Heated Rivalry is the best and most important television show right now, and you can quote me on that. This is a show fully funded by Canadian companies — your tax dollars — and is an example of the kind of show Hollywood would probably never, in a million years, produce in the current day and age. As described by the Wall Street Journal quoting Bell Media president Sean Cohan, “this show is big-C Canadian.”
Come with me on this journey as I explain why you should be watching this show right now, like seriously, stop reading this and watch the show right now. And then come back and scream with me.
As a person who went through all the hallmarks of questioning their identity and later came out as Queer in first-year post-secondary, Heated Rivalry is an amazing depiction of a romanticized gay relationship. Back in my day, it felt like all I had was Glee…
The conflict remains squarely between our protagonists, Hollander and Ilya, with pretty much every other conflict being resolved on its own. So, you know, a typical romance structure. But there’s something revolutionary, even in 2026, when a gay romance doesn’t end in a suicide, a known “Queer tragedy trope.”
And believe me — believe me — Episode 5 is something special, akin to the emotional highs of Episode 3, Season 1 of The Last of Us. Healing tears for days. It’s safe to say Heated Rivalry is exceptional. It’s a phenomenon that, according to the New York Times, surprised even HBO Max’s TV executives.
This is all happening in the context of “Hollywood facing unprecedented change given consolidation of companies like Paramount and Skydance, the bidding war for Warner Bros. and the American social pendulum swinging toward conservative ideals,” describes TheWrap. In that sort of context, companies are much more likely to play it safe than take risks on a show whose pitch script, according to the Wall Street Journal, began with the disclaimer, “This will read almost like pornography, but please know that it’s not going to be shot that way.”
The demographics of the show’s fans may also surprise you. In addition to gays like me, “The Girls Love Gay Hockey Smut,” according to online LGBTQ+ magazine Them. It’s a low-key pattern: many gay romances are written by women for women. This includes the show’s original source materials, which were written by Canadian author Rachel Reid. One reason for this may be that, according to bookriot.com, “a lot of modern authors come from fan fiction.” And full disclosure, one of my close lesbian friends is responsible for hooking me on this show in the first place. I think she’s rewatched it at least twelve times since we last spoke.
“As a person who went through all the hallmarks of questioning their identity and later came out as Queer in first-year post-secondary, Heated Rivalry is an amazing depiction of a romanticized gay relationship.”
I will reiterate: Heated Rivalry is a cultural phenomenon. A cultural Canadian phenomenon. A phenomenon funded by my and your tax dollars. According to Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller, as quoted by CBC, “we put three and a half million dollars into it, plus the tax credits that these productions get.” Miller continues to emphasize, “not to make a joke, but we got a lot of bang for our buck.”
This is a broader point that speaks to a healthy arts ecosystem, where it is as important for granting bodies to support local, independent productions costing a couple thousand dollars to multi million-dollar powerhouses like Heated Rivalry. You can chart a direct line from funding a local Fringe Theatre show to television shows like this. Every artist must start somewhere, and that somewhere is often somewhere small.
If this hasn’t convinced you to watch the show, I forgot to mention that it’s hot. Like. Really hot. Hockey butts are a known thing, just saying.
Feature image graphic by Alleah Boisvert via IMDb
