As of February 2026, the critically-acclaimed show Heated Rivalry became HBO Max’s top performing scripted series ever. The Canadian hockey/romance drama racked up 10.6 million viewers in just its 3rd month of streaming. In addition to its record-breaking popularity with viewers, the show is a hit with critics as well. It was “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, amassing positive reviews from 96% of critics. On IMdB, each of the six episodes boasts a rating of 9.1 or higher, including episodes 5 and 6 which each boast ratings of 8.8. This puts both episodes in rarified company with such prestige dramas as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, and The Sopranos.

Aside from the acclaim (or perhaps because of it), the show has received a good amount of controversy. Some viewers complained about the overt sexual nature of the show, saying a good love story — queer or not — shouldn’t need intimate scenes to fill the narrative. But fans were always quick to clap back, referencing Lenny Abrahamson’s Normal People as well as the hit Netflix show, Bridgerton, both of which are arguably just as sexual, albeit between straight couples. Viewers argued whether  the concerns were truly about the intimate scenes, or were they perhaps due to internalized (or externalized) homophobia? Regardless, the hate did little to overwhelm the show’s success.

Heated Rivalry follows two loveable main characters, Shane, a high-achieving, Asian-American hockey player, and Ilya, Russian hockey player who is laid back, but often emotionally unavailable. The boys meet at the start of their rookie season in the NHL, and over the course of 10 years, they develop a casual, hook-up based relationship. The emotional turmoil and angst that makes the show so enjoyable comes in when both boys start to develop romantic feelings for each other. However, for Ilya, living a life with Shane means never being able to return to his home country, and for Shane it means losing his high status on one of the best teams in the (incredibly homophobic) league. 

Many argue that the show is incredibly deserving of its widespread praise. It has been labeled by fans as both awe-inspiring and beautiful. Fans also say it depicts an accurate queer love story, where internalized homophobia and the struggles of queer athletes are as front-and-center as the authenticity of the relationship between Shane and Ilya. 

The show has been so impactful, in fact, that it has been responsible for some queer athletes to come public with their identity. Jesse Kortuem, a former NHL star, credited Heated Rivalry as his inspiration when he came out as gay to the public in January 2026.