How a gay hockey romance became a global phenomenon
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 December 2025
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“Heated Rivalry,” a TV adaption of Rachel Reid’s gay romance novel, has taken social media feeds and group chats by storm. Thanks to a deal with HBO, this Canadian TV show has been steaming up living rooms across North America, and has become one of the streamer’s most-watched shows.
The series centers on two rival hockey players, Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov, who in public are fierce competitors but in private nurture a blossoming romance.
Today on “Post Reports,” host Martine Powers speaks with Lifestyle reporter Rachel Kurzius and Style reporter Shane O’Neill to talk about the show’s depictions of gay intimacy, why this extremely steamy show has struck a chord with audiences, and what it says about our collective anxieties around sex and relationships.
Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was mixed by Sam Bair. And edited by Peter Bresnan.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Okay, guys, so when we decided that we were going to have this conversation about the show, Heated Rivalry, I was like, oh, let me start watching the trailer for the show at my desk at work. |
| 0:12.2 | And then you got an HR violation? |
| 0:13.9 | Well, I started watching the trailer and was like, oh, no. |
| 0:18.4 | And then I was like, let me go into an office and start watching, and then that was too |
| 0:21.7 | much. I ended up just staying up until 1 o'clock the morning last night watching the show, because |
| 0:26.1 | it seems like that's the only right way to do it. I think that's right. You need the kiddos in bed |
| 0:30.8 | before you can turn on this show and fully enjoy it to the maximum potential. |
| 0:40.2 | From the newsroom of the Washington Post, this is Post reports. |
| 0:44.4 | I'm Martine Powers. |
| 0:46.1 | It's Thursday, December 18th. |
| 0:48.7 | Today, we are talking about heated rivalry. |
| 0:52.8 | It's a new show on HBO Max that has been getting a lot of attention. |
| 0:57.1 | It follows two young male pro hockey players, |
| 1:00.6 | the reserved and cautious Canadian Shane Hollander |
| 1:03.9 | and the brash and cocky Russian, Ilya Rosenoff. |
| 1:08.3 | In public, they are fierce competitors, |
| 1:14.2 | and in private, they nurture a blossoming romance. |
| 1:25.2 | The show is based on a book that has now reached the New York Times bestseller list, and the TV adaptation has shot to the top of HBO Max's viewing charts. |
| 1:31.7 | Part of what's got everybody talking about this show is how this relationship is depicted. |
| 1:37.8 | And here's where I need to mention that this episode will talk about sex and might not be appropriate for kids who are listening. |
| 1:40.1 | Because as you'll hear, one thing that's notable about heated rivalry is its frank and vivid depictions of gay intimacy. |
| 1:49.2 | I sat down with lifestyle reporter Rachel Curzius and post-style reporter Shane O'Neill to talk about why this extremely steamy show has struck a chord with audiences and what it says about our collective |
... |
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