Finally, a Truly Feminist Pornographic Production? All heat, no rivalry.

In a landscape where queer stories have been increasingly sidelined or sanitized, Heated Rivalry feels like a step in a different direction. It depicts high-profile, masculine athletes in a way that doesn’t shy away from their raw desire. I will admit, in the current climate, there is something undeniably appealing about that. This show may be a sign that “Woke” is back, but unfortunately, the show just isn’t very good.

The series operates on a bizarre sort of porn logic. From the lighting to the staging, the scenery mirrors high-production adult films; I swear I’ve seen these exact luxury condos on PornHub before. It is “Feminist Pornography” in a suit; it gives us the gaze we’ve been craving but forgets that even an erotic fantasy needs a heart to sustain it once we’ve busted our nut.

While the sexual nature and graphic MLM sex is intriguing to me (sue me) and the leads are undeniably beautiful , the appeal stops at the skin. The characters are frustratingly flat, devoid of any real arc or meaningful development. Shane remains the boring, stoic protagonist, and Ilya plays the cocky-yet-fun rival to a fault. We rarely see them evolve beyond these basic archetypes. It feels like a lot of post nut clarity to me.

What really makes them tick? What is actually going on in their heads? As the episodes drag on with incoherent plotting and odd structure, you begin to wonder if the show is a meta-commentary on the sport of hockey itself. Maybe the stereotypes about hockey players being shallow and a bit dim are actually true, because these two certainly don’t offer much else. Does Shane have anything to say but “fuck you” and “you’re such an asshole”? Does Ilya have things to say besides “Dad”, “Hollander”, and “boring”?

The technical flaws only add to the disconnect. Between the distracting LED screen background scenes with weird AI touch ups on their faces. (thanks Mandalorian!) and the narrative voids.

If it’s going to be a hot fan fiction, okay then lean into that! Let Shane get pregnant, maybe Ilya actually comes from a family of vampires. Givem e something to hook me. I’ve watched a lot of bad TV including Good Girls or Goliath or many other USA network shows. I don’t need full on prestige tv to stayed interested. Just give me a narrative and character developement. Besides the 2 Leads and their brief transitions to the bedroom, what other characters do we even really get a look into?

Heated Rivalry feels like a missed opportunity. It’s a disservice to the audience. Both those who enjoy a sexy drama and the LGBTQ+ community who deserve stories with more depth than a sterile penthouse floor. We’ve finally been given something representative that flies in the face of current trite right wing culture moment ; it’s just a shame it’s as hollow as the set it was filmed on.