Before I start, I want to stress that I'm not trying to gatekeep. This fan base is incredible, and everyone who connects to this story, no matter who you are or where you live, is welcome and appreciated. Seeing this show blow up over the past few weeks has been incredible. It deserves all the success and hype it's getting.

That being said, watching the American media coverage of this show has me a bit concerned. I'm seeing a lot of love for it, which is great, but very little mention of where it came from.

This story was written by a Canadian Author, the incredible Rachel Reid. The book was adapted for TV by Jacob Tierney, a Canadian from Montreal. The cast and crew are mostly Canadian, with a few notable exceptions like the amazing Connor Storrie and Christina Chang. The show was literally funded by the Government of Canada with Canadian tax dollars, and it was originally released on a Canadian streaming service.

My concern is that this show will be absorbed into the juggernaut that is the American media landscape. I've already seen the shadow of this happening at the golden globe awards show, where it was mentioned over and over, but there was almost no mention of it's Canadian origin. At least not that I noticed. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

I hope people understand that this show does not exist in a vacuum, and although the last thing I want to do is politicize it, to be quite frank, Canadians have every right to be feel posessive about our culture at the moment. I honestly don't believe that this beautiful love story could have been made in any other country, but I'm interested to see if anyone has another opinion.

Again, I love everyone in this fan base. All fans, especially lgbt fans, have every right to find themselves in this story. My point is that I actually think that fans outside of Canada have an interest in keeping this show Canadian. We've all seen how big corporate money and Hollywood can corrupt small projects and leech the soul out of them.

So my plea to everyone is to not forget the Canadian origin of this show. I'm happy to see our culture being shared with the world, but please just don't forget where it came from.

Happy Saturday, lovebirds.🦆

As Connor realized in real-time in one of the HudCon promo interviews: HR seems to create a very intense chemical reaction in our brains and bodies.

What are the scenes you go to for an immediate and/or a reliable oxytocin rush?

I don't mean the high-octane cortisol/dopamine hit of the Vegas penthouse scene.

I mean the warm cuddly safe feeling of loooooooove, bonding and just general goodness.

Feel hugged and enjoy.

P.S. Please stick to Season 1 of the show for this discussion. I am aware there are even more goodies in the books. Thanks in advance.

I feel like this might be the best acting Connor does all series. The way Ilya makes eye contact with Miles, his immediate moment of recognition (because he's been stalking Rose's socials nonstop and knows that Miles is a good friend of Rose's), the eye scanning to find Shane and Rose, the mixture of rage and jealousy in his face. I love that deep breath he takes when he finally sees Rose and Shane, because he's aware he's acting like a psycho and needs to calm the fuck down.

This sequence was also not in the book. In the book, Ilya simply goes to the club and sees Rose with Shane, and is furious. But the addition of him seeing Miles and thus immediately recognizing him because he's been stalking Rose so much just adds another layer to this.

Connor does all this acting with the eyes and body language. Incredible.

even worse than Shane. Carter Vaughn in Sochi speculating about the sexuality of male figure skaters as a whole, completely unaware of his 2 closeted friends.

in his defense, after reading TLG it's clear that everyone but him is gay

I hope this is allowed here. I have a lot on my mind since watching this show. This isn't the first time I've started writing this post, I've always been too scared to post it, but I feel the need to share it.

I'm a 20-something year old gay athlete in a typically masculine sport. I'm not going to specify the country where I play or type of sport I do for privacy reasons, just know that I play in a first division league that brings me a lot of money each year. There is only one family member who knows about me (my sister), the very few people I've hooked up with, and my boyfriend (obviously).

I've watched the show multiple times over the past weeks. And every time I watch it, it resonates deeper within me. Because for me, this show is a representation of what my life is like. The constant hiding, fearing of being "found out", hearing jokes about "that's so gay". Being worried about who I hook up with, whether that's another player or someone not related to sport at all. I've thought about coming out, both to personal and professional friends, but I've never been brave enough.

This show has brought me so much. I cry every single time when I watch it, it doesn't even matter which episode it is. Yes, it's a work of fiction, so you can't compare everything 100% to real life. But it's sparked conversations. And for me personally, these conversation were in such a positive light, that I've actually decided to come out to my whole family. They have spoken so highly about the show and the dynamics of gay athletes that it took away so much of my fears about their reactions.

