At a Glance
- “Heated Rivalry” tops HBO Max charts, heading into its finale Friday.
- The series adapts Rachel Reid’s 2019 novel about Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov’s decade-long secret romance.
- Creator Jacob Tierney says the show delivers “pure queer joy” and a happy ending.
- Why it matters: The hit fuels a surge in queer hockey romance books and signals mainstream demand for diverse sports stories.
Since its Thanksgiving debut, HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry” has surged to the top of the platform’s charts, drawing millions of viewers and igniting a renewed interest in queer hockey romance literature. The show, based on Rachel Reid’s 2019 novel, follows a decade-long secret relationship between Canadian and Russian players, and its success has led to a second-season renewal. Fans and critics alike praise the series for its authentic portrayal of sport and love.
A New Powerhouse in Queer Sports Romance
The series has become the No. 1 show on HBO Max as the first season approaches its finale, and it has already spurred a spike in sales of Reid’s “Game Changers” book series. News Of Los Angeles reports that the six-novel series has sold 650,000 copies since the first book was released in 2018.
Behind the Scenes: Casting and Production
Jacob Tierney, who wrote, directed, and produced the series, was drawn to the material for its “pure queer joy” and a clear happy ending. The casting of Connor Storrie as Ilya and Hudson Williams as Shane was pivotal, with Tierney noting that their chemistry sealed the project. Reid praised the adaptation and the actors, saying the performers captured her characters perfectly.
Jacob Tierney said:
> “Unashamedly, when pitching, it was just like, this is a Harlequin romance. This has a happy ending. This is about two boys in love and a lot of sex.”
Rachel Reid added:
> “If I built the perfect actors in a lab, I could not have built better people to play these characters.”
Josh Banfield commented:
> “There’s something nice about seeing the yearning and seeing that they do maintain contact with each other and still have this connection.”
Leah Koch of News Of Los Angeles wrote:
> “Anytime Hollywood pays attention to, and respects, romance fans, they notice and show their appreciation.”
Mackenzie Walton of News Of Los Angeles said:
> “It’s much more common when I read a hockey romance that I get the sense that hockey is important at the heart of the book, and I think readers really respond to that sense of authenticity.”
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Copies sold of Game Changers | 650,000 |
The series’ popularity has also highlighted the scarcity of diverse representation in sports romance, a point raised by industry observers.
Key Takeaways
- “Heated Rivalry” is the top-ranking show on HBO Max, set to finish its first season.
- The adaptation has driven a significant increase in sales of the “Game Changers” books.
- The show’s success underscores a growing appetite for queer, diverse sports romance narratives.
With a second season already on the way, the series continues to set a new standard for inclusive storytelling in sports dramas.
