books, but also focus on Shane and Ilya’s story. However, Role Model and The Long Game have overlapping timelines and characters, and this casting announcement is confirmation that Harris and Troy’s love story will play out alongside Hollanov’s. I’m expecting a similar setup to Season 1, Episode 3, where we got a standalone episode of Kip and Scott’s relationship that later came into play within Ilya and Shane’s story.

This casting announcement might be unexpected, but for the most part, Heated Rivalry fans in the Instagram comments seem excited about these actors. How can they not, when Jacob Tierney said Smith and Gillespie “immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters” and Gillespie himself manifested this role for himself six years ago.

I’m really hoping Heated Rivalry Season 2 does the Game Changers books justice, but this new cast is a great start, and I can’t wait to see their chemistry on screen. Spring 2027 cannot come soon enough!

As one of the many people who became obsessed with Heated Rivalry last year, you best believe I’ve been impatiently awaiting the second season of this book-to-screen adaptation. Many other fans have as well, and the intense popularity of this show has been a lot to take in. Now, as the cast and crew get back to work on Season 2, they are urging fans to remain calm and give them the space they need to film this next chapter of Shane and Ilya’s story.

Unlike when they filmed Season 1, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play Ilya and Shane, respectively, are household names and viral heartthrobs. These actors and this show are so big that even the NHL’s commissioner has commented on it all, and now, all eyes will be on them and this production. However, as filming begins in Toronto, creator Jacob Tierney and the show’s team are urging fans to give them “space.” Here’s the full statement that was posted on Instagram:

It’s no secret that Heated Rivalry fans are intense. In fact, earlier this year, Hudson Williams called out fans’ “hateful love” on social media. He also confronted autograph seekers in Paris this summer, calling them out for following him and then trying to light the headshots they were holding on fire (via E! News).

Most recently, Williams and Storrie were spotted on the streets of Toronto, with images posted by Deux Moi of them walking around going viral on social media.

The fact of the matter is, while many fans are respectful and polite, when a show like this gets as big as it is, toxic fandom and extreme attention are hard to avoid. So, Heated Rivalry is taking precautions as it enters production, in the hopes that they can glide through this next chapter without any major incidents or leaks.

Speaking of this next chapter, Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will follow the events of Rachel Reid’s book, The Long Game. Tierney has said he’ll stay faithful to that story, and considering Season 1 is incredibly close to its source material, I don’t doubt him for a second. That means we should get to meet some new characters (and couples) as Shane and Ilya work through the next step in their relationship. And trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

However, while we’ll all be paying close attention when the show comes out (hopefully in 2027), for now, maybe steer clear of it. Keep The Long Game in mind, and let them cook in Canada. That way, when it's time, we'll all get to enjoy another magical season of this show so many of us fell in love with last year. In the meantime, you can rewatch Season 1 of Heated Rivalry with an HBO Max subscription.

One big reason I haven't even considered cancelling my Audible subscription anytime recently is because, in addition to the credit I get each month with my membership, Audible is constantly offering great deals on audiobooks to purchase -- sometimes you can buy a great title for just a few bucks. It's not at all helpful for my ever-growing TBR, but in terms of having no shortage of books lined up to listen to at any given time, I really can't complain.

Because today is Prime Day, in addition to there being some great streaming deals going on at Amazon, Audible has a giant list of audiobooks for sale. Some have already had at least one book-to-screen adaptation, while others would make great movies or TV shows.

Not An Audible Member?

If you're not already an Audible member, there's a deal for that too! Before we get to the books, what you need to know is that, the discounted audiobooks are for Audible members with an Amazon Prime membership.

Not A Prime Member But Still Want To Sign Up For Audible?

If you are not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up for Audible for $.99/month for the first three months right now, and also get the $20 credit, but that credit will go much further if you want to spend it on the deals I'm about to talk about, as the deals below are for Audible subscribers who are also Prime members!

Prime Day Audible Audiobooks On Sale

• I went through the list of books Amazon has on sale for Prime Day.
• I read and listen to a lot of books.
• I've read or listened to some of these. 
• I am also including some books I have not read or listened to, but either plan to or have heard good things about. 

In recent months, there has never been more interest in ice hockey, and it’s not because of Team USA’s double win at the Paris Olympics or the Stanley Cup finals. After HBO Max and Crave released the mega-popular Heated Rivalry last year, Prime Video premiered Off Campus on the 2026 TV schedule. Now it seems like Netflix is getting in on its own book-to-screen adaptation with a steamy show about ice athletes, and Heated Rivalry better watch out.

According to Variety, the streaming giant has greenlit a series adaptation of the Hannah Grace novel Icebreaker, Netflix’s executive Jinny Howe revealed. The book, which is the first of three novels in the Maple Hills series, has gone viral on BookTok due to its very NSFW nature. Since being published in 2022 with a wide release in 2023, Icebreaker has sold close to 5 million copies worldwide and spent 70 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, so it was only a matter of time before it was adapted. The logline for the show reads:

News of Icebreaker’s adaptation comes on the heels of not one but two successful ice hockey shows on other streamers. Heated Rivalry, starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, premiered in November on Crave and HBO Max. Based on the Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid, the series became an instant hit, with the second season being announced just weeks after the premiere.

Prime Video, meanwhile, premiered its own ice hockey novel adaptation in May. Off Campus, based on Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus book series, was renewed for Season 2 in February because of the overwhelming anticipation. Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli led the first season, while Mika Abdalla and Stephen Kalyn will lead Season 2. Netflix apparently wants in on what the fans are craving, because you never can really have too many ice hockey shows.

Heated Rivalry definitely surpassed all expectations in terms of popularity, and while it would definitely be hard to match that same level with another ice hockey show, Icebreaker is a pretty popular book. If anything, Netflix has done some pretty successful adaptations, such as Bridgerton and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, so it’s not like this isn’t new territory.

Plus, the streamer dipped its toes into a different adaptation about ice athletes with the figure skating series Finding Her Edge earlier this year. Based on the Jennifer Iacopelli novel of the same name, the series premiered in January and was renewed for Season 2 the following month. It’s hard to tell how Icebreaker will fare, but more information on the new series should be released soon.

Amanda Lasher and Jade Bartlett will write and executive produce Icebreaker, with Bartlett writing the pilot and Lasher serving as showrunner. Alex Cooper, Matt Kaplan, and Mina Lefevre will executive produce via Unwell Productions. Make sure to sign up for a Netflix subscription soon if you haven’t already, so you can watch the show when it premieres.

In the last few years there has been a ton of conversation about the power of representation in Hollywood. That include Asian representation, and there have been some major steps forward thanks to a number of acclaimed projects like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere all at Once, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (the latter of which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But Simu Liu recently called out the "hate campaign" that can often come when an Asian actor ends up finding fame. Let's break it all down.

Liu has been open about how Shang-Chi was a big deal for representation, and his career has been thriving ever since. But the 37-year-old actor recently took to Threads to speak about a trend involving actors of color getting hate after their big break. In his words:

After referencing lies and that came his way after booking the title role of Shang-Chi, Simu Liu got honest about a pattern he's feels he sees over and over again with actors of color in Hollywood. He's not the only actor to speak out about how the internet can indeed be "insane," and it sounds like he's seeing the source of his trauma repeated for other actors.

While he didn't name names in his Threads post, many fans think that Liu is referencing the recent controversy surrounding Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams. The show was wildly popular for those with a HBO Max subscription, and catapulted Williams and Connor Storrie into megafame.

Recently though, he's been the subject of backlash thanks to a photo from his teen years that resurfaced showing him with a swastika drawn by someone on his head. This was apparently during an event in High School where other students drew on him. Sources maintain he "deeply regrets" the event, as well as the photos finding their way online.

Of course, we've seen the Internet come at a number of Asian actors. For instance, Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran faced intense racist backlash after debuting in The Last Jedi, resulting in her leaving social media and going into therapy simply for being cast. That's not counting other actors of color who have faced similar hate online after achieving career success.

Simu Liu will (finally given that sequel talk) reprise his role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Hudson Williams, we'll have to see if his career is negatively affected by this new controversy.

Each season of Criminal Minds: Evolution can obviously boasts the stellar ensemble cast that's been at the heart of the BAU's investigations for years (with some minimal turnover), but the streaming thriller is also quite dependable when it comes to recurring guest stars. Season 19 is hardly an exception, with both new additions and returning faves (like Paul F. Tompkins!) on the way, as well as a massive star on the rise in Heated Rivalry's Connor Storrie.

The book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s hockey romance novel took the world by storm when it debuted in Canada and the U.S. in November 2025, introducing viewers to Connor Storrie's Ilya Rozanov. The show became a massive hit, putting the highly fashionable Storrie on the map to the point where his presence in Criminal Minds: Evolution's new season suddenly became a huge selling point.

Which seems like a brilliant move on the parts of the Criminal Minds casting team, but that's not quite the case. When showrunner Erica Messer spoke with CinemaBlend about the impending 19th season, she told me that was all incredibly lucky timing. As she put it:

That's gotta make all involved feel great, knowing that they worked with the talented actor before right before he became a household name. Not that Connor Storrie was a complete nobody before 2025 or anything, but the difference between then and now can't be denied. And I feel like we might need to watch out for Garcia getting flirty with him, regardless of his sexual preferences.

Unfortunately, Criminal Minds: Evolution didn't also cast Hudson Williams for Season 19. But we can look forward to seeing Storrie's character in the mix for more than just a single ep. As Messer told me:

Four out of ten episodes nearly makes him a recurring star, but we still have yet to be shown what we can expect from Storrie's arrival. I think the only time he's been show in trailers was mid-scream, which is hard to parse information from. But it's probably safe to assume he'll either be a total creepshow monster, or he'll be the victim of a total creepshow monster.

Will he be sharing the screen with any of the other big guest stars? It seems likely, just based on the math alone. Erica Messer excitedly shared a longer list of the new and returning actors, saying:

Well, hey, if there are indeed certain guest stars whose names haven't yet been revealed, maybe they DID get Hudson Williams for an arc. Unfortunately, that list doesn't include past series regulars such as Shemar Moore or Matthew Gray Gubler, so it's hard to know whether we'll see any of those past faves back on the small screen.

Check out the latest trailer for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 below!

With a renewed focus on Zach Gilford's Voit in the new season that will change up his role within the BAU's outskirts, Criminal Minds: Evolution is set to kick off its nineteenth season on THursday, May 28, via Paramount+ subscription.

I don’t know about you, but ever since I watched Heated Rivalry with my HBO Max subscription, I’ve been yearning for more hockey romance. Thankfully, Prime Video is delivering just that on the 2026 TV schedule with the book-to-screen adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series. Now, as its premiere approaches, I have to tell my fellow romance girlies that you are not ready for this treat we’re about to get on May 13.

Now, don’t get too carried away with the Heated Rivalry comparison; the commonalities begin and end at hockey. However, that’s part of why this new show is so appealing. It dives into the world of college hockey and follows Briar University’s captain, Garrett Graham, as he makes a deal to fake date music student Hannah Wells. What follows is a lovely story full of steamy romance and heartwarming moments that launches us into a world that has the potential to expand with even more love stories.

So, with that said, let’s discuss why Off Campus needs to be your next obsession.

This Cast’s Chemistry (Both Romantic And Platonic) Is Off The Charts

I think the reason Off Campus works so well comes down to the cast. Elle Kennedy’s books are irresistible because of the love stories at the center of each and the found family that’s developed across the series.

So, to start with the romance, Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli play Hannah and Garrett, the couple at the center of Season 1. Their chemistry is amazing, and they balance the lighthearted banter that Hannah and Garrett are known for in the books with the deep and emotional plot points that are sprinkled through their story. Seriously, it’s impossible not to fall in love with these two and their love story.

Then, the show gets even better because of the leads’ co-stars. Like the Bridgerton books, each Off Campus novel focuses on a different couple: book one is Garrett and Hannah, book two is Logan and Grace, book three is Dean and Allie and book four is Tucker and Sabrina.

The aforementioned boys are teammates, they all live in the same house, and they're the guys who tie the books together. They’re like brothers, and the actors who play them feel like they’ve known each other forever. In the show, Cameli is joined by Stephen Kalyn as Dean, Jalen Thomas Brooks as Tucker and Antonio Cipriano as Logan. Eventually, Kalyn, Brooks and Cipriano will lead their own seasons (assuming the show gets renewed to cover all four books), but for now, they support Cameli and Bright expertly. Plus, their energy together has me totally believing that they could have played for the same college hockey team in real life.

Overall, though, what’s undeniable here is the star power and chemistry amongst this cast. They know exactly what they’re making, it feels like they love it a lot. There’s also no doubt in my mind that each guy can carry his own season of this hockey romance. In short, they didn’t just understand the assignment; they aced it.

As A Fan Of The Books, I’m Over The Moon About How Well The Show Understands The Assignment

Speaking of the assignment, Off Campus in general is an expert adaptation of its source material. The show created by Louisa Levy maintains everything I love about the books (including one very key intimate moment between Garrett and Hannah), while also updating the story in ways that are meaningful and give the show its own perspective.

It also does not lean away from how sexy the books are. In fact, it leans right in. Much like Bridgerton and Heated Rivalry, Off Campus is not scared to be spicy, and it uses the intimate moments to drive the romance forward.

So, when you mix that with a wonderful cast of characters played by actors who get exactly what they’re making, you get an awesome romance adaptation. That’s why I said you aren’t ready, girls.

As a romance girlie, I’ve been yearning for more shows like this that warrant the fandom and adoration the romance genre has in the book world. So, get ready to binge your next obsession, as Off Campus premieres for those with an Amazon Prime subscription on May 13.

If you’ve been on BookTok for a while or you are an avid romance reader, you know that hockey romance is a very, very popular subgenre. However, it’s only recently been making a big splash on TV. Now, following the success of Heated Rivalry in 2025, a new book-to-screen adaptation of a romance series involving athletes who shoot a puck around will hit the 2026 TV schedule. So, with all that in mind, I was wondering why hockey romance is “so in” right now. Thankfully, the cast of this new show, Off Campus, shared their takes.

For context, like Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), Amazon Prime’s Off Campus is based on a book series that follows hockey players as they fall in love. However, instead of them being pros, they are in college. Season 1 of this series will follow the school’s team captain, Garrett, as he makes a deal to fake date a music major named Hannah. It’s your classic love story, and its source material, which is a book series written by Elle Kennedy, is a massive hockey romance hit.

So, while explaining why fans of Heated Rivalry will love Off Campus, Antonio Cipriano, who plays one of the main hockey players, John Logan, told ET:

I think that’s true. In the case of Heated Rivalry, it was so beautiful to see Shane and Ilya fall in love and defy the expectations that are put on them and their sport. Along with that, the show challenged our understanding of masculinity, and it provided a wonderful queer romance to a mainstream audience.

The Off Campus books also tell stories of hockey players finding the loves of their lives, and with each season, we should get to follow a new athlete as he goes on an emotional and romantic journey. Adding to why people love that kind of story, Josh Heuston, who plays Justin (he's notably not a hockey player, he’s a musician), said:

Well, we certainly saw that reign true in Heated Rivalry, and Season 2 will likely continue to do that. Off Campus easily could too, and according to Belmont Cameli – he plays the show’s lead hockey player, Garrett Graham – they want to ride the wave the sexually explicit HBO project created:

Between the passion, the subverting of expectations and the intensity that comes with a hockey romance, I can totally see why it’s becoming more than a book trend. That’s a point, Ella Bright, who plays Garrett’s love interest Hannah Wells, made as she said:

I also think this is very true. It’s time for a sports romance era, and specifically, I’m very here for the hockey romance. The environment they’re set in is so fun and intense, it juxtaposes a sweet romance so well, and overall, it provides a wonderful framework for some sweet (and spicy) love stories.

