A Sizzling but Soulless Ice Hockey Romance: 'Heated Rivalry' Falls Flat
The new drama series "Heated Rivalry" is making waves on HBO Max with its steamy gay romance and hockey-tastic premise. However, beneath the surface of this sexy sports drama lies a lackluster storyline that fails to deliver on its promise.
Creator Jacob Tierney's bold decision to base the show on a series of novels by Canadian writer Rachel Reid may have been intended as a nod to current trends in "hate-to-love" romance. Instead, it serves as a reminder that sometimes less is more when it comes to storytelling.
The focus on sex scenes often overshadows the actual hockey action, leaving viewers feeling like they're missing out on some of the most exciting aspects of ice sports. And let's be real – who needs to see athletes in their underwear when you could be watching them slapshot their way to victory?
Speaking of which, the show's attempts at exploring themes of masculinity and homoeroticism in sport come across as shallow and unconvincing. The characters' motivations are muddled, and their dialogue is often cringe-worthy.
One bright spot is Connor Storrie's portrayal of Ilya Rozanov, the mercurial Russian player with a penchant for charisma and machismo. His performance steals even the most lackluster scenes, making it clear that he's far too talented for the material he's working with.
Ultimately, "Heated Rivalry" feels like a show that's content to exploit gay culture without truly understanding its complexities. It's a shame, because with more thoughtful storytelling and character development, this could have been something special.
As it stands, "Heated Rivalry" is a sizzling but soulless romance that will likely leave you feeling hot and bothered – not in a good way. If you're looking for a show that will truly respect you in the morning, look elsewhere.
Rating: 2/5 stars
The new drama series "Heated Rivalry" is making waves on HBO Max with its steamy gay romance and hockey-tastic premise. However, beneath the surface of this sexy sports drama lies a lackluster storyline that fails to deliver on its promise.
Creator Jacob Tierney's bold decision to base the show on a series of novels by Canadian writer Rachel Reid may have been intended as a nod to current trends in "hate-to-love" romance. Instead, it serves as a reminder that sometimes less is more when it comes to storytelling.
The focus on sex scenes often overshadows the actual hockey action, leaving viewers feeling like they're missing out on some of the most exciting aspects of ice sports. And let's be real – who needs to see athletes in their underwear when you could be watching them slapshot their way to victory?
Speaking of which, the show's attempts at exploring themes of masculinity and homoeroticism in sport come across as shallow and unconvincing. The characters' motivations are muddled, and their dialogue is often cringe-worthy.
One bright spot is Connor Storrie's portrayal of Ilya Rozanov, the mercurial Russian player with a penchant for charisma and machismo. His performance steals even the most lackluster scenes, making it clear that he's far too talented for the material he's working with.
Ultimately, "Heated Rivalry" feels like a show that's content to exploit gay culture without truly understanding its complexities. It's a shame, because with more thoughtful storytelling and character development, this could have been something special.
As it stands, "Heated Rivalry" is a sizzling but soulless romance that will likely leave you feeling hot and bothered – not in a good way. If you're looking for a show that will truly respect you in the morning, look elsewhere.
Rating: 2/5 stars
i mean, the hockey scenes r cool and all, but like, who needs sex scenes to make up for it? 
also, the characters feel so one-dimensional, it's hard to connect with them. Connor Storrie is tho a lifesaver in this show lol he's the only 1 who brings some real fire 
idk if i'll keep watching, but maybe they'll step up their game 
I mean, can't we get some actual hockey action going on? The hockey is literally just background noise while everyone's busy getting cozy with each other 
And don't even get me started on the themes of masculinity and homoeroticism – they're like trying to squeeze a lot of flavor into a bland soufflé 
But honestly, with more depth and nuance in the writing and character development, this could've been a real winner 
️ As it stands, it feels like just another shallow attempt at exploiting gay culture 
️ The romance is steamy but the actual storyline is meh... it's like they prioritized sexy hockey moves over actually showing some skills on the ice 
And don't even get me started on how shallow the exploration of masculinity and homoeroticism in sport is... 
I mean, can we just have a show that actually understands its own themes? 
The only bright spot was Connor Storrie's performance as Ilya Rozanov - he saved this trainwreck for me! 
Connor Storrie's Ilya Rozanov is literally the only reason i'm still watching. his character's got more depth than the whole show put together 
. and can we talk about how they handled the masculinity theme? total mess 
. anyway, 2/5 stars from me 