HEATED RIVALRY PUTS THE HEAT ON TOXIC MASCULINITY

Heated Rivalry was released on the 10th of January 2026 in the UK, and it’s safe to say that the recently adapted series has taken the world by storm. Gorgeous casting, new talented names, celebrations of queer love, and a passionate love story begin the lost list of reasons why the series has been so successful, despite its comparably small budget. 

Since its release, there have been many reviews of the show, some hugely praising, others slightly more critical, which all contain their merits, yet something that seems consistent across the board is the audience’s appreciation for the depth of the characters on screen, and how the show explores the harm that toxic masculinity has on all characters regardless of gender, age, or social class. 

To begin with, the show being a queer love story between two men inherently inspires an environment for men to be emotionally intimate with each other, forefronting the beauty in vulnerability and the success that comes from open and honest conversation. However, this extends beyond the sexual and romantic relationship between the two male leads, but also to their other friends and family; the show inherently celebrates love in all forms, and each and every relationship is enhanced by emotional vulnerability and tackling societal stigmas and expectations that are born from a toxic patriarchy.  

The show also directly addresses and critiques the homosocial, toxic masculine ‘locker-room talk’, and shows the direct impact that this environment has on the individuals in it. Whilst in Sochi, Russia for the winter olympics in 2014, Carter Vaughn (one of Shane’s teammates) backhandedly praises one of Shane’s friends as being ‘brave to show up’ in Russia as openly gay. In episode two, the audience focus of this encounter is honed into the reaction that Shane has to the comment, knowing about his secret relationship with Ilya, and his related sexuality crisis; we see how the comment negatively impacts him and reinforces a status quo of masculinity and conformity which follows him throughout the whole series, and hugely contributes to his internalised homophobia and repression of his sexuality. In episode 3, we watch the same moment again, yet through the eyes of Scott Hunter – another one of Shane’s teammates. This episode diverges away from the main plot of the show between Ilya and Shane, and portrays the relationship between Scott and his boyfriend Kip. As a very different relationship to Ilya and Shanes, we witness their relationship domesticity, which works in tandem with the two men’s masculinity and gender expression, not as the antithesis of it as is common in contemporary media. As a result of comments like Vaughn’s, Scott feels unable to come out and struggles with his conflicting identities as a gay man and an ice hockey player – something that we see in our contemporary society now too. We see the ripple effect that the toxic masculine narrative has on everyone else in the episode, including Kip and his close family and friends. Vaughn’s throwaway comment has a ripple effect, not just on the two gay men that he unknowingly says it to, but to everyone in their lives too, demonstrating how widespread the harm that the toxic masculine narrative has. In episode 5, we celebrate Scott’s public declaration of love and coming out on national tv at the end of a hockey match, where the weight of his conformity to a society dictated by toxic masculinity physically lifts off of his shoulders, and he finally gets to be himself, which is met by nothing but cheers from the on-screen (and off-screen) audience. 

Furthermore, all of the women in the show are emotionally intelligent characters who foster safe spaces, encourage healthy communication, and provide unconditional love. The women are not just accessories in the men’s lives, but are fulfilling and rewarding relationships; it is refreshing to see Rose as a character outside of / regardless of her prior romantic ties to Shane, and exist as a strong and independent woman, and a loyal and true friend. There is no jealousy or competition, and the women are not victims of toxic male behaviour, or reduced entirely to gendered stereotypes that are fostered by the patriarchy that dictates behaviour on the mere basis of gender. The women neither hate men nor are threatened by them, allowing them to exist fully and wholly outside of the patriarchy, which is hugely refreshing to watch (even if unattainable in our current society). 

Through uplifting portrayals of genuine, authentic queer love, celebration of emotional vulnerability, well-written and developed female characters, and denouncement of macho locker room discourse, Heated Rivalry truly puts the heat on the patriarchy, shining a light on how toxic masculinity bleeds into all parts of society. It showcases the beauty of love and relationships that can prosper and blossom away from toxic masculine narratives and expectations, and reminds us that authentic representation matters.

• hockey
• lgbt
• love