Now, to see if Off Campus can maintain Heated Rivalry’s momentum and keep the hockey romance trend going, you can stream it with an Amazon Prime subscription on May 13.

When we, as TV and movie lovers, buy into a fictional portrayal of the real world, it means a lot when we can identify in some way with the characters we’re seeing on screen. That means representing people of all ages, backgrounds, body types, races, disabilities, personalities, etc. As awareness has increased about Autism Spectrum Disorder, I love that we’ve also seen it more prevalently portrayed on our screens.

In addition to reality shows like Love on the Spectrum that challenge stereotypes that autistic people may face, there are several movies and series that include characters who have autism. Because the spectrum is so broad, no singular portrayal can be accurate of the entire community, and that’s why it’s so important that so many of these characters exist. Below I’ve listed 8 characters from TV shows and movies who are on the autism spectrum.

Christian Wolff (The Accountant)

Both The Accountant (2016) and The Accountant 2 (2025) star Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff, an accountant with savant-level math skills who is also a lethal assassin. The movies show how his autism helps him to quickly and easily “assist” criminals with their finances, but also how he struggles with social interactions. The sequel digs into his upbringing and relationship with his brother, and there are some fun scenes where Christian tries line dancing and even speed-dating.

Shane Hollander (Heated Rivalry)

Heated Rivalry was a spicy smash hit for HBO Max when it came out in 2025, with Hudson Williams portraying Shane Hollander, a hockey player who engages in a relationship with rival Ilya Rozanov. While autism is never mentioned in the first season of the book-to-screen adaptation, author Rachel Reid has confirmed Shane is on the spectrum.

Hudson Williams told THR his father has autism, and he drew inspiration from him on how to play Shane. I think it’s a great portrayal because it doesn’t lean on extreme stereotypes, it’s not made to be Shane’s defining character trait, and still, fans are able to recognize and identify with his neurodivergence. Be sure to check out this authentic performance, but be warned — Heated Rivalry is one of HBO Max’s most sexually explicit shows.

Temple Grandin (Temple Grandin)

This biographical drama, Temple Grandin from 2010, stars Claire Danes as the titular character, who fought speech and sensory issues and grew up to make revolutionary changes to the cattle ranching industry. The TV movie is based on Temple Grandin’s memoirs and seeks to give people a broader understanding of Grandin and autism. It won several Primetime Emmy Awards — including Outstanding Lead Actress for Danes, who also won the Golden Globe for the role.

Sam Gardner (Atypical)

Another example of autistic characters on TV is Atypical’s Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist). The Netflix series is centered around an 18-year-old trying to navigate life as a teenager, including social situations like dating, but it also looks at his family. Through four seasons, it shows — sometimes casually and sometimes in heightened situations — how Sam’s autism affects everyone in the family and how they make accommodations to try to make things easier for him. Atypical is one we think everyone should check out.

Max Braverman (Parenthood)

Max Burkholder portrays Max Braverman, whose autism becomes a main storyline in Parenthood right from the start of what would go on to be six emotional seasons. This series gives us a good look inside the minds of Max’s parents, particularly as they learn to establish routines, navigate behavioral issues, and find Max the help he needs at school. As Max grows up, we also see how his feelings about autism change over time.

Parenthood also features another possible autistic character in Ray Romano’s Hank Rizzoli. Hank discovers that he might be on the spectrum after reading a book about autism to try to better understand Max. He finds that he relates to a lot of what is being described in the book, and autism would explain a lot of what he’s been through in his life. His character seemingly represents the people who don’t realize they’re on the spectrum until adulthood; however, Hank was never formally diagnosed at neurodiverse.

Wendy Welcott (Please Stand By)

Dakota Fanning has been praised for her performance in 2018’s Please Stand By as Wendy Welcott, an autistic woman living in a group home, where she spends her days working on a Star Trek script. After missing the mail-in deadline to submit her script for a screenwriting contest, she flees home to deliver it in person — thus proving she’s more independent than her sister thinks. Her journey is sometimes harrowing, but Fanning portrays Wendy as confident, competent, creative and complex, and it’s beautiful to see her fight for something she cares deeply about.

Shaun Murphy (The Good Doctor)

Despite displaying some stereotypical characteristics of autism — including savant syndrome — Freddie Highmore’s role as Dr. Shaun Murphy on The Good Doctor is generally considered a positive representation. While Shaun struggles with eye contact, can interpret things super literally, and exhibits sensory sensitivity, many fans of the medical drama enjoy seeing him respected in his profession as he navigates workplace dynamics and relationships.

Woo Young-woo (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a fascinating look at one way autism is portrayed in South Korean entertainment. The series (available to stream with a Netflix subscription) stars Park Eun-bin as autistic rookie attorney Woo Young-woo. It’s impossible not to be charmed by the attorney and her special interest in whales, as she navigates plenty of bias regarding her autism, as well as professional rivalries and budding romance.

These are only a handful of characters on the autism spectrum that can be found on TV and in movies. Many children’s shows have come to feature autistic characters, including Sesame Street and Carl the Collector. There are also many characters who seem to display characteristics of neurodiversity but whose diagnoses have not been confirmed, including The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper, Community’s Abed Nadir, Criminal Minds’ Spencer Reid and more.

It’s great to see so many facets of autism represented in entertainment. Hopefully, it will only continue to broaden people’s understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity.

When Heated Rivalry Season 2 drops for those with an HBO Max subscription, we’ll be introduced to a ton of new characters. From new couples to teammates, Shane and Ilya’s world will expand (while staying faithful to the books), and that means fans are starting to fancast. Well, Jack Innanen, who is my favorite actor on the FX series Adults, is a very popular fancast. And while I think he should be in the show, the fans cannot agree on who he should play.

What Jack Innanen Said About Heated Rivalry Season 2

So, considering the hype around Heated Rivalry and the fact that Adults’ Paul Baker actor, Jack Innanen, has been campaigning for a part in the hockey series, ET asked why he’s perfect for the show. In response, he said:

I mean, he could join this show easily. He’s Canadian, he played hockey, and it sounds like he’s down for the spicy scenes that come with Heated Rivalry. So, the interviewer asked if he’s heard from the show’s creator, Jacob Tierney. In response, the Big Mistakes actor said:

Then, when the reporter asked if he’s booked, he zipped his mouth shut. So, that’s all we’re getting right now, and that’s where the speculation can begin. And let's just say fans have very strong opinions about who he could play.

Fans Can’t Agree On Who Jack Innanen Should Play In Heated Rivalry

Now, if you look at the same video on TikTok and Instagram, the comment sections have very different opinions. One favors the more carefree and fun character Wyatt, while the other is rooting for Innanen to play the brooding, closeted hockey player, Troy. On TikTok, most seemed to lean Wyatt, with people writing things like:

• He is Wyatt Hayes -FakeMouthStatic
• MY WYATT HAYES -joy
• HE IS WYATT!!! I get that yall want him as Troy but c'mooooon Wyatts wit and comforting aura is so Jack -Nee Nee
• That’s my Wyatt Hayes 💯 -sarah capri
• oh, we found our Wyatt Hayes. ✨-vic

Just to let the record show, I am on team “Jack Innanen should play Wyatt Hayes.” Wyatt is like the ultimate ally in Rachel Reid’s books. In both The Long Game and Role Model, which will be the novels focused on in this chapter of the book-to-screen adaptation, he’s a major part of the couples' support systems, and he’s overall a genuinely good dude who you can’t help but love. In short, Wyatt is a delight, and so is Innanen, so I’d love to see him play this character.

However, on the flip side, some fans want to see him take on something totally different. Enter, Troy Barrett, he’s one of the romantic leads of Role Model, and he’s a teammate of Ilya and Wyatt. He'll be a vital part of Season 2, and many fans want to see Innanen in the part, with Instagram comments saying things like:

• HE IS OUR TROY BARRETT!!! -jessie_mariaa
• Oh my god, I'm freaking out, could he be our perfect Troy?😱❤️ -multiveralaau_
• Ladies and gentleman, Troy Barrett! -doragiglio
• Oh @jacob.tierney do I have a perfect Troy Barrett for you -busravebaskaseyler
• Hey, that’s Troy Barrett 🙌🏻 -alex_hey_alex

Clearly, there’s a whole camp of fans who want to see him as Troy. While I don’t personally see this vision, I respect it. I also think it’d be interesting to see him play a character that’s so unlike the roles he’s best known for, because to be blunt, Troy is anything but comic relief. He is the most serious character in the books. So, I think it’d be cool to see the actor show off his range.

In the end, I think this kind of debate is very fun, and I can’t wait to see who gets cast as Wyatt, Troy and the other characters who should be introduced in Season 2. I also hope that the list of new cast members includes Jack Innanen, because, let’s face it, no matter who he’s playing, he’d be a wonderful addition to Heated Rivalry.

Even though the 2026 TV schedule is chugging right along, one of 2025’s biggest surprise hits, Heated Rivalry, is still a major point of conversation. The hockey romance was renewed for Season 2 while Season 1 was airing, and now the wait is on to see what happens to Shane and Ilya next. The project’s creator, Jacob Tierney, gave us a tease about what’s to come, specifically addressing the challenges the couple could face. As a fan of the books, I hope he’s referring to a specific storyline from The Long Game.

What Jacob Tierney Said About The Challenges Shane And Ilya Will Face In Heated Rivalry Season 2

We know that Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will be a book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s book, The Long Game (which is the second novel she wrote about Shane and Ilya). With that in mind, it will pick up after the events of Season 1, and we’ll see the hockey players navigate a new chapter of their relationship. Speaking about that chapter and what it will look like, Jacob Tierney told Deadline:

First of all, I love that the show will continue to be joyful and celebratory. However, it will keep addressing the complexities and challenges of Shane and Ilya’s situation earnestly, too. When Season 1 ended, they were a couple; however, the world does not know that yet.

The pressure that comes with their careers and the potentially negative reactions people could have to them being a couple will still be challenges for them. Addressing the hurdles these guys will have to handle in Season 2, the show’s creator said:

As someone who has read all of Rachel Reid’s Game Changer books – including Heated Rivalry and The Long Game – this is something I adore about these stories too. So, with that in mind, there’s a storyline Reid wrote into her second novel that I hope Tierney includes in Season 2 in a big way.

I Hope One Big Challenge Ilya Overcomes In The Long Game Is A Major Storyline

Major spoilers for the book, The Long Game, are ahead!

One of my favorite storylines in The Long Game happens when Ilya decides to go to therapy. There are multiple things he’s struggling with, including keeping his relationship with Shane a secret. And as the book goes on, he really learns how to understand and deal with the challenges he’s facing.

Through his time in therapy, he’s able to consider and work through massive life changes he’s faced, like his father's passing and his moving to Canada to play for an entirely new team. He’s also able to talk about Shane, too. Along with that, he's able to unpack past trauma, like the death of his mother. And it's through these sessions that Ilya realizes he has depression.

This storyline showcases Ilya’s mental health journey in such a lovely and serious way. It helps us understand him as well as his outlook on his relationship with Shane in a complex way. I hope the show both incorporates it and handles it with great care.

I’m sure that will happen too, seeing as Jacob Tierney has said he’d stay faithful to the source material. I’m also sure that Connor Storrie can act out this part of his character’s story with so much nuance and grace.

Overall, this part of the book adds even more depth to Shane and Ilya’s relationship, and it helps us and Shane understand the Russian hockey player on a deeper level. So, I really hope that when I watch Season 2 of Heated Rivalry with my HBO Max subscription, this part of The Long Game is included.

The film industry is always changing, and during recent years a new crew member has joined the chat: intimacy coordinators. Those position is a person who is specifically there to ensure that actors feel protected and comfortable during love scenes, which is extremely vulnerable work. Many feel intimacy coordinators to be essential, and one person with experience in this position recently spoke to CinemaBlend about shows like Heated Rivalry and Bridgerton showing steamy love scenes.

There's been a ton of discourse about this position recently, with some naysayers out there doubting the importance of intimacy coordinators. I recently had the chance to speak with Laura Desiree, who is an intimacy coordinator and the creative director of the exclusive erotic theater SNCTM. I asked her thoughts about shows like Heated Rivalry and Bridgerton, which went viral thanks to their sex scenes. She told me:

Points were made. While love scenes are nothing new in Hollywood, they are getting both more steamy and more realistic in recent years. Desiree seems pleased at this new version of simulated sex onstage, which includes some of the less sexy and polished moments that often come with intimacy.

Not all intimacy coordinators are made the same, and actors have been real about some being helpful, while others made things overly complicated. I asked Laura Desiree what makes someone good at this newly created job, and she told me:

This definitely makes sense, given just how delicate actors might feel about simulating the act of sex on screen... and in front of a crew of people. For instance, Heated Rivalry's intimacy coordinator made sure actors could take breaks, whether it be to use the bathroom or because they've accidentally become aroused. After all, the body can sometimes respond in a way that stands in juxtaposition with what actors might actually be feeling. As Desiree put it, allowing actors to set boundaries is just as important as helping to choreograph love scenes.

While Heated Rivalry's sex scenes were the subject of some backlash, they're a big reason why audiences were hooked on the book to screen adaptation early in the season. Eventually Ilya and Shane's love story took center stage rather than their sexual relationship, but they still helped to make the series go viral.

Both Heated Rivalry and Bridgerton are streaming in their entirety on HBO Max and Netflix respectively. As for Laura Desiree, she continues to work at SNCTM, which has membership fees ranging from $15,000 - $125,000 and attracts an elite clientele.

Heated Rivalry is currently one of the most talked-about series on any streaming platform. It has fans who are quite passionate about its romantic storyline, to say the least. However, now two stars of the series have aimed at a particular subset of fans whom they don't feel are the sorts of fans they want.

In identical posts to Instagram, Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams and François Arnaud have called out what they call "hateful 'love'" from fans who, despite the themes of the series, they believe have been posting bigoted material. The statement reads...

The fact that both Williams and Arnaud made identical posts at the same time shows coordination and indicates this has been a topic of discussion among those that are part of Heated Rivalry. It's become enough of an issue that at least these two felt the need to say something.

Needless to say, Heated Rivalry has the most up front and public gay characters in media right now. While this fact has caused many to embrace the show, which allows gay characters to experience a traditional romance on television, others have been less than welcoming to the series for all the same reasons.

There has also been some within the gay community who have taken issue with the series. The way Heated Rivalry portrayed its sex scenes was critcized by I Love LA's Jordan Firstman. However, what ever strong feelings there were on the topic appear to have been worked out.

And there have been those people who appear to be the real target of this post, fans whose apparent passion for the series crosses a line. Some have seemingly blurred the line between fiction and reality, believing that actors on the show are, or should be, together in reality. The sexuality of various actors is being repeatedly questioned, despite that being none of the business of those doing the questioning.

A second season of Heated Rivalry is already planned, and there is a third book on the way in the romance novel series that inspired the show, so if the passionate fan base remains its a safe bet that Heated Rivalry will be with us for a while. With that being the case, the stars must make it clear how they feel about certain fans, as any inappropriate behavior now is only likely to get worse if something isn't done.

Even though SNL does a full dress rehearsal just hours before going on the air, cast members are never quite sure how things are going to land. The audience is made up of entirely new people, and they’re going to have different reactions, sometimes for the positive and sometimes for the negative. Last night’s SNL was a good reminder of that, as Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost was so amused by the response to one joke that he stopped and roasted people in the front row for it.

