The new HBO Max series has delighted viewers. “Heat Rivalry” The romantic drama, inspired by Rachel Reed's Game Changers book series, released its first two episodes on the streaming service on November 28 and left viewers wanting more.
The series follows two rival hockey players, Canadian Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), as they live their professional lives and combine business with pleasure.
Curious to know what all the fuss is about? Here's everything you need to know about Heated Rivalry and how to watch the rest of the season.
What is “heated rivalry”?
When hockey rivals Shane and Ilya meet as newbies, sparks fly. They embark on a secret affair that turns into “a multi-year journey of love, denial and self-discovery.” press release.
“Heated Rivalry” follows Shane and Ilya over eight years as they “chase glory on the ice while struggling to shake off their feelings.”
A trailer for the series hints at the secret nature of the hockey players' rendezvous when the woman asks Shane if there are “any gay hockey players.”
“No one has spoken about it publicly,” he replies.
After meeting with Ilya, Shane turns to him with the words: “So you won’t tell anyone about this, will you?”
Elsewhere in the trailer, Ilya tells a woman that he's not seeing anyone, and she notices that he's been writing to a woman named Jane “for years.” It turns out Jane is the name Ilya uses for Shane on his phone.
“Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can’t ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there’s room in their cutthroat, competitive world for something as fragile and powerful as true love,” the press release reads.
Where to watch Heated Rivalry
“Heated Rivalry” was originally created for the Canadian streaming service Crave.
The show is available to watch in the US and Australia on HBO Max.
After watching the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry, many viewers are demanding a continuation.
“Oh my god, yes, this is happening!!” I don’t think I have to move to Canada just to watch this!😂❤,” a YouTube user commented on the trailer.
Another viewer called HBO's decision to start the series “the best decision.”
“Please watch this legally if you can so we can get another season!” – one commented.
When will new episodes of Heated Rivalry be released? Here is the schedule
The first two episodes of Heated Rivalry (“Rookies” and “Olympians”) premiered on HBO Max on November 28.
Additional episodes of the series will premiere each week until December 26, 2025, when the series finale airs.
Here's the full episode schedule:
- December 5: Episode 3 (“******”)
- December 12: Episode 4 (“Rose”)
- December 19: Episode 5 (“I'll Believe Anything”)
- December 26: Episode 6 (“The Cottage”)
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