A hockey show that shows only 14 minutes of ice time compared to 25 minutes of sex scenes has broken the internet. The TV adaptation of Rachel Reid’s “Heated Rivalry,” released in Dec. 2025, has skyrocketed, hitting 30 million views the week it was released. According to IMDb, it now ranks as the sixth most popular show in the United States.

     The show centers around hockey players Shane Hollander from Canada and Ilya Rozanov from Russia. The two spend eight years as “rivals” while having a secret relationship behind closed doors. But what is it about this show that has attracted so many people? 

     “I think people liked it because the actors are really hot, to be honest,” senior Nataliya Mikula said. “But also because it was a good representation of situationships and gay relationships, which lots of people can relate to in a way.”

     The show seems to be most popular among one particular group: women. There’s something about seeing two men have a relationship with so much chemistry and such gentle moments that seems to attract the female gaze.

     Shane and Ilya enter their relationship as equals. Their relationship isn’t rooted in misogyny, and their power dynamic seems completely balanced — something that is practically never shown in straight media and has restored the modern-day woman’s faith in men.

     It feels almost comforting to see two “macho” men be so loving and kind. It shows a whole other side to masculinity, something reassuring to people who have seen the overused archetype of available women and closed-off men in the media for so long.

     While there are so many people obsessing over the show, there are also those calling it “disgusting” and “pornographic.”

     The show has many sex scenes, but they’re more focused on emotional intimacy and character development. The scenes don’t exist purely for the purpose of being erotic, but to show another side to the characters and their relationships, one where they are vulnerable and communicate with each other.

     The very people hating on “Heated Rivalry” are likely the same who fawned over Shonda Rhimes’ “Bridgerton” when it debuted in 2020 — a show that also deals with explicit and erotic scenes. The glaring difference is that the “Heated Rivalry” couples are gay.

     The difference between the media’s attitude toward sexual content for heterosexual couples versus homosexual couples speaks volumes about the homophobia that we as a society still deal with on a daily basis. We see no problem with sex as long as it isn’t “too much,” which in society means the camera being focused on two men.

     While there has been a large share of homophobia targeted at the show, the hockey community has seen a different side to it. Real-life hockey player Jesse Kortuem came out as gay in January of this year after being inspired by the show. “Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport,” Kortuem said in an interview with Today. 

     “Heated Rivalry” isn’t just “gay porn” with a hockey subplot. It’s the first LGBTQ+ show to gain this much traction and media attention. It’s the show that brought a whole new audience to hockey games. It’s a commentary on the internal battle between your authentic and external self.