The joke in question was delivered by Michael Che, and it was about an airline seat cushion. The Japanese Airlines version apparently has a cheek splitter designed to go in the middle, which attracted a lot of attention on social media. The Weekend Update anchor showed a picture of it and then turned the curiosity into an unexpectedly graphic joke about Heated Rivalry.

The joke got one of the bigger laughs of the entire Weekend Update segment, but it apparently killed in particular with some people sitting in the front row. Colin Jost couldn’t get past how over the top their shocked faces were; so, he stopped the segment and called out the people sitting directly in front of him by showing them what their expressions looked like…

The best SNL cast members are always the ones who are calm and witty enough to respond in the moment to what’s going on. I’m not saying the average sketch should be a call and response with the audience, but sometimes a bit, especially on Weekend Update, can be improved by acknowledging the crowd responding in a way that feels out of the ordinary.

Sarah Sherman showed that earlier this season when she called everyone out for not giving any woos to her coat reveal. Ego Nwodim had an all-time example last season after several members of the audience swore, and she said they’re going to get fined. Back in the day, Weekend Update anchor Norm Macdonald used to say jokes a second time if he didn’t feel like people laughed enough. Che and Jost are clearly both comfortable doing that, and if you watch enough Weekend Update bits, you’re bound to see them doing some editorializing if a reaction is unexpectedly good or unexpectedly bad.

You can watch the portion of the Weekend Update segment in question below, which begins roughly at the 4:15 mark...

Not surprisingly, the rest of the SNL episode was expectedly good. Ryan Gosling hosted for the fourth time, and he jumped into some outrageous characters including a cyclops. He also broke character a few times in funny and unexpected ways, which is basically what people want to see from him at this point. It’ll be fascinating to see how long he has to wait to get his Five-Timers Club jacket. My guess is it’ll happen next season or the year after at the latest.

Like most people who watched Heated Rivalry with an HBO Max subscription and fell in love with Shane and Ilya, I was almost immediately head over heels for this hockey romance. So, without hesitation, I started reading the books this series is inspired by. Now, with Season 2 on the way, I’ve been wondering if it would remain as faithful to the source material as Season 1 did. Well, the show’s creator, director, writer and executive producer, Jacob Tierney, answered that question.

With Jacob Tierney hard at work writing Heated Rivalry Season 2 and reaffirming that they’re on track to start shooting this summer, Variety asked if the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation would be “faithful” to Rachel Reid's novels. In response, the writer/director/EP said:

I know that I was shocked when I read Heated Rivalry and realized the show almost feels like it was copied and pasted right from the book. It is, and I do not say this lightly, an incredibly faithful adaptation.

Even with the inclusion of Scott and Kip’s story from the book Game Changer, Season 1 of Heated Rivalry adapts Rachel Reid’s first two novels with minimal changes and additions. Obviously, some differences always happen. However, overall, this program follows the same plot as the books that inspired it.

So, I was hoping that’d stay true going into Season 2, and it seems like it will.

We know that Season 2 will continue to focus on Shane and Ilya, meaning it will follow the events of The Long Game. It’s also highly likely that parts of Reid’s book Role Model will be incorporated, too. Much like the role Scott and Kip (who are the focus of the book Game Changer) play in Season 1, Troy and Harris (who are the focus of Role Model) are vital to The Long Game; in fact, the two books have an overlapping timeline.

So, I am fully expecting to see scenes from both books (including the spicy ones, this is a sexually explicit HBO show we’re talking about). And it seems like that’s Tierney’s intention, too.

Therefore, we should be able to expect a plot that sees Shane and Ilya pursuing the plan they set out for themselves at the end of Heated Rivalry. That way, they can be closer while they work out how to have their relationship while facing the pressure of being hockey stars. I am hopeful that we’ll get to see Troy and Harris’s romance play out, too, seeing as it is important to our lead characters, especially Ilya.

Now, we’ll just have to stay tuned to see if this happens. Based on Season 1 and Jacob Tierney’s comment, I’m feeling confident that it will. So, get excited, folks! The Long Game is coming, and it sounds like we can count on it being faithful to its source material, just like Heated Rivalry was.

There’s nothing quite like a comment from Hudson Williams. The actor, who plays Shane Hollander in the book-to-screen adaptation of Heated Rivalry, has a wicked and cheeky sense of humor, and his interviews and comments on Connor Storrie's posts specifically prove that. Case-in-point, he left a hilariously suggestive response on the Ilya actor’s latest post about a sparkly choker he recently wore.

If you were paying attention to what aired on the 2026 TV schedule as February turned to March, you probably saw a whole lot of Connor Storrie. That’s because after hosting Saturday Night Live (you can stream it with a Peacock subscription), he got on a plane, flew to LA, put on an amazing suit and sparkly choker, and attended the Actor Awards (which are available with a Netflix subscription). Then, after all that, he took a moment to celebrate his stunning outfit, posting on Instagram:

As you can see in the images, Storrie rocked a sleek black suit with no shirt, and that helped make the jewelry the standout moment of the ensemble. He was decked in it too, as he wore a beautiful choker, watch, earrings and a ring from Tiffany and Co.

So, with all that in mind, Hudson Williams left a hilariously perfect comment about his co-star’s sparkling moment:

Well…considering the fact that I got to know these guys through their smutty hockey show that I streamed with an HBO Max subscription and know the spicy scenes that could come in Heated Rivalry Season 2, my mind went right into the gutter when I read this. And that’s probably where it’s supposed to be. The thirst levels for Williams and Storrie have been high ever since their sexually explicit HBO project premiered, and the Shane actor has proven time and time again that he loves a suggestive, cheeky and chaotic quote.

Fans of the two actors were here for Williams’ comment too, and many noted that they had similar thoughts as they took in Storrie’s outfit. Here are a few of the highlights:

• you’re so real for that -camrynciara
• this is frying me -xoxolilycox
• Get in line bro -17jul07
• you’re so real 🤭 -niniwpc_
• yeah what he said !! 👏 -camrynciara
• Huddyyy. Never change ❤️❤️❤️ -irenekagz
• best. comment. ever 🤭🤭 -crystalpoarch87

Let’s not forget, this comment came from the guy who said Heated Rivalry Season 2 would be “hotter, wetter, longer” when it got renewed. So, while this comment would probably leave his character, Shane, in shambles, it is so incredibly on-brand for Hudson Williams, the man who once told Teen Vogue during a conversation about unhinged things he's said that he is media-trained but is "not very coachable, and [does not] care."

Now, considering both Williams and Storrie are very well-dressed men, I expect more A+ looks like the one above. Which means, I also expect more hilarious comments as well. So, make sure you are checking those replies, everyone, because you never know what Hudson Williams is going to say.

Saturday Night Live resumed Season 51 on the 2026 TV schedule in January, with Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard as the host. The actor made his SNL hosting debut on January 17, and it was as entertaining as ever. Not surprisingly, there was a Stranger Things spoof that had many people talking. However, the Harry Potter sketch also went viral. Now, Daniel Radcliffe has shared his thoughts on it, and revealed that the episode's host had clued him in before it happened.

The Harry Potter sketch mirrored Heated Rivalry, with Wolfhard playing the titular wizard while Ben Marshall played Ron, as they realized their feelings for each other and tried to keep it secret. That is, until a very NSFW game of Quidditch. The sketch, which also included a surprise cameo from Jason Momoa, has been going viral. And yes, the OG Harry Potter himself has seen it. Radcliffe told Rolling Stone what he thought of it, and how Wolfhard gave him a heads up, saying:

It’s nice that Radcliffe is able to have a good sense of humor for the Harry Potter x Heated Rivalry sketch, especially since it paints Harry in a pretty interesting light. It’s unknown just how much Wolfhard told Radcliffe about the sketch, but it’s also nice that he was able to clue him in before it happened. Of course, this is not the first time the world of Harry Potter has been spoofed on SNL, and it can be assumed that this won’t be the last, but this is definitely an unforgettable take on the fantasy series.

Then there’s the fact that Radcliffe has never even seen Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), so there were certainly some things he didn’t get. However, his girlfriend has seen the show, so she probably had a ball watching the sketch. Perhaps she can talk him into watching Heated Rivalry so he can truly appreciate the sketch. The only thing that would have made it better is if Radcliffe appeared in it, but the Momoa cameo was a great alternative.

Meanwhile, even though it’s not Heated Wizardry, HBO is developing a new Harry Potter series that's expected to premiere sometime in 2027. It’s said to be a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy book series, so there will be a lot to look forward to, including moments that weren’t in the films.

With Radcliffe starring in NBC’s new sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, perhaps he’ll be making his way back to Studio 8H in the near future to give his own Harry Potter spoof. Maybe even a Stranger Things one to even the score with Wolfhard. But for now, fans will have to settle with “Heated Wizardry” from Wolfhard’s SNL episode, which is streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Few shows have taken the world by storm in the way that Heated Rivalry (which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription) has. The series, which is based on author Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, has kept people talking since its November arrival, to the point where many who watched are even spending the early days of the 2026 TV schedule still thinking about the show’s horny nature, all those NSFW scenes, and the romantic yet smutty LGBTQ+ stories.

If you’re included in that number, then I’ve got great news for you, because it was confirmed in December that the Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie-starring series was renewed and Heated Rivalry Season 2 is on the way! Even better, we do already know some things about the upcoming season, so let’s get into the details!

What Is The Heated Rivalry Season 2 Premiere Date

Right now, while we don’t know specifically when Heated Rivalry Season 2 will debut, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the hoped-for release window is some time in Spring 2027. The show had runaway and basically immediate success upon its debut in the US, Canada (where this book-to-screen adaptation originated), and across the world, and was largely popular not just with fans but also critics. The show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, had previously noted that we’re in for more than a year-long wait. When speaking about the renewal to Entertainment Weekly, he said:

The romantic drama hit streaming on November 28, 2025, so if Tierney and the projected release window are correct, we'll hopefully see an early spring 2027 debut for the second season. Tierney (who will continue to direct all the episodes, as he did in Season 1, but will have a co-writer to help with Season 2, as opposed to writing everything by himself) added that he was going to begin writing the new episodes as soon as possible. Hopefully, this timeline holds and we’ll be talking about all the goodness in Season 2 by the end of March 2027!

The Heated Rivalry Season 2 Cast

Heated Rivalry’s second season will once again star Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who play Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, respectively. The actors have seen their profiles skyrocket over the past few months, with Williams noting how fans’ obsession with the stars quickly became “a little overwhelming.”

Viewers have even gone so far as to speculate about their real sexual orientation and get upset over rumors that Storrie is dating François Arnaud (who portrays Scott Hunter on the series) IRL. Meanwhile, Storrie and Williams have been getting other opportunities, like carrying the Olympic torch for the 2026 games, so it’s great to know that they’ll continue their roles. As far as whether or not other actors who appeared will return, we don’t know yet, but my bet is that most who are asked to return will find a way to do so.

Heated Rivalry Will Continue To Follow Shane And Ilya's Romance

As you can probably guess after learning that Williams and Storrie will continue to star as Shane and Ilya, the good news is that their story isn’t over yet, as Heated Rivalry Season 2 will continue to follow the newly minted, full-on couple.

The first season, of course, followed the rival professional hockey players across about eight years and three countries after meeting right before their rookie season in the league and then quickly developed an enemies-to-lovers situationship that involved lots of, um, adult hotel room fun. The duo gradually fell in love through their hookups and texts, but all while keeping their status as non-enemies and members of the LGBTQ+ community a fierce secret from their fans, families, and friends on their respective teams.

Tierney is lucky that he has a roadmap to continue their love story, as Rachel Reid has already written a sequel to Shane and Ilya’s story, The Long Game, and the new season will focus on the events of that book. In it, the duo (who’ve been revealed to and welcomed by Shane’s parents, as seen in the Season 1 finale) has been official for a couple of years, but now have to work out whether or not going public with their romance is worth the potential risk to their careers. Storrie already has high hopes for the season, and told EW:

I cannot wait!

New Characters From The Game Changers Book Series Could Appear

Remember how I mentioned actor François Arnaud’s Scott Hunter, another pro hockey star who begins a romance with smoothie shop worker Kip, above? Well, we might not know if either of those characters (or bartender Kyle) will be involved with the upcoming season, but we do know that the show’s creator owns the rights to all of Reid’s books, and he intends to make sure that new characters from the novels appear. Tierney told the LA Times when talking about Season 2 that audiences could “absolutely” expect “diversions” to other popular characters in the books, adding:

That’s not complete confirmation that Troy (who’s the focus of Book 5, Role Model) will be featured in Season 2, but at least it seems likely that some other fan favorites will show up!

Season 2 Will Likely Have Six Episodes

Tierney also opened up about the number of episodes he hopes to have in each season going forward. While fans are greedy and want everything they can get, and the popularity of the series would probably make it pretty easy for Heated Rivalry to get more than the six episodes it got in Season 1 going forward, Tierney is adamant that the count should stay the same. As he noted in the same interview where he talked about other book characters:

Brendan Brady, Tierney’s producing partner, added that they want to leave folks “yearning,” and that doesn’t sound like such a bad thing when thinking about how well it worked for Shane and Ilya! Now, all we have to do is wait for the finished product.

For the next two weeks, the Milan Cortina Olympics in Italy are going to dominate the 2026 TV schedule. Before the opening ceremonies kick off, which you can watch with a Peacock subscription, it’s a good time to look at how far the Olympic torch traveled and what stars took part in the traditional relay. It includes everyone’s favorite Olympic commentator, Snoop Dogg, and legendary action star Jackie Chan.

The Olympic torch relay has become a huge tradition over the past 100 years or so, since the first relay before the 1928 games in Amsterdam. I vividly remember getting to see the torch go by in St. Louis, MO, when I was a kid, as it headed for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. It will likely be doing a similar trek across the U.S. in two years when L.A. will host The Games again, but first, it took a long route around Italy.

By The Numbers

The sheer number of miles traveled is pretty staggering. As is tradition, the relay began in Greece. The torch was lit on November 24th at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece. From there, the relay began at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympics. It then passed through the hands of 450 torchbearers, covering 1,400 miles (2,200 km) across most of the country. It arrived in Athens on December 4th, and the handoff at the Panathenaic Stadium for the Italian leg was begun.

The torch arrived in Rome, its first stop in the host country, later on December 4th. By the time it reaches San Siro Stadium in Milan for the opening ceremonies, 10,001 runners will have carried it over 7,400 miles. That includes traveling through all 20 regions of Italy and 110 provinces. It will have made 60 stops over 63 days in that time. One of those stops was in Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 26th, just in time to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Winter Olympics there. You might know that town from the Roger Moore-era Bond film, For Your Eyes Only.

The Stars Came Out To Carry The Torch

As is tradition, the vast majority of the runners are former Olympic athletes and well-known athletes from other sports, usually most famous in the host country. As such, a huge number of Greek and Italian sports stars carried the torch on its journey. That includes some well-known European soccer players, like Robert Pires, Fabio Cannavaro, and Cesc Fàbregas. Italian Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli also got in on the action.

U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, carried the torch in that country, along with American billionaire and owner of the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soon-Shiong. The U.S. Ambassador to Italy, who owns the Houston Rockets in the NBA, Tilman Fertitta, ran a leg in Italy, and it’s in Italy where things got really fun.

Snoop Dogg, who might have started as a Gangsta rapper, has reinvented himself as America’s sweetheart (and coach on The Voice), ran part of the relay through the streets of Milan. Jackie Chan picked up the torch for a jaunt through the ruins of Pompeii.

