Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, there are only 6 hockey players in her books; the other love interests aren’t players. Y’all think having just 6 gay or bisexual hockey players in professional hockey is “fake”? Six is a lot to you? lol - I think it’s a wild underestimate.

All team captains and the top rookies...! Yes very fake.
Being gay doesn't make you a superathlete. But Scott, Ilya, and Shane - all team captains are all gay. No idea about her other characters. Her hockey knowledge is limited anyways. She used Crosby / Ovechkin as her models for Shane / Ilya for the book but needed to do more hockey research. But she is writing for women so most probably don't care!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This show is incredible. Episode five doesn’t have sex and it’s the best episode of tv this year.

+1. The last 15 minutes of Episode 4, the entire Ep 5 and most of 6 are a cinematic masterpiece.
Whoever styled Ilya…I mean Connor deserves a fat paycheck. That man’s fits were 🔥 in every scene. Don’t even get me started on the hair styling.

The costume designer has been posting on instagram about where items were sourced and why certain decisions were made.

Interview with another account: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTdiyQ_kXMC/

Her own posts:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTH78ZKEUpF
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSt2rGHl28R/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS5-4aFkfXu

Thank you for these links. A shirtless Ilya in those Rick Owens drop crotch pants is possibly the best anyone has looked on TV since the young days of Brad Pitt.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 9+ on IMDB and only 5-star ratings on Amazon, plus hot young athletes? Yah, I am watching this tonight. Thanks for bringing this show up, DCUM.

FWIW, I think the show has such high ratings because it's having a viral moment. It was a fine show with some phenomenal acting and a nice story line but it's not The Wire.

I agree.
However people are dumb en masse therefore the ratings

I think this is a symptom of the quality of new television and film content not being as good as it used to be. People see an above average show and get excited.

Its a show made for women, where the script is almost verbatim and taken from some chick rom com lit written by a woman. The writing is weak. You can read excerpts of her books on amazon. The actors do a good job with the material although in some places they stick way too close to the words in the book and it sounds really out of place. It isn't deep or nuanced. It is new young actors with good bodies who are willing to go all in to make a paycheck. The acting is decent but not incredible - I thought one of the guys was a much better actor than the other. There isn't much out there so this went viral - but not really because it is particularly amazing. Its a Hallmark movie with gay guys.

They filmed all the sex / nude / bedroom scenes on day 1 and 2 of filming. Then filmed the rest and then did the cottage on the last filming days. Filmed the whole thing in a month.

+1000

The actors did a great job for the most part with what they were given, but it was very weak writing.

I wish Tierney had adapted the book more. He pretty much had them just speak the dialogue verbatim. Takes a way from the overall acting at times when the writing is so weak in places.

The books have a MASSIVE fanbase and part of the reason this show took off was that they were feral for the adaption. People were posting about hoping to hear "stupid Canadian wolf bird" for months. These readers know the book so well that a faithful adaption was brilliant.

He only got 2 of the 6 books into the first season! There's so much room for more in season 2. The actors were signed for 3 season, so we'll see if a third gets the green light. Crave would be crazy not to go for it.

It doesn’t seem that most people who watched the show read the books.

Only one of the remaining books is about these two main characters. The other three are about other gay hockey players. I read the author is now writing a third book about these two characters to have more content for the tv series.

After reading a section of the book, I am kind of shocked it had a big following. It is a very simplistic and weak writing. You can read a chapter in about 3 minutes.

I dont hold out much hope for success for a sequel. The factors that came together to make the first series go viral are not going to be there in the next round.

I haven’t read the books, but a friend who did claims that for once the TV adaptation is way better than the books.
I just watch it for Rozanov’s good looks and sass.

Same!

I read this as "for Rozanov's good looks and ass" and I was like AMEN! And then I saw that you said sass.

That ass is something! I am in it for all 3: face, body & sass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 9+ on IMDB and only 5-star ratings on Amazon, plus hot young athletes? Yah, I am watching this tonight. Thanks for bringing this show up, DCUM.

FWIW, I think the show has such high ratings because it's having a viral moment. It was a fine show with some phenomenal acting and a nice story line but it's not The Wire.

I agree.
However people are dumb en masse therefore the ratings

I think this is a symptom of the quality of new television and film content not being as good as it used to be. People see an above average show and get excited.

Its a show made for women, where the script is almost verbatim and taken from some chick rom com lit written by a woman. The writing is weak. You can read excerpts of her books on amazon. The actors do a good job with the material although in some places they stick way too close to the words in the book and it sounds really out of place. It isn't deep or nuanced. It is new young actors with good bodies who are willing to go all in to make a paycheck. The acting is decent but not incredible - I thought one of the guys was a much better actor than the other. There isn't much out there so this went viral - but not really because it is particularly amazing. Its a Hallmark movie with gay guys.

They filmed all the sex / nude / bedroom scenes on day 1 and 2 of filming. Then filmed the rest and then did the cottage on the last filming days. Filmed the whole thing in a month.

+1000

The actors did a great job for the most part with what they were given, but it was very weak writing.

I wish Tierney had adapted the book more. He pretty much had them just speak the dialogue verbatim. Takes a way from the overall acting at times when the writing is so weak in places.

The books have a MASSIVE fanbase and part of the reason this show took off was that they were feral for the adaption. People were posting about hoping to hear "stupid Canadian wolf bird" for months. These readers know the book so well that a faithful adaption was brilliant.

He only got 2 of the 6 books into the first season! There's so much room for more in season 2. The actors were signed for 3 season, so we'll see if a third gets the green light. Crave would be crazy not to go for it.

It doesn’t seem that most people who watched the show read the books.

Only one of the remaining books is about these two main characters. The other three are about other gay hockey players. I read the author is now writing a third book about these two characters to have more content for the tv series.

