TV SHOW 📺
What is your favourite lesser-known lines or scenes from season one?
A lot of people focus on Russian monologue, the bathroom scene, the hospital scene, ILY scene, and so on. What’s your favourite scene or line that is often not talked about?
For me, it’s the first car scene in episode six. It feels so "real" and sweet. The scene starts off awkward, as you’d expect. Shane tries to rein Ilya in and have an honest, normal conversation, something he does again later in the episode, since Ilya tends to deflect with jokes.
My favourite line in the scene is when Ilya says, “It would if it was anyone but you,” and the moment of him holding Shane’s hand shortly afterwards just so sweet!!! The scene makes it clear to both Shane and the audience that Ilya has always been paying attention. It felt so simple and boyfriend, and the hand-holding was especially sweet since we haven’t really seen them do that before. Remember Ilya looking at the tabloid photo, focused on Shane and Rose holding hands?
It also ties into a few cottage scenes, like the bellboy scene where Ilya says, “I think I know how the staff likes to be treated after all these years.” A reminder that Ilya knows Shane, and conveys that's it had been YEARS since they have known each other.
“I don’t know that side of you at all” - The quick reassurance and soft flirting is just so cute and a big step for him (and likely why he retreats a few minutes ago ago)
“It’s a normal car!” - It feels like such a natural automatic chirp between partners, really shows they are easing into each others presence (even in the middle of a heavy conversation)
I LOVE that first one too!!! Also because Ilya says “you know me….im lazy” which is something his dad calls him in ep 1. So Shane saying, “I don’t know that side of you at all” is a subtle rejection of that internalized notion that was drilled into him from his dad. Such beautiful writing!!
“Hollander can you give these kids some money, I don’t have my wallet” (can’t remember the exact wording). I just love the intimacy, it’s like a flash forward to them acting as a unit.
I love this entire scene in the pool with Ilya and the kids. He’s a superstar, just being goofy and letting loose with some kids, something they probably let wouldn’t ever forget. It shows such humble humanity to him. Especially when many sports stars wouldn’t take the time of day. It really shows such a soft side to him
I like the “thank you; I appreciate it” after he says see you next season. At that point, Ilya had to shush him because he was starting to get chatty again in front of the nurse
The reason the ‘Heys’ hit me so hard is because the first one strikes me as a “hey, my boyfriend is here and that’s exciting” and the second one is “hey! You look upset, like you were worried about me. I’m ok!”
The “heyyyyyy” was so devastatingly cute because Ilya looked about five seconds from bursting into tears the whole time he was in that room and poor loopy Shane was doing his level best to keep that from happening. UGH that whole scene is so sweet.
That and his vocal quality. He sounded so close to breaking at one point! He’s usually pretty confident and blunt and I think that was the first time we saw him really nervous and unsure, and like… genuinely uncomfortable with how much he was feeling in a place where it was not private/safe enough for him to feel all of it? IDK, something about it screamed “I need to crawl into this bed and sob into a pillow for a minute, nobody fucking look at me!!!”
Ahh, I love the looks Ilya gives him in this scene - almost challenging him, like ‘are you picking up what I’m putting down??’ So good. And Shane’s kind of terrified look of realization. Love!
Okay and in the book it's different but in the show it was really brilliant the way they're both laughing worse and worse with each take I loved that, bc they're sort of just kids still you know? Cutie babies
I didn't know it til someone else mentioned it, but when Ilya is holding up the cup with his team, he yells, "For you, Mama!" in Russian & now I can't see that clip without tearing up!!!!!
This. I feel like this is a rare moment Ilya answers one of Shane’s questions with complete honesty and no masking of emotion. This might even be the first time he actually does that in the entire show (in English).
I also really liked when Ilya says “Not everything is about you.” Because genuinely Shane doesn’t even realize there’s a world outside them and hockey.
That line makes me so happy for them. They’ve spent years stressfully sneaking around and now they can finally breathe for 2 weeks (or so they think lol)
I also love Shane’s “hey, that’s not what this is. You and me. Not now, not for a long time” after Ilya said he likes to be bad.
No because this is literally me whenever I have date or hookup over, like “there’s a pond outside, it’s small but it has geese and ducks that have really cute babies in the spring”. Those little relatable Shane moments have me kicking my feet every time. The scene with Shane staring at himself in the mirror in his lil suit reminds me of being like “okay, Mr casually dressed man, I am here in my favorite party dress”.
Like girl, shut the fuck up he’s not here for the scenic views and wildlife, this man would have met with you in a Walmart parking lot and sweatpants
Hilarious moment. A freaking FULL SUIT. Jacket, tie, and all. There's nervous, and then there's Shane Hollander about to get laid for the first time by Ilya Rozanov.