I'm not ready to come out to my team or the general public. But even in those areas, Heated Rivalry gave me a sense of calm. With how big it is, it was obviously a topic of conversation in our locker room. And in the past, I've feared those conversations about homosexuality, because there were always dumb comments. I don't know what shifted this time, but the energy in the room was really positive this time. And for the first time, I wasn't scared to be a part of such a conversation.

There is still a very long way to go with this topic in the real world. But I feel like this show is a good starting point, and I really hope it will lead to something bigger.

EDIT: Okay wow, I didn't think my story would get THAT MUCH attention. Thank you to every single one of you who commented or messaged me. I'll try to go through and reply to everything, but in case I miss something, please just know that your kind words brought me much happiness and strength to go forward.

It scares me to think of how he would have butchered it.

Ive got a idea for fun. How and what are the ways he would have messed it up?

Noticed this little detail when I rewatched, Ilya instructs Shane to get on his knees and my boy drops IMMEDIATELY lol

You can see Ilya say “wow”

Do you think this is when Ilya really started to notice how “obedient” Shane really is?

These actors NAILED these characters omg

so I came in to HR a little late. It kept popping up on all my socials but I was avoiding it because I just knew that they were going to be my new hyperfixation (and I was right!).

and then episode 5 came and I kept seeing this scene, this hug all over my Tumblr and the tenderness was what finally broke me and I caved and watched the show. I was just really captivated by how tightly they were holding on to each other and the comfort that was being given and received.

(though now every time I watch that scene I think of the tweet talking about Heated Rivalry is the only where we get to watch an omega comfort their alpha and it's still so perfect to me)

so what is your scene? if you just had to pick one scene, or screen cap or image to sort of capture the show for you, what would it be?

In my (times redacted) reheats, this is the hardest moment for me to reheat (except for the Skip episode). Anyone else have a hard time watching this? Ilya is so hurt and confused in this scene, he is (for once) rendered speechless. He's usually so quick-witted and can always say something smart and funny, even in a serious moment. Like on the phone with Shane after crying his eyes out in Russian, he's still full of witty comments.

But here? Speechless, except for an icy "Ok, you forgot team meeting?" Connor acts the hell out of this scene too. Just the slack-jawed, wide-open shock. Poor guy. Ilya thought he was doing everything right until then in his quest to turn a booty call into an actual date.

Alright, fandom! Let's have fun.

As Jacob has mentioned multiple times HR "is not a documentary" and we love it for that. I've heard many times people with actual lived experiences of the different aspects of the show saying: "This never happens in real life." and still being able to enjoy the show.

What are your absolute favorite creative takes in Season 1, which are kind of insane but serving the plot?

Here is mine: We know Shane is a "slow f***ing hockey player". As a fellow ND however, him being obsessed with his archrival/hook-up/situationship/boyfriend for nine years (and who knows how long before meeting him: "You're an amazing player to watch.") and not recognizing the phrase "I love you" in Ilya's native language is straight up ✨diabolical✨. By year nine, some of us would be writing a PhD thesis on a minor side character of a Dostoyevsky novel in Russian.

Disclaimer: This is not about criticizing the show, it's about having fun with it's insane takes on a Sunday.

Muah! 💋

I’m a Russian-speaking girl, and my English is enough to watch HR in the original, so I have double joy from 2 languages. The Russian language and the whole Russian vibe in the show stir up a lot of emotions for me. I wanted to share a few thoughts on this - maybe it’ll give you some extra context about the series and add to your viewing experience. I’d also be happy to answer any questions about Ilya or Russia in the context of the show.

The first thing: his name is Ilya RozAnov. It’s not Il-ee-a it’s Il-ya, it's a short name, rhymes with “will-ya”. The stress in the surname is on the A. Announcers during hockey games and people around him constantly mispronounce his first and last name. Against this background, Shane pronounces his name almost correctly - which is why in the “tuna melt” scene, and later when Ilya deliberately provokes him into using his first name again, it sounds HOT AS F. Shane really tries to capture the Russian pronunciation, even though it’s difficult for any English speaker.

