TV

Heated Rivalry

Peacock·2024·Created by Jacob Tierney·Based on Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
17 think pieces
1
GQ·interview
'Heated Rivalry' Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams Talk Hockey, Sex Scenes, and Overnight Success

Two unknown actors became overnight stars after their raunchy gay hockey drama unexpectedly jumped from a tiny Canadian streamer to HBO's 54 million homes.

— shared by moth

Score: 72Read at gq.com
Entertainment Weekly·Mekishana Pierre
'Heated Rivalry' creator addresses Jordan Firstman's criticism of show's sex scenes: 'Why are we looking for enemies?'

The creator of *Heated Rivalry*, Canada's breakout queer hockey romance, fires back at Jordan Firstman's viral critique that the show's sex scenes feel inauthentic to gay experience, defending the right of straight women to write queer stories with empathy and allyship. Tierney also reveals that Firstman has since privately apologized to the cast, adding a reconciliatory wrinkle to a debate that has exposed real fault lines around queer authorship, representation, and who gets to police the authenticity of gay intimacy on screen.

Read at ew.com
Graceful (Substack)·Grace Smith
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid — Review + Discussion

Grace reviews Rachel Reid's gay hockey romance *Heated Rivalry* — enemies-to-lovers, secret hookups, high stakes. Worth it if you're curious what's driving romance reader buzz.

Read at graceful.substack.com
The New Yorker·Michael Schulman
TV Review: “Heated Rivalry,” Streaming on HBO Max and Crave | The New Yorker

Two closeted NHL rivals secretly hook up for a decade while battling on ice. HBO Max's surprise hit is a smart, steamy queer love story.

Read at newyorker.com
Slate
Heated Rivalry review: The show’s big gay “problem” was solved long ago.

*Heated Rivalry* pairs hot hockey players with tired "are they gay?" hand-wringing. The sex scenes deliver; the identity politics are decades behind.

Read at slate.com
Le Noir Auteur
TV Review: Heated Rivalry, Episode 1 and 2 - Le Noir Auteur

Heated Rivalry's HBO Max debut is visually stunning with electric chemistry between leads — sex scenes bold, humor intact, time jumps slightly rough.

Read at lenoirauteur.net
The Guardian
Heated Rivalry review – these physically perfect people have so much sex it’s tedious | Television | The Guardian

Gay ice hockey rivals can't stop having sex — but Sky Atlantic's glossy adaptation is too busy with perfect bodies to bother with real emotion.

Read at theguardian.com
Fansplaining·commentary·Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
The Success of Heated Rivalry Should Not Be a Surprise — Fansplaining

*Heated Rivalry* is a runaway hit because it does what romance novels do perfectly. Hollywood keeps acting surprised; Romancelandia isn't.

Score: 77Read at fansplaining.com
Vulture·feature
The Hunt for the Next Heated Rivalry Is Not That Simple

*Heated Rivalry* hit big, but HBO's Casey Bloys warns Hollywood against cloning it — chasing lightning in a bottle rarely works.

Score: 72Read at vulture.com
Entertainment Weekly·interview·Nick Romano
The 'Heated Rivalry' sex talk with creator Jacob Tierney: 'We're making smut. Let's go!'

*Heated Rivalry* creator Jacob Tierney explains why he refused to shy away from explicit gay sex scenes: "We're making a horny show. Let it be horny."

Score: 72Read at ew.com
Attitude·interview
Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney on gay storytelling, DMs from closeted athletes and critics calling the series unrealistic (EXCLUSIVE)

Creator Jacob Tierney opens up about fighting industry homophobia to make *Heated Rivalry*, the gay hockey romance now topping HBO Max charts worldwide.

Score: 72Read at attitude.co.uk
Los Angeles Times·feature·Max Gao
How ‘Heated Rivalry’ changed the game for Canadian TV - Los Angeles Times

*Heated Rivalry* — a queer hockey romance on a small Canadian streamer — unexpectedly went global. Here's how its creators plan to keep it proudly Canadian in Season 2.

Score: 72Read at latimes.com