HBO Max’s newest series has viewers buzzing. “Heated Rivalry,” a romantic drama inspired by Rachel Reid’s book series “Game Changers,” dropped its first two episodes on the streaming service on Nov. 28 and left viewers wanting more.
The TV series follows two rival hockey players, Canadian Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), as they navigate their professional lives and mix business with pleasure.
Curious to know what all the fuss is about? Here’s everything you need to know about “Heated Rivalry” and how to watch the rest of the season.
What Is ‘Heated Rivalry’ About?
When hockey rivals Shane and Ilya meet each other as rookies, sparks fly. They embark on a secret fling that turns into a โyears-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery,โ per a press release.
โHeated Rivalryโ follows Shane and Ilya over the course of eight years while they “chase glory on the ice while struggling to navigate their feelings off it.”
A trailer for the series alludes to the covert nature of the hockey players’ tryst as a woman asks Shane if there are “any gay hockey players.”
“None that have said it publicly,” he replies.
After hooking up with Ilya, Shane addresses him, saying, “So you’re not going to tell anyone about this, are you?”
Elsewhere in the trailer, Ilya tells a woman he isn’t seeing anyone and she notices that he’s been texting a woman named Jane “for years.” As it turns out, Jane is the name Ilya uses for Shane in his phone.
“Torn between the sport they live for and the love they canโt ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there is room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile and as powerful as real love,” the press release reads.
Where to Watch ‘Heated Rivalry’
“Heated Rivalry” was originally created for the Canadian streaming service Crave.
The show is available to view in the U.S. and Australia on HBO Max.
After watching the first two episodes of โHeated Rivalry,โ many viewers are clamoring for more.
โOmg yes itโs happening!! I guess I donโt have to move to Canada just to watch this!๐โค,โ on YouTube user commented on the trailer.
Another viewer called HBOโs decision to pick up the show โthe best decision.โ
โEveryone please watch this legally if you can so we can get another season!โ one commented.
When Do New Episodes of ‘Heated Rivalry’ Come Out? Here’s the Schedule
The first two episodes of โHeated Rivalryโ (“Rookies” and “Olympians”) premiered on HBO Max on Nov. 28.
Additional episodes of the series will premiere each week through Dec. 26, 2025, when the finale airs.
Here’s the full episode schedule:
- Dec. 5: Episode 3 (โ******โ)
- Dec. 12: Episode 4 (โRoseโ)
- Dec. 19: Episode 5 (โIโll Believe in Anythingโ)
- Dec. 26: Episode 6 (โThe Cottageโ)