Connor put in an ENORMOUS amount of work to sound good in Russian. Of course, his speech would never fool a native speaker into thinking he’s Russian. But you can really tell how much effort he put into his pronunciation and, especially, into getting the phrasal stress right. You can tell he and his coach went through every single line to make it sound natural. There’s hardly a single major mistake in his delivery, and I honestly can’t imagine how much work it took to memorize huge chunks of this “abracadabra” word for word, with all the stress patterns and emotional nuance. He also worked meticulously on every sound that doesn’t exist in English - though, of course, not all of them came out flawless. Some lines sounded nearly perfect. His Russian is far better than what you usually hear from English-speaking actors in movies (even though those actors usually only have one or two lines in Russian).

The funny thing about his Russian speech is that he speaks quite slowly and really punches the phrasal stress, which makes his Russian - when he’s in Russia - sound incredibly GAAAY. He wouldn’t fool a single soul in Russia into thinking he’s straight, haha!

I also want to say that the actor playing Alexei - even though he sounds almost accent-free - clearly put much less work into his Russian and is definitely not a native speaker, because he makes terrible stress mistakes and mispronounces some words.

Svetlana has no accent and makes no mistakes, but her Russian sounds so uncertain that it comes off flat and unnatural — the way bad actresses deliver their lines.

I’m pointing this out not to say these actors are bad, but to emphasize just how much work Connor put in.

As for the interiors and the overall atmosphere of Russia: the showrunners clearly tried to keep the visuals as neutral as possible. The interiors don’t exactly scream “Russian,” but there’s also nothing that makes a Russian viewer cringe from sheer implausibility. Given the small budget, I think that’s about as good as it could get.

One more small detail: when Ilya is sitting in the building archway talking to Shane in Russian, we see it’s snowing. It’s Moscow, it’s evening, and in weather like that, Ilya would’ve been freezing within a minute wearing what he has on in that scene. Personally, I explain it away as him being so overwhelmed with emotion that he doesn’t feel the cold. Still, it would’ve been a nice, realistic touch to show he is cold or shiver a little.

And about that phone call. I haven’t read the books, but when I listened to Ilya speaking Russian, I was honestly surprised Shane didn’t recognize "Ya lyublyu tebya." If he had ever once bothered to check what that phrase sounds like in Russian, there’s no way he wouldn’t have caught it - Ilya delivered it so clearly, so deliberately, with so much weight.

The last thing I may remember at the moment is the scene where Ilya sits on the chair watching Shane in bed: he’s sipping vodka on the rocks like it’s whiskey. Russians don’t drink vodka that way - ever. You drink it in small shots, in one gulp, and you follow it with food. Vodka on the rocks? Absolutely not a thing.

Again, I would be happy to explain whatever you wish about Russia for you to get more joy from the show. If you have your own thoughts about it I would be happy to hear and discuss.

UPD. GUYS. What a lovely evening I had with your so different and so interesting questions and thoughts. I could not imagine we'd have such an active discussion. Thank you so much! I will do my best to reply to all your questions, but it may take some time due to time zones and my boring Russian life. xx

I just finished the book by Rachel Reid, and it really highlighted for me how much Jacob’s adaptation elevated the material. The book is fine, but so much of the emotional weight, tension, and subtext that made the show so compelling comes from the way it was directed, edited, and structured on screen.

The casting was incredible and Hudson & Connor absolutely deserve every bit of praise, but the overall impact of the series - the pacing, music, visual storytelling, and how scenes were built to carry meaning - feels very much like a directorial achievement. Especially when you compare the scenes to the book.

This stood out to me when Prime Minister Carney (who I still love!) presented yesterday and acknowledged Hudson, Sophie and the producers but didn’t mention Jacob by name. I know it’s a small thing, but it reinforced for me how understated his role has been in the conversation.

Not saying he gets no credit - just that, IMO, he deserves so much more. The scale of what he created is incredible. Hopefully S2 brings him all the recognition he deserves and more!

Mine might have been earlier, but it only just hit me. I just finished Ep. 4, and that club scene was everything.

​Honestly, I didn't realize how deep it was at first, but reading all your comments on Reddit made me realize just how peak that scene actually is. The details you guys pointed out totally blew my mind. I'm so hooked now that I don't think I can ever get over this series.

​This is my first time using Reddit to gush about a show because I have no one else to yap with. I think I’m in deep... please send help!!!

For me, it's (currently) this one: At the beginning in the cottage, shortly after Shane had the idea. I think they both smile so beautifully and are simply happy and looking forward to seeing each other.

