Basic boring, romance just isn’t cutting it on the screen anymore. The era of soft glances and Hallmark first kiss montages? It’s over. Gen Z wants tension. We want ego. We want two people who would rather die than admit they are in love… until suddenly they are ripping each other’s clothes off. And Heated Rivalry is delivering all that and more every Friday.
The series dropped its first two episodes on Nov. 28, with the finale launching on Dec. 26, and it has already grabbed the attention of basically anyone with a pulse. The show follows two powerhouse hockey players whose rivalry on the rink is matched only by their romance behind closed doors. It’s fast. It’s sexy. It’s dramatic. And it’s so jaw-droppingly hot, your TV screen is liable to burst into flames. My phone got hot just watching the edits!
But with weekly releases, fans are getting restless. What are we supposed to watch in the meantime? How do we cope between drops? And don’t even get me started on after the finale!
But don’t fear, I’ve got you. Here are five steamy shows like Heated Rivalry to watch while you wait for the next rivalry-driven episodes to drop, and long after you’ve binged every second of them.
- Spinning Out
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Spinning Out not only encapsulates the competitive romantic nature of Heated Rivalry, but also the skating. But instead of hockey, this show is centered around a competitive solo figure skater who has to learn to skate with a (sexy) partner after a jarring injury. She might be on the same team as her love interest, but the tension for this show is still no joke. You can watch Spinning Out on Netflix.
- Killing Eve
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Killing Eve is a spy-hunter-versus-assassin thriller, where characters Eve and Villanelle spiral into an “I want to kill you, but also maybe kiss you” energy. It’s a high-intensity slow-burn drama that WLW lovers will not want to miss. (And it’s streaming on Netflix, BTW.)
- Olympo
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Olympo throws the hottest, sweatiest athletes you’ve ever seen into one pressure cooker and tells them to compete for glory… and each other. The stakes are sky-high, the bodies are glistening, and absolutely everyone is hooking up with absolutely everyone while trying not to lose their spot at the top of the food chain. It’s messy, it’s addictive, and it’s impossible to look away. The show is in Spanish, but don’t stress if you’re not a speaker; the English subtitles are crisp enough to keep up with all the drama (and all the… extracurricular activities). You can watch Season 1 of Olympo on Netflix.
- The Vampire Diaries
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Yes, I’m talking about the TVD that all your friends binged in middle school. And you know what? It holds up. The perpetual tension between brothers, Damon and Stefan, over who will finally win Elena’s heart never gets old. Plus, there are eight seasons of steamy vampire action to binge on AppleTV!
- Bad Buddy
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This slow-burning Thai series follows two young men raised to despise each other. Their families are sworn enemies, so they compete: academically, physically, and socially, until the tension turns into attraction. Bad Buddy is by far the most lighthearted of these options, so if you want the competition and romance in a fun, cheeky setting, this show is for you, and is available on Rakuten Viki.
- Sex/Life
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Sex/Life is a steamy romantic drama you don’t want to miss. Biliie is caught in a rivalry with herself and what she wants out of life, and of course, there are two hot men representing both options. Sex/Life is, as the name implies, the steamiest of all the options. You can stream on Netflix, and yes, I’d recommend watching this one in private.
While you are waiting for the next Heated Rivalry drop, or grieving the finale, consider this list of rivalry-romances your survival guide. Because the tension might end, but our obsession with it isn’t going anywhere.