The Women of Heated Rivalry

The beginning of this year has been dominated by one thing on the collective mind– Heated Rivalry. I’m not alone in my obsession with the Canadian T.V. show and the impacts it has had upon the world since the conclusion of season 1. 

The television show is based on a series of novels by Rachel Reid following the lives of two hockey superstars who are arch-rivals, as well as the challenges that come with being a professional athlete in a sport that isn’t the most accepting of their sexualities. It follows Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander and Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov through both their careers from the junior level to professional, along with their illicit relationship.

There’s so much praise that I could sing about how this show has adjusted conversations about professional sports and the homophobia present within them. That being said, I want to talk about the unsung characters who truly helped shape Ilya and Shane into the versions that we love. 

Ilya Rozanov does not have good ties to Russia; his mother died when he was young, he has a strained relationship with his brother, and his father has dementia. There wasn’t much that was good about Russia to him. Except for his friend Svetlana Vetrova. In the book, she exists as a friend of Ilya, but she primarily acts as someone who mutually agrees to sleep with Ilya. The show’s version of Svetlana is a lifelong best friend for Ilya; someone who will always be there for him. She allows him to be vulnerable, creating that solid foundation of accepting him as he is. She tells him that she loves him, which he reciprocates, and then she adds, “I just hope Jane knows how lucky he is.” This gives Ilya the confirmation and reassurance that his relationship with Shane could be more and that he is worthy of one of the relationships he wants to be in. 

Rose Landry, introduced into the show as a major starlet, manages to find herself as Shane Hollander’s girlfriend. Rose becomes a rock for Shane – someone around whom he can be himself. By being his best friend, Rose gives Shane the chance to come out, speak freely, and just be himself. 

“He deserves sunshine and so do you,” a line I look back upon very fondly. This line is said by Kip’s friend Elena Rygg, which ultimately leads to the breaking point in the show. After winning the cup, after seeing his teammates being able to greet their wives, children, and girlfriends, Scott Hunter brings down Kip Grady and kisses him on the ice. This moment gave courage to Ilya and Shane to explore the possibility of being in a relationship. 

Without the women in the show, we wouldn’t have the versions of the characters that we all grow to love. Heated Rivalry – while being a fun, sexy, emotionally driven show – also shows the impact of female characters in helping develop emotionally mature characters. 

• entetainment
• heated rivalry
• hockey
• love
• tv