Appropriately, the stars of a show about ice hockey, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, from Heated Rivalry, one of the hottest shows available with an HBO Max subscription, each took a turn in the town of Feltre. Italian actress Alessandra Mastronardi, who American audiences know from Master of None, available with a Netflix subscription, and the Nicolas Cage flick The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, got a chance to carry the torch as well.

All that’s left now is who will get the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremonies, which in the past has included sports luminaries like Mohammed Ali and Wayne Gretzky.

Before Hudson Williams became a global superstar for playing Shane Hollander in the smash hit Heated Riavalry, he was making short films with his friends. Now, those friends are opening up about the actor, his rise to fame, and his willingness to commit to his craft. And they’re doing it through stories that involve sucking fingers, reactions to watching his incredibly popular and “horny” HBO show, and pickleball.

For a long time, Williams was waiting tables in Vancouver and making short films with his friends from Langara College. Now, one of those pals, Zack Fonzovs, has spoken to USA Today about his friendship with the Heated Rivalry star, and he specifically recalled them working on a short film together. Explaining that he had asked the actor to “bite off” someone’s “finger” for the scene they were working on, Fonzovs said:

I’d imagine that an ask like that would not garner an immediate “yes” from everyone. However, it’s obvious here that Hudson Williams was down to do it for his friend and their film. It shows his commitment to the craft and his willingness to do what needs to be done for a scene.

Both those things are on full display in Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), too. The smutty queer hockey show does not shy away from sex in the slightest, and as we move into Season 2 of the book-to-screen adaptation, that spicy precedent will more than likely be held. One of the reasons why the show works so well is that Williams and his co-lead, Connor Storrie, act out every moment they’re in, including the sexy ones, with pure passion and commitment.

To the young actor’s friends, his commitment to his role in Heated Rivalry came as no surprise. When they saw him in those intimate scenes in the sexually explicit HBO project, it didn’t take them aback, because he’s always fearlessly committed to the project he’s working on. In the words of his friend Mark Masterton:

Hudson Williams’ friends made it clear that he’s not afraid to take off his clothes or do something wild for a film. So, seeing him thrive in a show like Heated Rivalry makes a lot of sense.

Now, as the actor navigates intense fame, his pals are cheering him on. However, they’re also trying to help him maintain a sense of normalcy, as Masterton said:

That’s a good friend right there! The story also notes that Williams’ pals watched the first few episodes with him when they came out. Now, I can’t wait to see how they continue to support him as we move into Season 2 of Heated Rivalry.

The show was quickly renewed amid its rise in popularity, and now fans are eagerly waiting for Shane and Ilya’s next story. Meanwhile, Hudson Williams’ star is continuing to rise, and his friends are continuing to both support him and make fun and wild projects together.

A bunch of steamy book to screen adaptation have been released lately, including Red White & Royal Blue (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription) and the megahit series Heated Rivalry (streaming with a HBO Max subscription). Both of these projects told queer love stories, that also featured some viral sex scenes between its stars. Actor Taylor Zakhar Perez will soon reprise his role as Alex Claremont-Diaz in Red, White & Royal Wedding, and spoke to why these titles are so wildly popular.

Red, White & Royal Blue is one of the sexiest movies streaming on Amazon, and helped to make household names out of its stars. During a recent interview with GQ, Perez spoke about his burgeoning franchise's popularity, and it's connection to Heated Rivalry. As he put it:

Points were made. While Heated Rivalry's first sex scene gripped audiences, the show's story is largely about tension and the way two closeted hockey players found love. The same can be said for Red, White & Royal Blue, which has viral love scenes but was mostly about star-crossed lovers finding each other as public figures. And in that way, both of where projects told a universal story that audiences could relate to... regardless of their background or sexuality.

By comparison, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine had way less sex scenes that the cast of Heated Rivalry, which is a sexually explicit HBO project that features a ton of them throughout Season 1. Still, they did some vulnerable work, and their love scenes helped to move the overall story forward. And Red, White & Royal Blue was so popular that it's getting a sequel on Amazon.

What we know about Red, White & Royal Wedding is limited, but the movie will bring back its protagonists who are guests at the titular event. Fans are expecting more steamy scenes, as well as an update about how Alex and Prince Henry's relationship has moved forward since the first movie.

It's currently unclear when Red, White & Royal Wedding will be released, but fans are hoping the sequel will end up as part of the 2026 movie release list. And while Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, it's similarly unclear when that'll be released.

While the show Heated Rivalry focuses primarily on Shane and Ilya, the novels the book-to-screen adaptation is based on follow a Bridgerton-esque style, where almost every entry in the series focuses on a new couple. So, it stands to reason that some of these characters will come into play in Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, as Scott and Kip from Game Changer did in Season 1. However, they weren't the only leads from Rachel Reid's work to appear in those first six episodes; another one popped up in a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments, too. Now, after hearing that actor open up about his small role, I'm thinking about how big it could become.

Alright, here’s the background you need to know: In Scott and Kip’s book Game Changer – spoilers for that book are ahead – a bartender named Kyle Swift is introduced. He is a friend of Kip’s, and he has a massive unrequited crush on the smoothiemaker. Obviously, nothing comes of it; Kip and Scott share that historic kiss on the rink, and they essentially live happily ever after. Meanwhile, Kyle and Kip stay friends.

That’s not where Kyle’s story ends, though. In Rachel Reid’s book, Common Goal, we get to see his own romance unfold as he winds up in a relationship with Eric Bennett, an older goaltender for the same team Scott plays for.

Now, in the show Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), Kyle and Kip’s relationship is not a part of the story. However, Kyle is there, and he’s played by Matthew Finlan, who you can see in the photo below:

Not only that, but the actor who plays him told EW that the show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, gave him a whole rundown of Kyle and Kip’s history. Recalling how that played into filming one of his scenes, Finlan said:

So, while it’s never directly addressed on-screen, that history is there. And overall, Kyle being in Season 1 is a huge Easter egg that could be a way bigger deal later.

Much like how the book Game Changer was used as the source material for Episode 3 of Heated Rivalry, as it shifted focus away from Shane and Ilya and toward Scott and Kip, I could totally see another bottle episode in Season 2. And, who knows, maybe it will be about Kyle and Eric.

However, personally, I’d put my money on the book Role Model getting that treatment before Common Goal. That’s because Role Model has a deep and direct overlap with Shane and Ilya’s second book, The Long Game, which we know will be the focus of Season 2. However, I do think it’s perfectly possible that we’ll get to see Kyle and Eric’s story on screen at some point -- especially since the bartender has already been cast and spotted by fans.

All this is to say, keep an eye out for Kyle and the Kingfisher bar. Since they’ve cast him and confirmed that Matthew Finlan is, in fact, the Kyle Swift from Common Goal, the door is wide open for him to play a much larger role in Heated Rivalry.

Great art takes time and patience, and I’m more than willing to give Heated Rivalry all of that as we wait for Season 2. However, I would not be opposed to a little bonus episode to hold us over while we wait for the next part of this book-to-screen adaptation. It seems like that might be a possibility, too. So, as we wait for updates about the future of this series, let's talk about two ideas I have based on the books for this bonus episode.

What’s Been Said About A Bonus Episode Of Heated Rivalry

As the 2026 TV schedule carries on, many of us, myself included, are still at the cottage. The Heated Rivalry fever is very much still going on, and following the Season 2 renewal of the hockey romance, fans are fervent for more. More is on the way too, and we might get an episode sooner than expected as Justin Stockman, the vice president of content development and programming at Bell Media (which produces the show), told The Toronto Star:

Now, notably, this is not confirmed. Stockman simply said conversations about one have “come up.” As of right now, no decisions have been made. However, my hopes are certainly up, and as someone who has watched Heated Rivalry more than once with my HBO Max subscription and read all six books, I have a couple of ideas for this potential bonus episode.

Two Moments From The Books I’d Love To See Turned Into Bonus Episodes

Alright, before we get into this, here’s your warning: spoilers for the books Heated Rivalry and The Long Game are ahead!

If this bonus episode of the sexually explicit HBO and Crave show came to fruition, I think there are two logical roads they could take. One has to do with a bonus chapter in Heated Rivalry that would be a lovely standalone episode. The other would kickstart Season 2 in a very productive way. So, let’s break it down.

The Bonus Chapter From Heated Rivalry: At the end of Shane and Ilya’s first book, there’s a bonus chapter called “My Dinner with Hayden.” In it, the boys host a dinner party for Shane’s teammate Hayden and his wife, Jackie. Hayden has recently learned that Shane and Ilya are a couple, and the dinner is awkward as they discuss the guys’ relationship and why they kept it a secret for so long.

Overall, it serves as a nice bridge between Heated Rivalry and The Long Game as Shane and Ilya settle into their lives as a couple while also grappling with the issue that their relationship is (for the most part) still a secret. Plus, it helps us get to know Hayden, who will be very important moving forward. Oh, and features everything you want in a Heated Rivalry story: Ilya’s sass, cute moments between the couple, and a spicy scene that would be great in the show.

The Camp In The Long Game: While I think the dinner is the better way to go, I also think the first few chapters of The Long Game (which will be the focus of Season 2) would make for a good bonus episode.

The majority of this sequel book takes place during the hockey season. However, the novel actually begins a few months earlier, during one of the camps Shane and Ilya set up through their new foundation. So, I think it’d make sense to turn this section of the book, which also features characters from Reid’s other novels, like Ryan Price, into a little prologue of sorts. That way, we can still get the camp (which is a lovely way to ease into this story), and then the season can focus fully on what happens during the hockey season and beyond.

So, Jacob Tierney, if you're reading and seriously considering this bonus episode, I have a few ideas. But if not, that’s OK too, because there’s no doubt in my mind that whatever we see on our screen next from the Heated Rivalry team will be excellent.

Few television shows have captured the public’s attention as quickly and intently as Heated Rivalry has. The book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series (which hit HBO Max in November to great critical and audience reviews) didn’t take long to become one of the most talked about shows on TV, to the point that many would probably already add it to the list of the best LGBTQ+ shows, and a lot of that has been due to the very NSFW nature of the romance at the center of the story.

The series is proudly “horny,” and fans are all for it! However, while we’ve heard lots about how stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie filmed their “cock sock”-filled sex scenes, and how “weird” it’s been for the actors’ moms to watch the show, there is one aspect of those horizontal hulas that I don’t think people are talking about enough.

Obviously, Heated Rivalry Is 100% Hot

Look, over the decades there have been dozens of HBO shows that have gotten people talking and led to the stars having to deal with relatively sudden “overwhelming” fame, and some of them absolutely gained that distinction because of their unabashed smuttiness. Heated Rivalry has done that with a focus on LGBTQ+ representation, as its six episodes see pro hockey rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov bang their way across two countries while slowly falling in love over several years.

Do we get lots of sex scenes in lots of different positions? Yes. Do we see some man butts? Also, yes! And we also see quite a bit of sweetly romantic moments and very realistic arguments and tense times between the two closeted athletes and their (mostly) unaware friends, which only adds to the massively successful story. Along with all the nudity, moaning, longing, and sweaty flesh pressed against other sweaty flesh, though, we also get something people don’t really seem to be talking about: humor.

The Sex Scenes In Heated Rivalry Are Hot But Also Funny

I’ve watched a good amount of what’s known as “prestige TV,” i.e. shows on premium cable or streaming services, and seen a lot of sex scenes because of it. But, something that tends to be a rarity within those hot ‘n’ heavy times is a sense of humor, which is exactly what Heated Rivalry adds.

Of course sex can be a very serious thing in real life, so it makes sense that a lot of shows (and movies) dole out very intense and serious sex scenes. When partners really get comfortable with each other, though, as Shane and Ilya do, sexy proceedings aren’t all going to play out with a seriousness that could imply someone’s very life is on the line should they end a sweat session unsatisfied.

I think one of the best parts of the show (and the show’s sex scenes) involve Ilya (who is essentially a full-time shit-talker) teasing Shane. This happens during their first hotel rendezvous, when he laughs gently at Shane’s need to neatly fold his clothes while stripping for him. Afterward, and as the years pass in their secret relationship, we see Ilya do everything from tease Shane about his dildo to make fun of the number of pillows on his bed and even the number of condoms he presents for their first full-on sexytime, and because we can see that Shane is OK with the teasing (and maybe even enjoys it) I loved it!

So, while I completely understand that we’re all aboard the gleeful smut train that is Heated Rivalry, let’s not forget that part of why these two are so hot together is that they can, ahem…poke fun at each other and themselves, even when gettin’ down wit the get down. I can’t wait for Season 2!

Based on its popularity, anyone who has watched Heated Rivalry has probably raved about it to someone else. The smutty, gay hockey show topped HBO’s streaming charts within a week of its release, and its influence has spread like wildfire. Leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie became instant stars, but they aren’t the only ones. Real-life hockey players in the NHL have seen an increased attendance at their games since the Crave original aired. Now, Heated Rivalry has gotten so big that even the NHL’s head honcho is sharing his thoughts on the hockey romance.

In an interview with The Hockey News, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated the professional hockey league is well aware of Heated Rivalry, and how could they not be? NHL ticket sales have been spiking in the months since the show’s premiere, with a notable increase from this time last year. Seat Geek (via CBS News) attributes this new influx of fans directly to the Heated Rivalry’s success. Bettman voiced his thoughts as to why he thinks the show has made such an impact:

Some of the spicier content in the show has been debated (and later settled) on its accuracy, but I think the show did a great job at mimicking the ins and outs of a professional hockey league. Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid is a lifelong NHL fan, per the short bio on her Game Changers books, and based her setting off the legit league. Showrunner Jacob Tierney’s adaptation of that environment did not disappoint. These comments from Bettman seem to be an official stamp of approval on that front.

While I’m sure the commissioner’s initial interest in the series was from a hockey standpoint, it would seem he enjoyed the romance storyline as well, admitting he binged all six episodes in one night.

It’s more than a one-night watch for many, though, since fans can’t get enough. Crave Canada reported that the average episode was rewatched by a third of its viewers, with the highly-celebrated Episode 5 being the most rewatched, via an HBO subscription.

What happens when the fans crave even more? It seems they turn to the real thing, and NHL teams have been taking it in stride. The Bell Centre, home of the Montreal Canadiens, played the Heated Rivalry trailer at their Pride Night, according to Sports Illustrated. TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, just announced a special game time concessions meal, inspired by Episode 4, complete with Shane Hollander’s choice beverage, a Canada Dry ginger ale:

The NHL is not the only sports organization to capitalize on the Heated Rivalry craze. The series transcended international borders when stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie carried the Olympic torches through the streets of Italy for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games. I’d bet money that the potential Canada/U.S.A face-off could be the most watched Olympic event this year (depending on how far each team advances in the tournament).

Seriously, I can’t wait until the recently-confirmed Season 2 drops, hopefully sometime on the 2026 TV schedule.

I realize that I'm a little bit late to the Heated Rivalry party, but I did show up. After all of the buzz surrounding the new series (Season 1 is available to watch streaming with an HBO Max subscription), combined with CinemaBlend's Riley Utley raving about hockey romance drama, I had to check it out. And yes, I powered through all six episodes faster than... a really fast hockey player chases a puck.* While it didn't surprise me that the show was great, what did was the big swing the series took with Episode 3, and the fact that it actually worked. And that's about as spoiler-free as I can get. From this point forward, major Heated Rivalry Season 1 spoilers ahead!

*I'm going to try to not make too many bad hockey jokes, references and puns (like how sp-icy this show is), but I might not be able to help myself.