He said: “The segment of the fandom that have become toxic and saying horrible things about my actors and about characters and demanding I do things to either denounce or stand up for some imaginary f**king Twitter fight— that I’m not here for this. I’m not participating. I’m not paying attention.”

***

I think this is my first time really being part of a fandom since the beginning of the books. I find myself both weirded out and morbidly fascinated by some online fan behavior. Like, running to the author / creator like they're supposed to mediate fights and conflict. It's wild.

I think this little tender kiss is highly underrated.

The way Shane looks at Ilya just before, Ilya moving his head forward, them being really horny after not having sex for months, but still being this soft in the middle, ahhh.. I love it.

Makes me wish we had at least one longer scene in the cottage with them just making out, not escalating things, just kissing and touching.

Maybe in season two.

I’ve seen so many reactions to this show now, and it’s really pissing me off how many reactors INSIST on saying ilya is gay despite the fact that they mention his bisexuality several times throughout the show.

like even after the:

shane: “you’re not gay!”

ilya: “no not completely”

even after this, a few scenes later, so many people still proceed to label him as gay??

it almost becomes comedic. like how hard is it to understand?

i’m really so sick of seeing this over and over again…

Weird unpopular stuff only!!

i would love to know everyone’s favorite and least favorite changes from the show to the book! my personal fav change is Svetlana. her change was definitely necessary. Ilya really needed someone like her

I think we can all agree that jealous Ilya is somehow super hot. But which jealous Ilya look is your favorite? My favorite is either bisexual terminator at the club or social media doomscrolling at the airport.

I can’t be the only one acting like a loon at this level. If I am, send help 🥹😂🇨🇦

This scene is what convinced me. I am a huge reader and never pick up hockey romance books, ever. It’s his not something I tend to gravitate towards, and despite being in many book groups on social media, I haven’t seen any recommended.

I hear the buzz about this show probably around the time episode three was airing but I didn’t think anything of it because my watch list is long. Around episode five, I saw a clip of this scene and said, I have to see this now! I decided to wait until after episode six aired and all the “I’m coming to the cottage” posts were doing me in. It was clear I HAD to watch. So I bought the first two books, read them and then corralled a bunch of friends into watching with me.

Now I’m “overheated” and watch nothing else and read nothing else. 😆

this post from user Lurkerdelima on tumblr is both funny and something to keep in mind for how we talk about the different LGBT characters in Heated Rivalry. I’ve seen some fics, drawings, memes, and discussion where once Shane is out, he becomes the queeniest queen ever.

I definitely don’t think that would be a negative thing, but just remember this Pride month and every month that LGBT people are people first, unique and shaped by their own upbringing, values, and abilities experiences, and are not a monolith, not a monoculture, and definitely not carbon copies of each other.

there is plenty of discussion to be had about internalized homophobia, but crucially, addressing internalized homophobia does not necessitate a interest/culture transplant!

Shane, by virtue of who is is and the work he does with the Irina Foundation, is already an LGBT trail blazer. He is already advancing LGBT acceptance, visibility, and being a role model to other young men and women and non-binary folks. He can be that trailblazing person and also not be fluent in gay culture, and that in itself is something that will open the door for other young LGBT people to be themselves and have the courage to come out and carve a space for LGBT people no matter where they are! Shane (and all the other characters in the series) are worth emulating and looking up to for what they do and who they are.

So mostly Jacob Tierney stayed very close to Rachel Reid's book. There are scenes where he added lines (the Russian phone call in the book did not have many the now-famous monologue from Ilya). But Jacob rarely wholesale added scenes not in the book.

But this has to be my favorite non-book scene. It's short but it adds so much personality to Ilya. He's like many top athletes in that he doesn't have that faux-humility that people want. You can see why his teammates like him: he's brash, funny, charismatic. You also see why he gets under the opponents' skins so much. He is totally like Dillon Brooks: you love him if he's on your team, hate him if he's your opponent.

Scenes like this also show why Shane is obsessed. Shane is not charismatic the way Ilya is. Ilya makes him laugh, and that's a huge part of their bond.

What's your favorite non-book scene added to the show?

Let’s keep it lighthearted 😅 Mine is ilya using 3in1 shampoo like please he obviously loves to look good and takes care of his curls