Heated Rivalry: sex-heavy romance struggles to build character

The Guardian review of Heated Rivalry says the series centres on frequent sex between its young male ice hockey rivals, a choice that makes much of the early episodes feel tedious. The review highlights the work of intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter and situates that role in the post‑#MeToo era, when such coordinators became more prominent to protect actors.

The two leads are Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), whose mother manages his career and commercial deals, and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), raised under a harsh system with a demanding father and a resentful brother. Their secret relationship plays out across fancy hotel rooms, apartments and architect‑designed cabins; the reviewer says the hockey scenes are kept to a minimum and are far from fascinating, while the on‑screen banter can grow repetitive (“You’re boring,” Ilya says; “You’re an asshole,” Shane replies).

The review notes a turning point when a second relationship is introduced: Shane’s teammate Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and his partner Kip (Robbie GK), which episode three devotes to and which provides emotional depth. The second half of the show lets the main pair grow and mixes sex with more intimacy, the reviewer says, but argues there is still only just enough of the other elements needed for a rewarding story.

Key Topics

Culture, Heated Rivalry, Chala Hunter, Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Jacob Tierney