Ok, to be clear, unlike some of the other new book-to-screen adaptations out there, I haven't read any of Rachel Reid's Game Changers novels yet, so the characters in this TV series are brand new to me, as are their stories. I'm familiar enough with how a lot of romance book series work these days though -- the main couple can change from one book to the next -- and I think Bridgerton is a good example of a modern show that has managed to shift its focus from one couple to the next each season, while also providing updates about or glimpses of past couples to check in with them. What Heated Rivalry did with Episode 3 was something different. And I think it was a big risk, but it really worked. You might say it was a "game changer" (not sorry).

As you presumably know, the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry focus entirely on Ilya and Shane's developing romance, as months and even years go by, while their not-so-rivalrous rivalry turns into something more. And then Episode 3 ("Hunter") happens, and completely abandons the central couple for one whole episode, instead focusing on Scott and Kip.

Now, I'm aware that the hockey-playing Scott and smoothie-making Kip are the main couple of Book 1 of the Game Changers series, and that we did meet Scott in a previous episode. But for the show to swerve so completely for an entire episode, barely giving us so much as a glimpse of the main couple, and focusing entirely on a new love story... well, that's a bold move. If I had disliked these two, man, I'd be frustrated, to say the least. Here I am, fully invested in Shane and Ilya, and now I have to get to know two totally different characters and not see the other ones? It's as if someone took the book I was reading out of my hands partway through, handed me a different book, and said, "Read this for a bit," then gave me my original book back. Fortunately, here, the thing they asked me to read was just as great as what I was reading.

I honestly think this could have been an awful experience. The reason it wasn't is that I immediately loved Scott and Kip and absolutely adored getting to see their smoothie-focused flirtmance turn into a full-blown romance. And then my heart broke for them when they ended things. Sure, I was happy to see Ilya and Shane back at the center of the story in Episode 4, but I was also waiting for an update on Scott and Kip.

Guys, when I tell you, as much as I was waiting to see if they'd get back together, nothing could have prepared me for Scott calling Kip down to the ice after winning the not-Stanley Cup and kissing him as his way of rekindling their romance, and also coming out to anyone and everyone watching. It was such a surprising and amazing return to their story, and having spent that earlier episode getting invested in their romance made this followup scene hit even harder.

I'm not saying every show should try a stunt like this. But I do love how this one played out. Actor François Arnaud also made some interesting points when talking about the differences between Shane and Ilya's episodes and Scott and Kip's story. I definitely think that factors into why it works. If Heated Rivalry has stuff like this up its sleeve in the future, I hope it works as well as it did in Season 1.

I also wouldn't complain if other romance-focused series took note of how well this worked. Pulling our attention away from the main characters is undoubtedly a gamble, but done right, it can allow the central story to simmer for a bit while we get to meet and fall in love with other characters for an episode. And then get an amazing payoff later in the season when those characters return for a huge moment.

Shortly after its premiere, Heated Rivalry joined the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking, largely thanks to the book to screen adaptation's steamy love scenes. Those with a HBO Max subscription can watch the first season in its entirety, and the show continues to make headlines thanks to its wild popularity. Amid rumors of him dating co-star Connor Storrie, actor François Arnaud responded to some backlash that's been circulating online from fans of the show.

Heated Rivalry was already renewed for Season 2, and folks can't wait to see the show's two fictional couples when it returns. But Scott Hunter actor François Arnaud has been facing some backlash thanks to rumors that he's dating his co-star; apparently fans of the show want to see Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams together IRL. While speaking with The Star, Arnaud got honest about that recent trend online, sharing:

This backlash started when he and Storrie were photographed at JFK airport together. Neither actor has confirmed that they're actually dating, but clearly François Arnaud has heard the chatter online. This isn't the first time that he's addressed the discourse surrounding Heated Rivalry; he fired back when actor Jordan Firstman criticized the movie's sex scenes.

The cast of Heated Rivalry was catapulted into megafame a result of the show's success, which has no doubt been challenging. That includes speculation about the actors' sexualities, as well as their personal relationships with each other. Arnaud previously came out as bisexual himself, which has seemingly added fuel to the rumors about him and Connor Storrie. Later in the same interview, the Yellowjackets actor explained his feelings about the chatter and backlash, offering:

Points were made. Heated Rivalry shows how difficult it can be to come out as queer, specifically as a public figure with outside voices weighing in. One would think that fans of the series would a bit more kind and gentle to the cast, regardless of whether or not there's any truth to the rumors about François Arnaud and Connor Storrie dating.

The internet has been full of memes, thirst traps, and discussion about Heated Rivalry for weeks now, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. While this is a good sign for the show's future, it also means that the cast is under a microscope for the forseable future.

It's currently unclear when Heated Rivalry will return for Season 2, but there are plenty of folks hoping that it starts production soon and ends up on the 2026 TV schedule. I can't wait for more episodes, but I definitely feel for the cast and the double-edged sword that comes with fame.

Saturday Night Live’s first episode back from the Christmas break was filled with quite a few fun little surprises. More specifically, it was overflowing with cameos. Some of them, like host Finn Wolfhard’s longtime Stranger Things cast members Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin, were delightful but not altogether shocking. Others like Sabrina Carpenter and Jason Momoa, however, felt like they came from the Upside Down.

Momoa’s appearance in particular was a doubletake situation. He randomly appeared in a fake trailer for a Harry Potter and Heated Rivalry crossover called Heated Wizardry. Thankfully, SNL gave him the perfect character to play: Hagrid. Momoa’s obviously no stranger to facial hair, and he’s got that Hagrid-like size and rugged masculinity to pull the role off. Given the subject matter, however, he takes the groundskeeper in a much sassier, “old queen” direction. You can watch the sketch that is quickly going viral in full below…

I’m always here for a good sex pun, and I’m especially here for ones taking a shot at Neville Longbottom, who is my least favorite character in the entire Harry Potter Universe. I’m also here for any and all unexpected Jason Momoa cameos. He is an absolute delight, and I love how he always jumps into the deep end and just goes with any subject matter he’s given. He’s like a host version of Kenan Thompson, who coincidentally is also fantastic here as Mad-Eye Moody.

Harry Potter is, of course, not exactly new subject matter for Saturday Night Live. The show has gone to Hogwarts and its surrounding world numerous times in the past and even once dressed up the recently departed Bowen Yang in an elf costume that would not stay on. Perhaps the most famous example of the show getting its wizard on is Lindsay Lohan’s famous Hermione’s Growth Spurt sketch, which is one of the most watched sketches in the show’s history.

One of SNL’s strongest attributes has always been the willingness of celebrities to appear on the show. Obviously showrunner Lorne Michaels has been able to pull A-list guest hosts throughout its run, but there are also thousands of examples of random celebrities stopping by to cameo as a celebrity or just to appear in a random sketch. It adds a fun, unpredictable element to the show, as you never know who might show up.

Sabrina Carpenter was the other completely out of left field example this week. She reprised her role in the recurring favorite Snack Homiez, much to the delight of her fans who got to see her play the same teenage boy role when she hosted earlier this season. She’ll definitely be back again at some point in the future.

I'm sure Momoa will be back again too. He's hosted the show twice and made a handful of additional cameos. He's clearly a favorite of the writing staff and the fanbase. Fingers crossed next time he comes back, we'll get him as some more unexpected pop culture characters.

For years now, there's been discussion about the power of representation in the media, particularly LGBTQ+ stories. And in the past month we've been treated to some moving stories, specifically the steamy queer series Heated Rivalry (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription), as well as Will Byers finally sharing his queerness in the penultimate episode of Stranger Things. I watched both of these shows' coming out scenes in the same week, and I couldn't help but think about all the young LGTBQ+ folks who might be streaming at the same time.

While Heated Rivalry's sex scenes helped it go viral, the last few episodes told an emotional story about Shane and Ilya coming to terms with their true feelings for each other. Will's sexuality was something hinted at since Stranger Things Season 1 (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription), so his coming out scene was a long time coming. While they were very different sequences and shows, they were both heartwarming, emotional, and a powerful example of representation.

Stranger Things And Heated Rivalry Had Two Different (But Powerful) Coming Out Scenes

While Stranger Things is an action-packed sci-fi story, Heated Rivalry is a book-to-screen adaptation focusing on closeted hockey players with (presumably) a fraction of the budget. Funny enough, their stories about characters coming out of the closet aired at around the same time, showing two distinct but moving takes on how terrifying it can be for queer folks to tell their loved ones about their hidden sexuality.

In Heated Rivalry's finale "The Cottage," Shane's father stumbles upon he and Ilya kissing, forcing him to come out to his parents. What resulted was a beautifully moving scene, where Shane's mother weeps and apologizes for making him feel like he couldn't tell them about his queerness. It's a scene that illustrates a parent's love, and how even LGBTQ+ folks who have loving families can still struggle to come out of the closet thanks to the fear of being rejected.

Throughout Stranger Things' run on Netflix, Will was heavily hinted at being gay, starting from its very first season on the air. But it took until Season 5, and some encouraging words from Maya Hawke's Robin, before he could finally come out to his family and friends.

What resulted was not only him being accepted by both Joyce and The Party, but his strong sense of self manifested in him being able to use his own abilities to fight Vecna. Noah Schnapp offered a beautiful performance in the coming out scene, and seeing the rest of the cast one by one put their support behind him was tear-inducing. The group hug at the end was the cherry on top, and serves as an example of how many LGBTQ+ folks wish their own coming out story would go down.

I'm in my 30s and have been an out gay man since 17, but that didn't make me any less emotional watching these sequences in Heated Rivalry and Stranger Things. I remember the fear of coming out, and the tears that came as I slowly told my friends and family, although most of all these episodes made me think of queer youth who might be watching these two wildly popular streaming shows.

I came out of the closet before we got much positive LGBTQ+ representation; this was before shows like Glee helped to pop that bubble. I can only imagine how powerful it would have been to see these positive coming out scenes on the screen as a young person, and I only hope that queer youth are given comfort and hope when seeing the way both Will and Shane were embraced.

Heated Rivalry Season 1 is streaming on HBO Max, Stranger Things is streaming in its entirety on Netflix, along with a documentary about the final season that just premiered as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Luckily, Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, so hopefully the wait between seasons isn't too long.

Heated Rivalry, the new smutty gay hockey show available to stream with an HBO Max subscription, has exploded in popularity since it premiered in November. The response from fans has been overwhelming, and some of the episodes' ratings on IMDb confirm it is near perfect. However, one timeline detail has been nagging me, and I’m glad this Heated Rivalry actor finally cleared it up.

Season 1 of Heated Rivalry is a book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s romance novel of the same name. Those familiar with the larger Game Changers series know that Heated Rivalry is book 2, and book 1 tells Scott and Kip’s story, Game Changer. If you’ve finished Heated Rivalry already, you know events of Scott and Kip’s relationship happen during Hollanov’s eight-year timeline. They play a direct role in Shane and Ilya’s story, which is why Episode 3 catches us up on Scott and Kip’s origins as a couple.

However, when it came time to overlap the timelines in post production, Scott’s actor, François Arnaud, told Sirius XM’s Smith Sisters the producers hit a snag:

I guess I’ll believe in anything because the first time I watched the end of Episode 5, I didn’t even notice a timeline mishap. I was too busy jumping up and down in my living room. At that point in the series, there had been so many time jumps, I figured I must have missed something while watching it. I love that Connor Storrie (Ilya) and Seth Meyers poked fun at it on Late Night, because Heated Rivalry truly flies through the years at a wild pace:

Let’s be real, nothing compares to Hollanov’s eight-year-long situationship, but in the context of the show, three years between Kip and Scott breaking up and reuniting on the ice is CRAZY. I had so many questions: Had neither Scott nor Kip moved on? Had they been in contact at all during those years? Did Scott invite Kip to the game out of the blue?

Plus, in the book, Game Changer, Scott and Kip resolve their problems much faster and are back together by the time that final game happens and they kiss on the ice.

While I’m glad this timeline gap was cleared up, these questions still remain unanswered. Unfortunately, filming had already wrapped when they noticed this problem. To keep continuity, the Canadian Sniper actor says the producers had to edit his MLH speech in the last episode to fit the new timeline:

Ah, the magic of post. The editors did a good job, though I couldn’t even tell there was a line missing in the final cut of the speech.

I do understand why they decided to leave in the altered timeline, though. Six months would have made way more sense for Scott and Kip’s relationship timeline, but not for Shane and Ilya’s. At the end of the day, Heated Rivalry is Hollanov’s story, sometimes at the expense of Scott and Kip’s.

However, I would like to see more of the Admiral's captain and his smoothie king in the already confirmed Season 2, and I’m glad author Rachel Reid feels the same. Scott and Kip, in the words of Ilya Rozanov, “Stay. I’m not done with you yet.”

SPOILERS for Heated Rivalry (the show and the novel), as well as the books, The Long Game and Role Model, are ahead! Read with caution!

Heated Rivalry is a faithful book-to-screen adaptation of its source material, and yes, that includes the sex scenes. Throughout Season 1 of the hit series that’s available with an HBO Max subscription, a lot of the intimate and explicit scenes from Rachel Reid’s novels are featured. Now, with Season 2 on the way, I’m thinking about her other books and the spicy moments that we need to see in the upcoming episodes of this hockey romance.

For a quick overview, we know Season 2 will cover the events of Shane and Ilya’s second book, The Long Game. However, like how Season 1 featured Scott and Kip’s story from the book Game Changer, I think it’s perfectly possible for some of Rachel Reid’s other novels to come into play. Specifically, I think Tory and Harris’ book, Role Model, will be featured, since its timeline has direct overlap and a shared setting with Hollanov’s sequel. So, with that in mind, let’s get down to business.

The Long Game

The Long Game picks up after the events of Heated Rivalry, and it shows us how Shane and Ilya handle their lives and their relationship, which is still a secret. It's established early that Ilya was traded to Ottawa to be closer to Shane, and they started their charity together. So, their plan (which is mentioned in the critically acclaimed first season of Heated Rivalry) is working; however, as the book progresses, they have to grapple with the notion that they can’t live like this forever. Obviously, a lot of spicy moments happen amid all that, too, so let's talk about a few of them.

What Happens Between Shane And Ilya After Fabian’s Concert

Toward the beginning of The Long Game, Shane and Ilya are putting on their hockey camp, and a retired player named Ryan is helping them. Ryan and his boyfriend Fabian, who is a musician, are the focus of the book, Tough Guy. And during their appearance in Shane and Ilya’s story, the three hockey players go to one of Fabian’s concerts.

Let’s just say, the sexual tension between Shane and Ilya is off the charts during the concert that’s described as “sexy and mesmerizing” in the book. However, they can’t really act on it, because they haven’t revealed their relationship to the public.

Then, things get hot and heavy when they get home. Actually, even when they’re driving home, Shane thought about how he was “so horny he felt drunk.” Overall, the whole section is intense and charged because they’ve spent the night wanting to act on feelings they’ve been repressing. So, they let it all out. Truly, it’s a hot scene; however, it also illustrates the desire these two have to be an out couple and the struggle of keeping their love private for so many years.

Shane Drives To Ottawa To See Ilya On Halloween

This scene comes in the aftermath of a costume party Ilya has with his teammates in Ottawa. Overall, Ilya, who was dressed like a gladiator, wasn’t having the best time, and he was missing Shane painfully. However, Shane surprised him by showing up unannounced and ready to pounce on Ilya. What follows is passionate and aggressive sex, and by the end of it, Ilya is feeling very emotional.

Now, it is so unlike Shane to do something so spontaneous, and it’s unlike Ilya to get that emotional, and that’s why this scene is important to the story. It illustrates the struggle these guys are facing and the lengths they're willing to go to take care of each other.

