If you’ve been paying attention to pop culture in recent months, you’ll have noticed a particular
Canadian-made limited series that has completely transcended all it’s expectations. Yes, I’m
talking about Heated Rivalry, the Crave Original show starring Conner Storrie and Hudson
Williams. It’s safe to say that the show has taken the world by storm, completely infiltrating
mainstream media, even landing the leading men a spot at the Golden Globes.
So what exactly is it that made Heated Rivalry such a big hit? Especially as it premiered within
the same time frame as the final season of Stranger Things—a show with a cult-like following,
and a billion-dollar budget. Is it the steamy scenes? The emotional growth of the main
protagonists? The investment in their romance? All of these can be true at once, but something in
particular makes Heated Rivalry stand out.
In many ways, it breaks the mold of what—in theory—makes a show successful. When you look
at other media, it’s often the same celebrity faces who consistently are at the center of
big-budget films as a way to guarantee a solid market to sell for. Production studios know that if
they put a big name in their film, their diehard fans will be more than happy to sit down and
watch whatever it is they’ve created.
Similarly, the stories being told usually conform to a typical expectation of what producers think
audiences want. There has been an over-saturation of sequels and remakes, and reboots that it’d
felt as though television had lost its sense of creativity. The repetitive cycle of reused talent, and
rehashed plotlines has made shows lose their edge, making viewers crave something more.
This is where Heated Rivalry comes in.
Adapted from Rachel Ried’s novel series, the show was working on a relatively small budget
with limited amount of time to shoot and actors that no one had ever heard of. Not to mention,
originally set to air on a platform that didn’t have nearly as many subscribers in comparison to
services such as Netflix or even Disney+. Of course, the show was also picked up by HBO Max,
but nonetheless is a Crave Original. In many ways, it shouldn’t have been as successful as it did.
But, these qualities made the show what it was, and brought in audiences for that very reason.
The refreshingness of seeing new, talented actors on screen who were trying to tell a story that
breaks away from the conventional standards for what a romance story should look like. Two
men falling in love, especially within the confines of a toxic sports environment, is really
breaking a boundary and considering the fact that the NHL has never had an openly gay hockey
player is telling of the reality and message that the show sheds light on. It explores a world that
may be all too real for athletes in all kinds of fields.
For this, the show is pretty groundbreaking. It opens up the need for more original stories to be
told, and to find ways of making shows that don’t feel so cookie-cutter. I think a large part of
what has been missing lately has been the lack of unique perspectives from both characters and
producers. When you tell something new, it feels refreshing to an audience that is used to the
same old thing.
Not to mention, each shot—although limited by budget—felt intentional and intimate. The
lighting, the positioning, the music—all of it was done with the purpose of conveying every
aspect of the love and turmoil each character faced. It didn’t matter that the majority of the
scenes were filmed in Hamilton, Ontario—it was easy to fall into the world they created,
emotionally investing yourselves in the characters.
It’s easy to see, then, just why the show has gotten so much love from fans not only in North
America but on an international basis