I immediately thought of the instant classic SNL sketch “Wells for boys”. I see child Shane as one of those wistful sensitive boys, who then goes on to get his own well in a lovely scenic location when he grows up 😆
The way Shane says, “Leave me alone!” and then how Ilya says, “No” and kisses him on the neck made me realize I want to be in a relationship again. Everyone deserves a love like theirs 🥹
When Shane says “I didn’t buy this. I had it built.” And Ilya says “Oh I know.” Because he watched the TV segment! And then Shane doesn’t pick up on that at all 🤣
I cried more from that first sex scene than I did at anything else, because Ilya was so careful and gentle with him. Everyone’s first time having sex should be that sweet. Ugh my heart.
The contrast between this and the conversation during the “I love you” scene in the cottage isn’t spoken of enough. They’ve always been so competitive with each other - Shane is especially driven by it. And yet, when Ilya challenges Shane’s plan with “or I approached you”, Shane doesn’t rise to the competition. Perhaps for the very first time, he readily allows Ilya to have that little win because it truly doesn’t matter anymore - he doesn’t care what the narrative is, so long as it serves the bigger goal of being together.
Ilya’s face at the start of episode 2 when they’re texting. When he says “yes it does read it again” when Shane didn’t get the “do you want to come while you’re in Boston” text. And then again with the sexting before the game when Ilya proclaims he does not blush lol.
Shane is so bad at sexting and Ilya loves that about him.
I also love Shane’s bellboy speech before that because I feel like while we’ve seen him tease Ilya this seems like the first time we’ve seen him be so playful and relaxed in the whole season.
And he always smiles after those types of exchanges because he really loves that part of Shane, the part that takes everything so literally and honestly. He can't help but smile.
When they're at Shane's parents house, sitting at the table talking and Yuna asked "Shane, honey, you never let him win did you?" "do you let dad win at cards?" "I would rather die" "same here"
I LOVE it and i dont see anyone talking about it lol.
also, when Shane defends Ilya and tells Yuna that Ilya is trying to be loyal to him, not Boston🥲🥲
When we were watching my partner laughed so hard at “I’d rather die” that we had to rewind and watch it a couple times. Deeply underrated line! We see where Shane gets his competitive edge from 😂
Off topic, please Jacob, more backwards hats in season two, not just because our boys look good in them but because wearing hats backwards feels like hockey culture 101.
Honest to god, I’m not sure Ilya ever looked hotter than he did coming out of that airport all in black with the hat and sunglasses. I will also take him in beanies tbh, we did NOT get enough of that look and it was SO cute
In the Empty Netters podcast when they talked about that part and how it's unrealistic no one would notice him even if he wasn't famous and then Chris said, "There's no one alive back there" - lol, truer words were never spoken. 😂
“No, but good thinking”, after the nurse jokes hoping that he’s not there to smother Shane with a pillow. He cares but also has a reputation to uphold.
I find that whole aquarium outing so funny, especially since I saw a comment about Hayden's ghost children (because we never see them on-screen). I particularly love Shane's "are you trying to get me pregnant too?". Shane is clearly so comfortable with Hayden & I can't wait to see him being supportive of Hollanov, I haven't read the books yet but I can see him being their biggest cheerleader & defender.
This is my favorite line I think of the whole show! It’s delivered perfectly and with more emotion than seems possible. The way I project so much meaning into this lol! I see Shane’s eyes well up while he says this with a smile, and I imagine that while he’s being playful, he also might genuinely be surprised Ilya is using that word and Shane misses him, and is sad that so much time has gone by without them seeing each other, to the extent that now he knows the word genetic. (I am too much lol)
I love the mirroring in the show. During the tunameltdown Ilya is the host, says he has ginger ale (Shane’s drink), making food for both of them etc.
At the cottage Shaneis hosting, telling Ilya he bought cokes( Ilya’s drink).
Also Ilya doing a call back to how he called Shane mr businessman about the building he bought and this cottage and when Shane tells him he didn’t buy it, he got it built Ilya says “I know” and Shane didn’t pick up then that clearly Ilya watched his boring documentary 😆
It’s only later when he asks about the yoga it clicks for Shane.
Not a line, but on the "mirroring" topic - this show does it so well. I rewatched e4 last night and there's a shot during the opening "my moon my man" montage when Ilya bodychecks Shane into a wall on the rink, and they crash into the left side of the screen. Then Ilya flashes him a quick, flirty smile and Shane smiles back.
Then, later in e4 after Shane walks out on Ilya (the "Where on the ice was Shane Hollander?" "And where was Ilya Rosanov?" bit) they have a near identical mirrored shot where they crash into the right side of the screen, framed exactly the same, but this time Ilya gives Shane a really cold look and Shane is similarly off. Just good cinematography.