The First Time Shane And Ilya Are Together After The Near-Plane Crash

This whole scene has to be in the show, because so much happens. First, this is the first time Shane and Ilya see each other in person after Ilya and the Ottawa Centaurs had a near-death experience on a plane.

Second, this is when Shane proposes to Ilya. He fills Ilya’s house with electric candles, pops the question, and tells his love that he’ll always choose him.

As you can probably assume, they have sex after that. Let me tell you, we'd better get to hear Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams say the lines “Yours” and “Mine” respectively when their characters consummate their new engagement.

The Trophy Room

So, this scene comes in the aftermath of the world learning about Shane and Ilya’s relationship and before they met with the league’s commissioner, Roger Crowell.

After some very hard interactions with people in their lives following the unfortunate event that led to their romance being revealed, the two finally get to see each other in person. Immediately, they start to have sex, and Ilya guides them to Shane’s trophy room.

When Shane asks why they’re about to do it there, his partner responds that it’s because they need to remember who they are and how much they’ve done for their sport. Ilya also makes it very clear that he views his partner as a “king,” which is only emphasized by the setting and the passion of this spicy scene.

Role Model

In Role Model, we follow recently traded hockey player Troy Barrett as he joins the Ottawa Centaurs (which is the team Ilya plays for in The Long Game), and meets, befriends and eventually falls in love with the team’s social media manager, Harris Drover. Relative to Shane and Ilya, this relationship is more of a slow burn (at least where spice is concerned). However, when they finally get together, sparks fly.

Troy And Harris' Intimate Moment After The Near-Plane Crash

Speaking of when they finally get together, Troy and Harris share their first kiss and intimate moment in Florida after the near-plane crash the team experiences. For chapters upon chapters before this, these two had been yearning for each other. Then, finally, motivated by Ilya encouraging Troy to act on his crush on Harris and the fact that life is short, the hockey player and the social media manager acted on said feelings, kissed and had a spicy time together.

This also served as the inciting incident that made them examine their feelings on a deeper level, and it was ultimately the moment that turned these friends into lovers.

The Scene Where Troy Realizes He Loves Harris

As things get really serious between Harris and Troy, the social media manager takes the hockey player home to meet his family. It’s a truly wholesome event, and they welcome Troy with open arms. It’s reassuring, and right after it, Troy realizes he wants to publicly come out.

All that culminates with them spending the night together at Harris’s place, and the banter in this scene, mixed with the intimate moments, shows just how comfortable these two are together. It’s warm and lovely, and ultimately, I really need to hear Troy sweetly (and secretly) tell Harris’ stuffed animal (yes, you read that right) that he’s “in love with” him.

Like Season 1 of this sexually explicit HBO Max project, I’m sure Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will be horny, that’s a given. However, when it comes to the sex scenes they include, I hope they use the ones above (and others). That’s because not only are they hot, they also move these romances forward and help us understand where the relationships in this show are at.

As the 2026 Golden Globe winners were announced, there was a lot of chatter about Jennifer Lopez’s sheer look, Jennifer Lawrence’s floral gown and more marvelous fashion moments from the women in attendance at the ceremony. However, the men brought their A-game to the red carpet as well, and I think we should give some of them, including Glen Powell and Michael B. Jordan, their flowers.

Glen Powell Looked Classy In Navy Blue

Alright, let’s start with Glen Powell. He was at the Golden Globes to celebrate Chad Powers. Wearing an incredible navy blue velvet suit by Brunello Cucinelli, the actor and his stylist, Warren Alfie Baker, paired the suit with a matching bow tie and cumberbund. Take a look:

According to Baker’s Instagram, Powell is also wearing an Omega watch. However, it’s the sunglasses that make the look for me.

All around, this fit was perfect, and the blue was classy. I also loved the different textures featured in this suit that was all navy blue (which also happens to be one of the colors for the football team Powell’s character plays for in Chad Powers).

It was classic, while also being so much more than the typical men's suits we see. Plus, it celebrated Chad Powers (which you can stream with a Hulu subscription) in such a cool way.

Michael B. Jordan Rocked A Classic Suit With Chic Glasses

At first glance, Michael B. Jordan’s suit looked like a sleek classic double-breasted outfit. However, I love how unique it is with its deep brown color that was paired with a lovely shining brooch, an off-white shirt, and a black tie. Plus, like Powell, he rocked some killer sunglasses too, take a look:

To get into the details, the Sinners star’s suit was custom Prada, per GQ. According to the actor’s stylist, Jason Bolden, this look was inspired by the movie Jordan was nominated for and his characters, Smoke and Stack. Meanwhile, those cool sunglasses were actually found by Jordan at a family-owned boutique in Japan, and his jewelry was David Yurman.

So, overall, the actor and his stylist created a 5-star look that fits right in with the 5-star reviews Sinners got.

I’d Also Like To Shout Out Colman Domingo, The Heated Rivalry Boys, Snoop Dogg And Duke McCloud

Now, obviously, the two aforementioned stars were not the only guys dressed to the nines at the ceremony. So, let’s go over a few other highlights.

Colman Domingo: If you have been paying attention to red carpets for the last few years, you know Colman Domingo kills any carpet he steps onto. He is truly a fashion icon, and he proved that again with this custom black Valentino suit.

The Sing Sing star actually told Vanity Fair this was one of his more “laid-back” looks, which is true. However, that impeccably tailored suit and the stunning silver Boucheron jewels sprinkled up the right side of the blazer are undeniably gorgeous.

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams: On the heels of Heated Rivalry’s Season 2 renewal and pop culture domination, its stars appeared on the red carpet of the Globes, ready to stun. According to Vogue, Hudson Williams, who plays Shane, wore a Giorgio Armani peak-lapel dinner jacket, a silk shirt, black pants and a beautiful gold Bulgari necklace. His co-lead, Connor Storrie, went for a classic black suit and tie by Saint Laurent, and the Ilya actor paired it with some rockstar sunglasses and a Tiffany and Co. brooch. They really dressed to impress as they continue to make a fantastic first impression on Hollywood.

Snoop Dogg: The pop of red in Snoop Dogg’s suit is perfect, and that mixed with the double-breasted cut and the otherwise all-black look is so sleek. Along with that, according to WWD, his shoes are by Stacy Adams and only cost about $100. Overall, it was a fun play on the classic black look, and it was perfect for the beloved rapper.

Duke McCloud: Last, but certainly not least, is Duke McCloud. The 6-year-old star of All Her Fault rocked a light teal suit and paired it with an exquisite emerald brooch. While chatting with ET, the young actor said he picked this particular fit, because “it was blue, and he could putted this jewelry on.” It also came with a pocket square. Those are all great reasons to pick this stand-out look!

All around, the guys came to play at the Golden Globes, and it was so fun to see. Now, as the awards season continues on the 2026 TV schedule, I’m looking forward to seeing how these men and other attendees continue to rock the carpets.

The 2026 TV schedule has started, and I’m still at the cottage. Yep, it’s been weeks since Season 1 of Heated Rivalry ended, and while the hockey romance has been renewed for Season 2, I need more now. So, I read all the books Rachel Reid wrote for this series, and now I’m looking for a new hockey romance to dive into. Well, I think I found the perfect one.

Heated Rivalry Sent Me Down Quite The Hockey Romance Rabbit Hole

It’s not surprising that I was one of millions who tuned in to watch this smutty gay hockey show, and I fell head over heels in love. What was surprising was that I fell so in love, I started reading the books Heated Rivalry is based on immediately.

For those who might not know, the show Heated Rivalry is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, which is made up of six books (and a seventh is on the way). Heated Rivalry is the second book in that series, the first book about Shane and Ilya, and the focus of the show. Meanwhile, the first book in the series, Game Changer, which follows Scott and Kip, is also featured in Season 1 (which you can stream in full with an HBO Max subscription).

So, I swiftly read both of those books, and I also quickly read the other four in this series – Tough Guy, Common Goal, Role Model, and Shane and Ilya’s sequel, The Long Game. Now, there is a seventh book on the way; however, it doesn’t come out until September, so I have to wait. And I need a hockey romance to fill the void Shane, Ilya, their sexually explicit HBO Max project and the rest of the boys of these books have created. Thankfully, that void was taken care of very quickly.

Now, I’m Diving Into Off Campus, And I Can’t Wait For The Show

Literally, the day I finished reading the Game Changers series, I did some research into the book-to-screen adaptation of the Off Campus series. Now, because I read a lot of romance, I knew about Elle Kennedy’s novels, and I was aware that a series was being made for people with an Amazon Prime subscription. However, I never dove into it until now.

Now felt like the right time for a few reasons. Firstly, I’m reeling (in the best way) from Heated Rivalry, and I needed more spicy hockey romance.

Like Reid’s series, the Off Campus books each focus on a different couple that involves a hockey player, and there’s a lot of overlap between stories. Similar to Bridgerton, the four main guys, Garrett (Belmont Cameli), Logan (Antonio Cipriano), Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks) and Dean (Stephen Kalyn), are like a family; however, instead of being related, they’re housemates who play for the same college hockey team. So, I learned all that, and I said, “Sign me up.”

Then, what spiked the series to the top of my list and made me immediately pick up the books is the fact that the show is coming.

Season 1 will follow the events of the first book, The Deal, which tells the story of Hannah (Ella Bright), a music student, and Garrett, the hockey team’s captain. In it, they (as the title implies) make a deal where Hannah will tutor Garrett if he helps make her crush jealous. So, there’s a bit of fake dating and opposites attract mixed in. Like Heated Rivalry, it’s spicy and features hockey players; however, outside of that, it’s quite different. Tuly, I cannot wait to watch it, and I'm having a blast reading it.

At the moment, Off Campus does not have a specific release date; however, it is confirmed to come out in 2026. So, that gives you the opportunity to read Elle Kennedy’s books first, before you dive in to the show. By my count, that gives me plenty of content to hold me over until Season 2 of Heated Rivalry premieres, too.

Those following along live with the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday got to see plenty of great moments, like Nikki Glaser’s joke about Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend, Teyana Taylor’s powerful message to “little Black girls” and Jennifer Lopez adding to her fashion icon status with possibly our favorite version of the sheer dress trend. There were some misses, too, including the UFC tie-in as the Heated Rivalry stars took the stage to present, and fans aren’t missing the opportunity to roast the awkward moment.

Heated Rivalry has become such a phenomenon that I’m sure the attention has been overwhelming for its stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. But the way that was handled by the Golden Globes was just plain awkward, as before they took the stage, an announcement was made:

Lights started flashing as UFC fighters Mackenzie Dern and Brian Ortega walked on stage, strutted up to the front and posed, uttering a few words to each other as they were seemingly satisfied with the crowd situation before pivoting and walking back off-stage. It looked more like a fashion show than anything, which one fan noted with the meme:

The fact that Mackenzie Dern — complete with her UFC title belt — and Brian Ortega’s names weren’t even announced added to the confusion of the moment, because I promise you not everybody knew who they were or what they were doing. I’m with fans like this who still don’t know what the point was:

It was clear from the audience’s non-reaction that this segment was not hitting, and another fan posted:

With Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie’s protection being the supposed reason for the UFC fighters’ presence, I thought there would at least be some kind of interaction between them. However, the Heated Rivalry actors then took the stage and proceeded with their own comedic bit about being nervous and picturing everyone in the audience naked.

Some of us, however, were still shaking our heads over what had just happened:

In addition to some A+ meme work, several on social media voiced their confusion over the UFC promotional moment, writing:

• Sorry I'm still not over that UFC bit like wtf was that??? – MyersFTW
• The UFC part on the Golden Globes was a bit??? Felt out of place. – negaprez
• We used to be a proper country… we used to not have a ufc bit during an award show… – Danielle_Sny13
• Can someone please explain to me why they brought out those two random UFC ppl for two boys who star in a gay hockey show?? lmfao – tpwklillie

I can see where a Heated Rivalry crossover with the UFC would make sense on paper. They’re both sports-related, they both include … wrestling (heh), and the mixed martial artists probably would make good bodyguards for Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, but the way the Golden Globes handled it was worthy of the penalty box.

Heated Rivalry is available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.

Plenty of HBO shows got the world talking, and the book-to-screen adaptation Heated Rivalry has definitely joined those ranks. The Canadian series (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription) has become a sensation, making household names out of stars like Shane Hollander actor Hudson Williams. He recently rocked glasses while appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, leading fans to freak out thanks to a connection to the steamy series.

Williams has been dealing with sudden fame thanks to the success of Heated Rivalry, which was on full display when appearing on The Tonight Show. There were a bunch of subtle references to the show during his interview with Fallon, including being served ginger ale and seemingly wearing Shane's famous glasses. The latter definitely got fans' attention, as many took to Twitter as a result. Check out one such response below:

While Williams wearing glasses isn't groundbreaking, the fact that they're seemingly the same ones that his character Shane wears in Heated Rivalry turned the heads of the passionate fanbase. Those specs were a plot point during the first season, with his lover Ilya seemingly turned on by them, and asking his secret lover to wear them during phone sex. This is just one of Heated Rivalry's steamy scenes, and is also why the fandom noticed when he rocked them on The Tonight Show.

Fans were invested in Ilya and Shane starting with their first sex scene, with folks following the years-long relationship between the two closeted Hockey players. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie's chemistry while doing press has also captured the hearts of viewers, which is likely why something like the actor wearing glasses has gotten so much attention. Another tweet pulled a clip from Heated Rivalry, where Ilya asks Shane to keep the specs on. As you can see below:

Hudson Williams put on the glasses when Jimmy Fallon showed him a photo of him and Storrie, so it's not like he had to read something. That, combined with the ginger ale, makes me think that he rocked them purposefully to titillate fans who tuned in to see the interview.

Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie teasing fans by saying it'll be "hotter, wetter and longer". The two of them know that sex sells, so much so that they got matching tattoos with those two words. Season 1 ended with Shane and Ilya finally committed to being in a relationship, even if they're keeping it a secret for now. And it should be interesting to see how this changes the narrative whenever it returns.

The first season of Heated Rivalry is streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max. It's currently unclear when Season 2 will premiere, but some fans are crossing their fingers that production starts soon so it can be part of the 2026 TV schedule.

Plenty of HBO shows got the world talking, and those with a HBO Max subscription were recently treated to another megahit: Jacob Tierney's Heated Rivalry. The book to screen adaptation went viral shortly after its premiere, thanks to its touching LGBTQ+ narrative and those steamy sex scenes. It's also made the cast into household names, and Shane Hollander actor Hudson Williams recently spoke about that overwhelming attention, and trying to set healthy boundaries with fans.

I was hyped when Heated Rivalry gave queer fans their own smutty show, but its popularity has expanded past the community and into the mainstream. The internet is pretty obsessed with both Ilya actor Connor Storrie and Williams, including discourse about their sexualities IRL. While speaking with CNN about the show's success, the latter actor got honest about the "crazy" nature of his sudden fame. In his words:

Honestly, this makes sense. Scrolling through social media there are countless posts thirsting over the cast of Heated Rivalry, as well as folks wondering about their sexuality. Williams and Storrie haven't disclosed how they identify, and are now dealing with the sudden megafame that came with the show's success. Finding a way to set boundaries seems like a healthy way to approach this lifestyle change, especially since Season 2 of Heated Rivalry is already on the way.

Later in the same interview, Hudson Williams spoke more about the challenges of filming Shane and Ilya's sex scenes. On top of how vulnerable it is to shoot this type of work, he spoke about nudity, and trying not to expose any crew members to part of his body. In his words:

It sounds like, despite how free the sex scenes look on Heated Rivalry, they're far more technical than it might appear to audiences. And Williams had to be very specific about the angles and positions he was in to keep some sense of modesty, as well as not making any crew members uncomfortable.

