Heated Rivalry: The Love Story That Took The Nation by Storm

Written by Bailey Kennedy

Canadian romance author Rachel Reid was already a fan favourite for her book series: Game Changers, but when it was adapted into a six-episode series released this winter, called Heated Rivalry, it took the nation by storm.

At By The North we celebrate all things Canadian- and there is nothing more Canadian in the news right now than Heated Rivalry. If you haven't heard about the show, Heated Rivalry, yet, you are in for a treat. The show, directed by Jacob Tierney, is an adaptation of Canadian author Rachel Reid's six-book queer-romance series Game Changers. The series revolves around two top hockey players who are known rivals, who secretly fall for each other. 

The Game Changers series written by Rachel Reid.

While I wouldn't normally pick up this series on my own, the marketing for the show was done remarkably well and caught my attention. They had commercials placed during actual NHL hockey games and released the finale the same day as the World Juniors opener game- the opening scene in the series - which was pure genius. I don’t know if it was an extremely well-executed plan or sheer luck, I’m guessing the former.

The marketing got me to the show, but the CHEMISTRY kept me there. These virtually unknown actors have become overnight household names from their onscreen chemistry and portrayal of their rivals-to-lovers hockey players. While the plot was meant to be rom-com, I still witnessed a lot of depth in the acting, and the season finale had me sobbing. Canadian actor Hudson Williams plays character Shane Hollander, and Texan Connor Storrie plays rival Ilya Rozanov, a Russian player with a complicated family history.

Characters Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander

Connor Storrie was a standout for me in the show, his face literally shapeshifting to turn himself into Ilya. I read that in order to stay in character Connor had to change his oral posture in order to accommodate the Russian accent, and he stayed in character at all times to keep it authentic. To create that Russian look from his usually broad, smiling face, he had to keep his tongue placement against the soft palate, a tighter mouth shape to create the pout and interviews have mentioned he stayed in that serious accent primed position even when he wasn't speaking on set. I was blown away when I saw him in the first round of interviews he did while on the press tour and was just as impressed!

The press tour the main characters have been on the last few weeks have also been some of the best PR I have seen in a while. The chemistry you see on screen is right there in real life and it’s said that they have become great friends along the way, which makes being a fan so much more fun. Fans both queer and straight are eating these two up because it's hard not to be giddy watching them interact.

Why is this show making such an impact?

The obvious answer is the portrayal of gay hockey athletes in a love story- the representation, recognition, challenges. The audience is brought along on this journey where the main characters battle who they are with who they think they’re allowed to be. The characters manage to speak volumes with just a quick look, a change in body language, a simple eye twitch. So much being communicated, with often times little dialogue. The story is showing us something that is still considered mainstream taboo; the NHL is the only North American men’s professional sports league without any openly gay players in its history. This had a lot of people talking and created a lot of intrigue for hockey fans and also non-hockey fans. Rachel Reid had said in past interviews that the characters are based off of the real life rivalry between NHL players Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.

As a Canadian, it was also really fun to watch knowing it was filmed right here at home, showcasing our country’s winter sport. It was even filmed on a shoestring budget using…wait for it… government grants!

In exciting news…

Heated Rivalry has just been renewed for season two!! But in the meantime, I will be purchasing the entire series and reading them (and I will report back). Want to read along with me? You can grab the series here.

If you want to watch the show, you can find it on Crave. Amazon Prime also has the first episode available for free (which is how they hooked me).