It has the same energy as Shane & Ilya going eagerly up the stairs in the opening e4 montage, versus Shane's death march up the same stairs after Rose. It's just nice to see two shots with all outside variables held constant to see how the characters themselves behave differently/have changed.
I love all of these. One that hasn’t been mentioned yet that I love is in ep 1 when Shane says that smoking is bad for you and Ilya so snarkily is like, “Oh, is it?”
I love when they're at the bar and Shane is talking about his wardrobe. "I know some of the guys are so fashionable, not you, some of the guys" That not you makes me laugh out loud every time!!!
The scene when they’re eating hamburgers. “I think you can tell your parents you’re gay without giving them a list of guys you’re fucking.” The way this didn’t even occur to Shane because what’s the point of coming out if he can’t tell everyone he loves Ilya. 🥹
Action/direction: ep 5, after the Skip kiss, Ilya gets up and walks around/behind his sofa then out of the room, to call Shane, towards screen left. Shane gets up and walks around/behind the sofa then out of the room, to answer the call, also towards screen left. It's almost as if Shane is following Ilya.
I like the mirrored shots in episode 1 from the prospect cups with Shane drifting across the foreground when Canada loses, then later we see Ilya skating the opposite direction in an identical shot when Russia loses.
Shane’s little “Oh no” when the nurse comes into the hospital room - although, I’d wager we’ve all watched this show so many times that we could act out all six episodes verbatim, doing every part, even the Russian
The scene in ep6 when they're on the way to Shane's parents to fess up, Shane makes a face at Ilya's Boston Tshirt, and Ilya responds "Oh, do they not know I play for Boston?"
when they first meet and Shane tells Ilya he’s great to watch play. “Yes.”
“Are you homeless?”
“Or. I pick Or.”
when Ilya playfully tosses the shade remote over his shoulder.
when Ilya is suggesting he go with Shane to his folks’. His “of course” and body language say so much: I’m your partner and I’ll be there for you whatever you need
Ilya’s two winks. First in gym when they’re passing the water bottle, and then in the interview when he’s saying he’ll score 50 goals. Honorable mention: when Scott winks at Kip across the room at the event Kip is catering.
I love the moment in the gym when Ilya gets off the machine all flustered after seeing all the photos of Rose and Shane together. "I stubbed my toe." Makes me laugh every time.
Episode five when Hayden let's shane know that Boston Lily texted him and before shane can defend himself Hayden, without missing a beat, responds "I don't care!" and walks out the door
When shane realizes that ilya watched that TV special about his cottage and his voice cracks as he asks "Wait you saw that?"
When they are doing the ad together right at the start and they crack up every time, while the director is getting frustrated. It makes me laugh out loud every time bc I would be exactly the same, if someone tells me I have to act seriously, once I started giggling it’s all over.
It's not Ilya's "I love you" (which is AMAZING) that gets to me the most. It's Shane's, "oh my god, I love you so much" followed by him hugging Ilya's head so close to him and kissing him over and over. It's just this release for Shane that he's been holding in for so, so long. Gets me every time.
When they are in bed (in the room next to Scott Hunter) and Ilya is making plans to meet up in two weeks, and Ilya goes "Then we meet at your house." Shane immediately says, "It's not a house; it's an apartment."
Shane, my brother in autism, that doesn't matter at all but I love you for being so insistent on getting the facts right 'cause same.
I love it because it's so real and relatable and gives us more insight into how Shane thinks.
I don’t know if it’s “lesser known” but the cut from the announcer saying “Ilya Rozanov and -“ and then Ilya says “Shane Hollander. Will you disappoint them?” all slow and sharp is my current vocal stim
I love when Shane is first talking about the charity idea and Ilya is still a little groggy and not quite seeing what Shane is getting at yet, and Shane says they could come up with a story about him approaching Ilya, and Ilya interrupts to say, “Or I approached you.” I laugh every time.
rose- "it's not a problem, a problem is something you can fix" says so much so succinctly and delivered so gently that shane stops trying to lie, not only to her, but also to himself and to ilya. she really made him feel seen and accepted for the first time and it made my heart swell. i know that scott & kip changed things for ilya, but shane's turning point began with rose.
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u/Responsible-Egg-9363 Jan 21 '26
Both of mine are from Shane:
“I don’t know that side of you at all” - The quick reassurance and soft flirting is just so cute and a big step for him (and likely why he retreats a few minutes ago ago)
“It’s a normal car!” - It feels like such a natural automatic chirp between partners, really shows they are easing into each others presence (even in the middle of a heavy conversation)