One can only imagine how much more famous Hudson Williams and the rest of the Heated Rivalry cast will get, especially once the show returns for Season 2. Hopefully he's found some ways of establishing boundaries, despite all the chatter about him and Connor Storrie.

Heated Rivalry is streaming in its entirety on HBO Max. It's currently unclear when Season 2 will happen, but there are plenty of fans hoping that production starts soon so that it'll arrive as part of the 2026 TV schedule.

Shortly after its premiere for those with an HBO Max subscription, Heated Rivalry joined the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking. The book to screen adaptation has been wildly popular, and luckily has been renewed for Season 2. There are all sorts of questions about what might happen when it returns for its sophomore entry, and it turns out that Miley Cyrus is interested in getting involved. And Scott Hunter actor François Arnaud had an A+ response to this viral story.

Heated Rivalry gave queer folks their own smutty series, although it's become a bonafide sensation that's being watched by plenty of folks outside the community. Fans have questions about Season 2, and in an interview with Variety, Cyrus addressed getting involved in the fun, enthusiastically saying:

Cyrus was specifically asked about bringing one of her songs into Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, and seems down to clown. She recently sang the original song for Avatar: Fire and Ash, and famously sang and acted in Black Mirror (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription). So why not lend her talents to the wildly popular LGBTQ+ romance show?

So what does the Heated Rivalry team think of the idea of Miley joining the show? Scott Hunter actor François Arnaud was at the Critics' Choice Awards when Cyrus expressed her interest, and got real about the idea of the pop star/actress lending her talents on the show. He said:

Points were made. Cyrus is a global pop star with movie and TV experience, so her talents likely don't come cheap. Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney has already mentioned that he's not expecting Season 2's budget to get much bigger, which has the potential to put the "Party in the USA" singer out of the running. But if she watches the show and becomes a big fan, maybe she'll reduce her rate and bring one of her songs into the series when it returns to the small screen.

Heated Rivalry was a big point of conversation throughout the Critics' Choice Awards this year, partly thanks to François Arnaud attending and representing for the cast. The show has been viral at least partly thanks to its steamy sex scenes, and was even talked about by Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper during their New Years Eve broadcast. But whether or not Miley Cyrus gets involved for Season 2 remains to be seen.

Heated Rivalry's first season is currently streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max. It's unclear if Season 2 will arrive in the 2026 TV schedule, but anticipation is sky high.

I knew Heated Rivalry was a certified hit; however, that was emphasized big time when Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper brought it up on their New Year’s Eve broadcast, not once, but multiple times. That’s right, these two mentioned the beloved, smutty, queer hockey show on during CNN’s broadcast on multiple different occasions. Now, the show’s creator and cast, as well as the books’ author, have shared their A+ reactions to being a big part of kicking off the 2026 TV schedule with the broadcasters.

As per usual, Cooper and Cohen's New Year’s Eve broadcast was unhinged in the best way. The journalist did a dramatic reading of Taylor Swift’s song “Wood,” both of them had puppets of themselves, and they mentioned Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription) quite a few times.

At one point, Cohen and Cooper were discussing who was Ilya and Shane of the two of them. While the Bravo personality said he was Shane, and the journalist was Ilya, Cooper had to disagree with him. Rather than opting to relate to the two lead characters, he said he’s much more like the smoothie maker Kip, who is a supporting character at the center of Episode 3’s love story as he falls in love with star hockey player Scott. It was hilarious, and author Rachel Reid thought so too, as she reposted the moment with the following reaction on her IG story:

Along with Reid posting her thoughts about this hilarious interaction, Robbie G.K., who plays Kip on Heated Rivalry, responded too. He commented on Evan Ross Katz’s post about Cooper saying he was the most like Kip with the following statement:

What a fabulous reaction! However, the fun does not end there.

When Stephen Colbert appeared on the broadcast, his wife, Evie, also made a cameo. As Cooper and Choen joked with them, the Watch What Happens Live host said that Colbert’s wife was “the top of their relationship.” In response, The Late Show host said he’s “a bossy bottom.” That made Anderson Cooper lose it, and while laughing, he asked, “Has Heated Rivalry made everybody insane?”

This was the moment Jacob Tierney, the show’s creator, director, writer and executive producer, reacted to on Instagram. Posting screenshots of the three men during this hilarious interaction, he simply used an emoji to perfectly encapsulate his feelings about this situation:

At the time of this writing, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play Ilya and Shane, respectively, have not responded to this wild broadcast. However, if they do, there’s more for them to react to. That’s because, along with the aforementioned comments, Cooper and Cohen also asked Brandi Carlile if lesbians like Heated Rivalry, and she said it was all she could think about.

So, as you can see, this book-to-screen adaptation has quite the hold on pop culture, seeing as it was brought up multiple times on New Year’s Eve and was met with tons of hilarious reactions from fans and people who work on the show. As Evan Ross Katz’s post noted, it’s like we’re in “collective psychosis” with this wonderful romance, and clearly, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are bewitched by it too.

While I was watching Heated Rivalry with my HBO Max subscription, I got so into Shane and Ilya’s story that I immediately started reading the novels this book-to-screen adaptation is based on. Quickly, I flew through the titular book as well as its sequel, The Long Game, and now I’m reading Rachel Reid’s other stories in the Game Changers series. However, as I’ve been learning about the other couples these books focus on, I’ve started to wonder how they’ll play into Shane and Ilya’s tale on screen. Thankfully, the author has addressed this.

Will Role Model And Other Game Changer Books Be Incorporated Into Season 2?

Alright, to understand my question, you need to understand how this series is laid out. Like Bridgerton, each book follows a different couple. However, each story is interconnected, so there’s crossover.

It begins with Game Changer, which follows Scott and Kip, and then the second book is Heated Rivalry, which is Shane and Ilya’s first book. The first season of the show that aired on the 2025 TV schedule covered these two novels, with the primary focus being on Shane and Ilya, and Episode 3 centering on Scott and Kip.

While Scott and Kip didn’t get a full season to themselves, the story of their book was told, and it did play a pivotal role in Shane and Ilya’s romance.

Now, going into Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, it’s been confirmed that it will follow the events of The Long Game, which is the second book in Reid’s series that follows Shane and Ilya. However, between this couple’s first and second story, the author wrote Tough Guy, Common Goal and Role Model, all of which focus on new couples and take place either before or during the events of the Heated Rivalry sequel.

It’s important to note Role Model specifically, because its timeline overlaps with The Long Game, and its primary couple, hockey player Tory and social media manager Harris, work for the same team Ilya plays for. So, all three characters play important roles in both books, and ultimately, they create one big story. So, that begs the question: How involved will they be in Season 2? And, will we get to see the couples from the other books, too?

Well, while Rachel Reid doesn’t have a specific answer, she did share her take on the matter.

Rachel Reid Shared Her Thoughts On Role Model Being Part Of Heated Rivalry Season 2

Following the cultural and critical phenomenon that was Heated Rivalry Season 1, chatter about what could happen in Season 2 is picking up. During an interview with Variety, author Rachel Reid was asked about it too, as the journalist wondered if she’d spoken to the show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, about his plans. In response, she said:

While Scott and Kip aren’t the sole focus of the other books, they do appear. The same is true for the couples from Tough Guy and Common Goal. Then, when you get to Role Model, there’s a whole bunch of crossover because Troy, Ilya and Harris all work at the same place. Therefore, while Tory and Harris' story is happening, Ilya and Shane are dealing with how to handle their relationship, and the two stories impact each other.

To that point, Reid noted that it’d be hard to tell the story of The Long Game without featuring Role Model in Season 2. She said:

Well, if we get more episodes, that’d certainly make merging these books into one story easier. However, as of right now, we simply don’t know if that’s going to happen.

We do know how good Season 1 is, and how faithful an adaptation it is. So, I have faith in the Heated Rivalry team when it comes to figuring out how exactly they should move forward as they adapt more of Rachel Reid’s beloved books.

In just a few episodes Heated Rivalry became a HBO show that got the world talking, largely thanks to its steamy sex scenes. The book to screen adaptation (which is steaming with a HBO Max subscription), had had plenty of love scenes, and creator Jacob Tierney recently opened up to his approach to those sequences, as well as rumors that Kip and Scott's ended up getting cut. Let's break it all down.

Heated Rivalry is giving queer folks their own smutty TV show, with the show following two different gay couples who are struggling to deal with their love in the midst of the professional Hockey scene. The show's love scenes are a big reason why it turned so many heads at first, and in a conversation with EW Tierney addressed the way he approached the show's inherent "horny" nature. In his words:

Point were made. Over the past few years there's been a ton of discourse about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. Historically many queer stories have been tragic, which is not something that Tierney wanted Heated Rivalry to be. The books are notoriously steamy, and he wanted to make sure that the sex sequences in the TV version were more horny and less traumatic. Anyone who watches the show knows that's exactly what we got.

Ilya and Shane's first sex scene definitely tuned up the heat, and actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie were all over each other throughout Season 1. But Scott Hunter actor François Arnaud also claimed that he and Kip actor Robbie G.K. shot sex scenes for days, despite them not having nearly as much naked screen time in their capsule episode. In the same interview, Tierney addressed this claim, saying:

That certainly clears things up. While we did miss out on some extra footage from that scene, they definitely didn't shoot two full days of sex scenes. Still, I have to assume that the hardcore Heated Rivalry fanbase is going to be campaigning to see what was left on the cutting room floor for Scott and Kip.

Heated Rivalry debuted its season finale on Christmas, but luckily the show has already been renewed for Season 2. Fans can watch the first season in its entirety over on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV schedule.

At this point, Heated Rivalry isn’t just a successful book-to-screen adaptation beloved by fans of Rachel Reid’s novels. The show starring Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams is a critically acclaimed series with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s a cultural phenomenon. Now, to prove that point even further, this spicy hockey romance hit a major milestone that only Breaking Bad has hit.

After the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry dropped, and fans had a proper freak out about its ending involving Shane, Ilya, Scott, and Kip, people couldn’t stop giving it its flowers. To prove that point, on IMDb, you can see the highest-rated episodes of television, and right now, only two have a perfect score, and one of them is from Season 1 of this smutty hockey romance.

The other, unsurprisingly, is an episode of Breaking Bad. Widely considered one of the best shows of the peak TV era, the drama starring Bryan Cranston holds the title for highest-rated episode on IMDb, as “Ozymandias” (Season 5, Episode 14) has a perfect ten based on 273 thousand ratings. As I’m sure you know, this AMC series is the best of the best, and this episode directed by Rian Johnson (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription) is beloved. So, anything meeting the bar it’s set is impressive.

Now, enter “I’ll Believe in Anything,” the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription). Without spoiling much, this episode serves as a pivotal point in Shane and Ilya’s relationship. It’s when they really start to accept their feelings for each other, and their romance gets taken to a new level over the course of the 56-minuteepisode. Along with being key to this show’s story, it also shows off its stars’ power. Between the Russian monologe Connor Storrie had to give as Ilya and Hudson Williams’ performance during Shane’s vulnerable moments, they both proved why they are the perfect men to be playing these hockey players.

So, all of that has made fans lose their minds, and they’ve made sure to let the world know how much they adore this episode of television. Over on IMDb, all this acclaim has led to this episode getting a perfect ten based on 34 thousand ratings.

No other show has a perfect ten. Some are close, but only Breaking Bad and Heated Rivalry have hit this milestone.

For context, after the two aforementioned episodes, 20 episodes of television have received a 9.9 rating. This includes Six Feet Under’s “Everyone’s Waiting,” BoJack Horseman’s “The View from Halfway Down,” Avatar: The Last Airbender’s “Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang,” Succession’s “Connor’s Wedding,” Game of Thrones’ “The Rains of Castamere,” and more.

Those are some seriously iconic episodes of television, and to know that Heated Rivalry sits above them next to Breaking Bad is incredible.

Now, to see if they keep this magic going, you can stream the Season 1 finale of Heated Rivalry on Friday with an HBO Max subscription. Trust me, I’ve read the book, you’ll want to see what’s next for Shane and Ilya. Plus, if this last episode proved anything, it’s that we’re likely in for a remarkably made, caring and spicy episode of television.

Major, major, major spoilers for Heated Rivalry’s fifth episode are ahead! If you haven’t watched it yet, go stream it ASAP with an HBO Max subscription.

For those who have read Rachel Reid’s novel, Heated Rivalry, you likely knew that Episode 5 would be a very big deal in the book-to-screen adaptation that’s been airing on the 2025 TV schedule. Meanwhile, for those experiencing Shane and Ilya’s story for the first time, this episode likely shocked them. However, whether you went into this episode knowing what could happen or not, it’s worth freking out about. Fans proved that too, when they started posting about the incredible way Episode 5 ended.

In the episode titled “I’ll Believe in Anything,” we get to witness a major turn in Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya’s (Connor Storrie) relationship as they finally admit their feelings for each other. While they still feel like they cannot make their relationship public, this episode shows them accepting their love (Ilya even told Shane he loved him, but it was in Russian, so Shane didn’t understand it). Meanwhile, Scott (François Arnaud) and Kip (Robbie G.K.) – who were the focus of Episode 3 – returned, and in a truly historic moment, Scott kissed Kip publicly after winning the show’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup.

The collision of all that led to one final moment between our main couple, where Ilya calls Shane to tell him he’ll meet him at the cottage, where they will be able to spend much-needed alone time together. So, in short, a lot happened, and because of Scott and Kip’s big and televised announcement, Ilya had the confidence to act on his feelings for Shane in a big way. Rightfully, fans are losing it over all this, and posting things like:

A common comment from fans is how this whole scene felt like a major moment of “cinema.” The way the show bounced back and forth between Scott and Kip’s kiss and Shane and Ilya watching it all on TV was magical. It clearly conveyed the gravity of everything going on, as it was both a historic instance in both relationships. It also aggressively moved the story forward for the next episode. To quote @harrietsdamian:

Literally, as I’m sitting here writing this, I’m getting misty-eyed thinking about this magical scene.

Really, this moment is so wonderful for so many reasons, and one of them is simply that it’s a magnificent and well-executed romantic scene. A lot of fans love how much care and consideration clearly go into the making of this series, because it shows how powerful this genre can be. For example, @hollanovvs posted the following reaction to Episode 5’s last scene:

Seriously, this scene had so many screaming and crying. It really was an intense and breathtaking moment, and @jerstonefilm pointed that out in a brilliant (and funny) way by comparing the end of Episode 5 to the end of Challengers:

The possibilities of what comes next are also propelling this major fan freakout. Up to this point, Shane and Ilya have only had brief moments together. A night here, an interaction there, and that’s it. What was proposed in this episode was a week or two of alone time at Shane’s private cottage. That is a very exciting idea, and it is very, very needed for these two boys who need to address their feelings for each other in a big way.

So, knowing that Ilya is going to the cottage is exhilarating. In fact, it’s so exciting that it’s worth celebrating like we just won a race, as @4hollanov posted:

Gosh, I’m really not ready for what comes next, and I’ve read the book. Without spoiling anything, I will say that the cottage is a huge part of the original novel, and it changes Shane and Ilya’s relationship forever (whether that’s in a good or a bad way, you’ll have to wait to find out).

Now, overall, this scene really proved why Heated Rivalry is turning into one of the best LGBTQ+ shows on TV right now, and it’s getting me so excited for what’s next. Not only did we get to see Scott and Kip’s story come full circle as they made their relationship public, but we also got to see the beginnings of Shane and Ilya gaining the confidence and assurance to act on their own feelings.

So, with all that being said, get excited for what’s next, folks, because the Season 1 finale of Heated Rivalry will be released next Friday on HBO Max. And like Episode 5, I’m sure it’ll leave fans freaking out.

Over the past few years, there has been a ton of conversation about the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. That includes the power of telling authentic stories, as well as the debate about casting straight actors in gay roles. A new fold in this discourse happened recently when I Love LA actor Jordan Firstman threw some shade at Heated Rivalry's sex scenes (both shows are streaming with an HBO Max subscription). Although he and Shane Hollander actor Hudson Williams seem to have squashed the beef... and brought some A+ social media content in the process.

Heated Rivalry's love scenes are a big reason why the series went viral, and has been so popular since its premiere. While I love that we have a smutty show for queer folks, not everyone has enjoyed it as much. Case in point: Firstman's viral comments about the show.

What Jordan Firstman Said About Heated Rivalry

Jordan Firstman is known to audiences thanks to his scene-stealing roles in English Teacher (streaming with a Hulu subscription) as well as I Love LA. He's also got an irreverent social media presence, which is where he first claimed that Heated Rivalry's love scenes didn't feel like "real gay sex." During an interview with Vulture he expanded those thoughts, offering:

These comments quickly went viral online, and inspired Heated Rivalry actor François Arnaud to directly respond. A potential feud between the two HBO shows that got the world talking began, but luckily, it seems like they've already reached a resolution. And we have both the network and Nicki Minaj to thank.

How Firstman And Hudson Williams Worked It Out In The Remix

Fans first noticed some goodwill happening between the shows when an image of Jordan Firstman and Shane Hollander actor Hudson Williams smoking a cigarette together landed online. The potential beef was further squashed when the pair wrapped holiday gifts at an HBO event, and posted an A+ video where they lip-synced to Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus' viral interaction from the 2015 VMA Awards. Check it out below:

Honestly, I love it. This give and take between the two pop stars has been endlessly quotable in the decade since they went viral, and I think recreating it was the perfect way to show that there's no hard feelings between Firstman and the Heated Rivalry cast.

For his part, Hudson was encouraging folks to watch I Love LA even in the midst of the faux feud. Luckily for fans, both shows are still airing on HBO Max. So why not do a double feature of these two series, both of which feature gay love scenes?

I Love LA has one more episode to go and Heated Rivalry has two that'll air on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV schedule.

Spoilers for Episode 4 of Heated Rivalry are ahead! Read with caution, and stream the show with an HBO Max subscription.

Everyone, I can’t stop thinking about the ginger ale. To contextualize that, in Episode 4 of Heated Rivalry, when Shane (Hudson Williams) went over to Ilya’s (Connor Storrie) house, the Russian hockey player gave the Canadian hockey player a ginger ale and made him a tuna melt, and it meant so much! While that might seem like a minor thing to hyperfixate on, I promise it’s not. So, let’s discuss just how significant Ilya giving Shane a ginger ale was.

For those who have read Rachel Reid’s novels that inspired this book-to-screen adaptation, the tuna melt and ginger ale scene is iconic and very important in Shane and Ilya’s relationship. It’s the moment where Ilya asks Shane to stay for the first time, and it marks a major turning point in their story, as it seems like these two might want to take evolve situationship into a relationship.

Up to this point in Heated Rivalry’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, Shane and Ilya’s relationship has been purely physical. In this queer smutty hockey romance, the two athletes fall into a years-long situationship where they secretly meet up to have sex. However, in Episode 4, it starts to go further when Ilya asks Shane to stay and proves how much he cares about him.

He does this through the ginger ale. In the episode, when Ilya offers to make Shane a tuna melt, he also offers him a cold ginger ale and passes absolutely no judgment about it. Now, you’d think that wouldn’t mean much. However, it’s a very big deal because Shane isn’t a big drinker, so he likes to sip on this beverage instead.

In the world these two guys live in, drinking and partying are very normal, and Shane’s aversion to both is judged by some. During Episode 4, that’s clearly shown too, because after Ilya gives Shane a ginger ale, there are two scenes where he asks for the beverage and gets weird looks.

One comes during a lunch Shane has with his parents. He asks for the ginger ale, and is told they don’t have it. Then, his mom said he could have a glass of wine. Later on, when he’s at a bar, he asks for the drink again, and the bartender responds in a confused tone with “I mean I do…” After that, Shane quickly changes his mind and orders a beer instead.

All three of these scenes pretty much happen back to back to back, and what it shows us is the intense care and acceptance Ilya has for Shane. And I know what you might be thinking, "But it’s just ginger ale," and sure, that’s true. However, Shane cares so much about what he eats and drinks, and gets judged for it. So, to have someone simply accept him, provide for him, and not make a big deal out of it is a big deal.

As someone who chooses not to drink alcohol, if a partner did something like this for me, I’d feel so cared for. It’s such a simple yet thoughtful gesture that shows how much attention they are paying.

So, yeah, I’m hyperfixating on that ginger ale, and I hope we get to see more kind moments like it as Heated Rivalry, which has been renewed for Season 2 already, continues to air on HBO Max.

In just a few short episodes Heated Rivalry has become another HBO show that got the world talking. The steamy book to screen adaptation went viral for its many sex scenes, as well as the story about queer Hockey players having a secret, years-long affair. The first openly gay hockey player Brock McGillis shared his hot takes about the series, including why he doesn't think it'll encourage more athletes in the sport to come out of the closet.

I'm glad Heated Rivalry gave LGBTQ+ folks their own smutty TV show, and the show regularly makes headlines thanks to all those love scenes. While former hockey pro Sean Avery hoped the show would help closeted hockey players, McGillis doesn't agree. In an interview with Pink News, he shared his honest thoughts, saying:

That was certainly honest. It sounds like he thinks the Hockey community might not be happy with how things are presented in Heated Rivalry. What's more, McGillis seems to think it might actually discourage players from being their authentic self while playing the sport... especially if the community watches and dislikes its portrayal on the small screen.

Brooke McGillis will likely be pleased that Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, even if he doesn't think the HBO series will make positive change within the industry. He understands the series all too well, especially because a former Hockey player and a Canadian native. Later in the same interview, he continued to share his hot take, offering:

For years now there's been discussion about the power of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. And while audiences might feel seen from Heated Rivalry, McGillis doubts that we'll see more hockey players coming out anytime soon. He maintains that places like the locker room are "sometimes homophobic" which will likely keep folks from coming out.

Still, Brock McGillis is a fan of the show himself, and has been moved by it. Particularly thanks to the similarities between his own coming out story and the secret relationship between protagonists Shane and Ilya. As he shared:

Ouch. Clearly there was accuracy in the way these characters' secret affair has been portrayed throughout the show so far. McGillis has gone through something similar, including having a guy in his phone with a pseudonym just in case. Luckily he was able to eventually come out and live as his authentic self.

Heated Rivalry airs new episodes Fridays on HBO Max as pat of the 2025 TV schedule. We'll just have to see if McGillis' comments about hockey players not coming out turns out to be true.

After just a few episodes Heated Rivalry has joined the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking. The steamy book to screen adaptation went viral shortly after its premiere on the network, largely thanks to its many steamy love scenes. These sex scenes definitely helped to generate buzz for the show, although actor Connor Storie got real about how technical those sequences are... especially when hiding the "cock sock" the actors wear. Let's break it all down.

The main story of Heated Rivalry (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) is about the years-long affair between Ilya and Shane. Connor Storie joked about his mom's reaction to those sequences, and in a recent interview with Variety the actor spoke about the show's first sex sene, and how specifically choreographed those sequences have to be. In his words:

Storrie's performance as Ilya has been pretty universally acclaimed, with fans shocked that he doesn't have a Russian accent IRL. And it's interesting to hear the process of his he gets into character, and helps to create the sexual tension that's so palpable on screen. It ultimately paid off, especially the payoff once Shane and Ilya finally get physical.

Heated Rivalry is giving queer folks their own smutty show to watch, and there are a ton of steamy sex sequences in every episode. While they look organic, the reality is that these scenes are shot in a very methodical way. On top of finding the right angles and making sure the actors are comfortable, they also need to hide their "cock sock" which is a modesty garment actors use to appear nude while covering their genitals. In the same interview Storrie spoke about this:

Despite how many Heated Rivalry viewers are feeling the heat from these scenes, actually filming then is another beast entirely. The above comments offer a peek behind the curtain, and show how inorganic and not sexy love scenes often have to be. I guess as an actor you have to truly trust the process when doing such vulnerable work.

Luckily for fans of the series, Heated Rivalry has officially been renewed for a second season. This will help further adapt the book series, and offer more narrative possibilities for the show's couples. As such, Storrie will probably have to work with that "cock sock" again in the future.

Heated Rivalry airs new episodes Fridays on HBO as part of the 2025 TV schedule. At the time of writing this story there are still two episodes left in Season 1, so it should be interesting to watch as things reach a boiling point.

When a show leans as hard into intimacy as Heated Rivalry, there’s an inevitable moment when the conversation stops being about chemistry, choreography, or HBO’s comfort level and starts being about moms. For Connor Storrie, who stars opposite Hudson Williams in the book-to-screen adaptation of the hit queer sports romance novel series, that moment arrived as soon as it became clear just how explicit the series was willing to be. The hockey drama doesn’t just flirt with steam; it commits. And, while fans may be celebrating that fact online, family members tend to process it a little differently.

That reality came up during a recent interview with Variety, where Storrie spoke candidly about navigating the show’s sex-heavy reputation and its sudden popularity as well as what it’s like knowing parents are part of the audience, too — even if they’re watching with strategic blinders on. The series, adapted from Rachel Reid’s novel and now a certified hit and immediate watch for HBO Max subscription holders, has turned its leads into overnight internet fixtures. Still, the most grounded reactions are coming from home. Storrie explained:

It’s a refreshingly mature exchange, one that puts agency where it belongs. Storrie isn’t embarrassed by the work, and his mom isn’t asking him to apologize for it. There’s simply an understanding that some parts of the show are not required viewing at family gatherings.

That same dynamic carried over to his co-star’s family, only this time, the awkwardness played out in real time. At the show’s premiere, Storrie checked in with Hudson Williams’ mom to see how she handled watching the series on the big screen. He added:

Weird is an understatement, sure, but also kind of inevitable. The producers of Heated Rivalry aren't coy about what they're doing, and the show doesn’t sanitize desire to make it more palatable. That’s part of why the show has resonated so strongly, especially with audiences who rarely see this kind of intimacy treated as central rather than sensational.

For Storrie, the key difference is perspective. While viewers react to the spice playing out on screen, he remembers the hours of choreography and coordination that the workday really entails to bring the heat to the moment.

The moms’ reactions feel pretty on-brand for material like this. They’re supportive, they’re proud and they’re also totally fine drawing a line at watching everything. For a show that leans into honesty and emotional exposure, a person could argue that might be the healthiest balance possible.

Heated Rivalry drops new episodes every Friday at 12 a.m. ET (Thursday at 9 p.m. PT) through December amid the 2025 TV schedule, with the season finale arriving on December 26.

Over the last few weeks, Heated Rivalry has received acclaim from both fans and critics alike. Many have praised this spicy LGBTQ+ hockey romance, and there’s been a lot of talk about how it depicts the sexual relationship between Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams). However, I Love LA star Jordan Firstman made headlines as he heavily criticized the sex scenes in this new series, and now, a few of the stars have responded.

What I Love LA’s Jordan Firstman Said About Heated Rivalry’s Sex Scenes

Both Heated Rivalry and I Love LA feature sexual scenes, and as both series have been airing on the 2025 TV schedule, there’s been a lot of talk about them. So, with that being said, Jordan Firstman, who plays Charlie in I Love LA, was asked during an interview with Vulture about a scene he had involving a sex tape.

The journalist noted that the sequence was “legitimately casual,” and then said that it was “such a contrast” to the "posed" sex scenes in Heated Rivalry. In response, the actor criticized those scenes in the book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel, explaining:

As the interview went on, Firstman spoke a lot about being gay and telling stories about gay people. When the journalist noted that the movie Rotting was the best gay film of the decade when it came to “feeling honest about what gay life is like,” the I Love LA actor brought up Heated Rivalry again, saying:

The journalist then noted that neither Storrie nor Williams has revealed their sexualities publicly, with Heated Rivalry showrunner Jacob Tierney saying there’s no reason to either. Firstman pushed back on that, saying:

Now, after all of that made headlines right around the time Episode 4 of Heated Rivalry premiered, two of the hockey romance’s stars responded.

How The Heated Rivalry Cast Responded To The Criticism

In the aftermath of Firstman’s comments, François Arnaud, who plays Scott, a gay hockey player who was the focus of Episode 3, responded. In the comments section on Just Jared’s Instagram post about these criticisms, he posted two questions about there being more than one way to portray gay sex on TV. The Scott actor wrote:

After that comment, Hudson Williams, who plays Shane, reposted it alongside the graphic from Just Jared about the viral criticism on his Instagram story. Along with adding the questioning comment his co-star wrote, the Heated Rivalry co-lead complimented Jordan Firstman’s show, writing:

Right now, both these highly talked about series are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. Also, both I Love LA and Heated Rivalry have been renewed for second seasons. So, as this discourse about them continues, we’ll keep you updated.

Meanwhile, to keep up with both projects, you can catch new episodes of Heated Rivalry every Friday, while I Love LA drops new episodes every Sunday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Considering how quickly Heated Rivalry took the 2025 TV schedule by storm, it comes as no surprise that it scored a second season very fast. Halfway through the show’s freshman season, it was revealed that the book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s series of novels would get to continue on screen. So, in celebration of the Season 2 renewal, the series’ stars, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, reacted in a fitting and funny way.

On the same day fans were able to watch Episode 4 of Heated Rivalry, the news about Season 2 broke. In a video posted to Instagram by HBO Max and the leads, we got to see Storrie, who plays Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov, and Williams, who plays Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander, unwrap a gift to reveal the news about Season 2. Take a look:

Seriously, this is so on brand. The innuendos and the silly vibe between the actors fit with other viral moments we’ve seen from Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. Meanwhile, the clip leaning into Heated Rivalry’s smutty side is fitting, too. I was particularly entertained by the fact that the Shane actor described what’s to come as:

One of the reasons Heated Rivlery is so loved by critics and audiences alike has to do with how sexy it is. The series fully accepts and celebrates Shane and Ilya’s romance, and it’s unafraid to show the spicy and vulnerable sides of it.

Now, we’ll get even more of that, as Season 2 should continue the hockey players’ romance as it follows the events of Reid’s second book about them, The Long Game. Connor Storrie confirmed that in the video, saying:

I certainly won’t be the one to spoil it for you. However, to state the obvious, The Long Game does continue the years-long story of Shane and Ilya’s relationship. The two stars of the show confirmed (kind of) that they’ll be back for this all too, as they went back and forth in the video saying:

• Hudson Williams: We’ll both be there.
• Connor Storrie: We’ll both be there, or we won’t.
• Hudson Williams: Enjoy it when it comes.

Of course, it ended on Williams saying, “Enjoy it when it comes.” It feels fitting for this project that falls among the spiciest shows and sexually explicit movies on HBO Max.

Anyway, all around, I’m so happy we get to see even more of Shane and Ilya’s story play out. Heated Rivalry has been such a welcome and sexy addition to the world of television, and it’s a truly great LGBTQ+ show. So, I know that so many people are thrilled that we get to continue watching this hockey romance as it gets “hotter,” “wetter” and “longer.”

However, before we get to Season 2, we have to finish Season 1. So, make sure you stream new episodes of Heated Rivalry with an HBO Max subscription every Friday.