After reading a section of the book, I am kind of shocked it had a big following. It is a very simplistic and weak writing. You can read a chapter in about 3 minutes.

I dont hold out much hope for success for a sequel. The factors that came together to make the first series go viral are not going to be there in the next round.

I haven’t read the books, but a friend who did claims that for once the TV adaptation is way better than the books.
I just watch it for Rozanov’s good looks and sass.

Same!

I read this as "for Rozanov's good looks and ass" and I was like AMEN! And then I saw that you said sass.

That ass is something! I am in it for all 3: face, body & sass.

The actor has said in interviews that both his parents were / are bodybuilders and he has been working out for years. He also doesn't really eat carbs.

I find his face changes depending on the scene and angle and lighting. He can look like really different people - in some scenes he looks very attractive, in other scenes, more goofy, and in other scenes not attactive. . The Gwen look!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 9+ on IMDB and only 5-star ratings on Amazon, plus hot young athletes? Yah, I am watching this tonight. Thanks for bringing this show up, DCUM.

FWIW, I think the show has such high ratings because it's having a viral moment. It was a fine show with some phenomenal acting and a nice story line but it's not The Wire.

I agree.
However people are dumb en masse therefore the ratings

I think this is a symptom of the quality of new television and film content not being as good as it used to be. People see an above average show and get excited.

Its a show made for women, where the script is almost verbatim and taken from some chick rom com lit written by a woman. The writing is weak. You can read excerpts of her books on amazon. The actors do a good job with the material although in some places they stick way too close to the words in the book and it sounds really out of place. It isn't deep or nuanced. It is new young actors with good bodies who are willing to go all in to make a paycheck. The acting is decent but not incredible - I thought one of the guys was a much better actor than the other. There isn't much out there so this went viral - but not really because it is particularly amazing. Its a Hallmark movie with gay guys.

They filmed all the sex / nude / bedroom scenes on day 1 and 2 of filming. Then filmed the rest and then did the cottage on the last filming days. Filmed the whole thing in a month.

+1000

The actors did a great job for the most part with what they were given, but it was very weak writing.

I wish Tierney had adapted the book more. He pretty much had them just speak the dialogue verbatim. Takes a way from the overall acting at times when the writing is so weak in places.

The books have a MASSIVE fanbase and part of the reason this show took off was that they were feral for the adaption. People were posting about hoping to hear "stupid Canadian wolf bird" for months. These readers know the book so well that a faithful adaption was brilliant.

He only got 2 of the 6 books into the first season! There's so much room for more in season 2. The actors were signed for 3 season, so we'll see if a third gets the green light. Crave would be crazy not to go for it.

It doesn’t seem that most people who watched the show read the books.

Only one of the remaining books is about these two main characters. The other three are about other gay hockey players. I read the author is now writing a third book about these two characters to have more content for the tv series.

After reading a section of the book, I am kind of shocked it had a big following. It is a very simplistic and weak writing. You can read a chapter in about 3 minutes.

I dont hold out much hope for success for a sequel. The factors that came together to make the first series go viral are not going to be there in the next round.

I haven’t read the books, but a friend who did claims that for once the TV adaptation is way better than the books.
I just watch it for Rozanov’s good looks and sass.

Same!

I read this as "for Rozanov's good looks and ass" and I was like AMEN! And then I saw that you said sass.

That ass is something! I am in it for all 3: face, body & sass.

The actor has said in interviews that both his parents were / are bodybuilders and he has been working out for years. He also doesn't really eat carbs.

I find his face changes depending on the scene and angle and lighting. He can look like really different people - in some scenes he looks very attractive, in other scenes, more goofy, and in other scenes not attractive. The Gwen look!

He is definitely a chameleon and looks different from different angles and depending on the haircut and styling. There were no angles or lighting in the show that made him look unattractive though. In what universe??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, there are only 6 hockey players in her books; the other love interests aren’t players. Y’all think having just 6 gay or bisexual hockey players in professional hockey is “fake”? Six is a lot to you? lol - I think it’s a wild underestimate.

All team captains and the top rookies...! Yes very fake.
Being gay doesn't make you a superathlete. But Scott, Ilya, and Shane - all team captains are all gay. No idea about her other characters. Her hockey knowledge is limited anyways. She used Crosby / Ovechkin as her models for Shane / Ilya for the book but needed to do more hockey research. But she is writing for women so most probably don't care!

The series takes place over 13 years and it's a fantasy! I grew up in a place where hockey is huge and it's a really toxic sport. There are absolutely queer men in the closet (while there are plenty of out women on that side of the sport). It's really fun to see a hockey world where queer men would be not just tolerated, but accepted.



I've been seeing some reaction videos on social media - some of the podcasters, but some of regular people. Men really seem to love the Scott/Kip story while woman seem drawn to Ilya/Shane. I thought that was interesting!


*I just google to figure out how many years and found this incredibly elaborate fandom wiki site. I'm in awe of the attention to detail and also a little exhausted by it. Wow.

[Anonymous]

I liked the show so much that I’m planning on rewatching it this weekend! I guess the reason it appeals to me is how equal the two partners are in that relationship: both are handsome with hot athletic bodies, equally successful and famous, equally as invested in keeping the relationship a secret because of their careers, and can even please each other sexually in the same ways. That is a very rare and beautiful thing as there is almost always a power dynamic in relationships.

[Anonymous]

For the people who things this show is erotica or p*rn, someone timed the sex scenes. They counted time spent talking afterwards and flashbacks.

https://www.threads.com/@toriloves_heas/post/DTg3BcglCkl?xmt=AQF0ddJBn7TASRJOQaFA1XikylCvTUXh1DpIO8HJmuErg_0

Episode 1: 8 minutes 15 seconds
Episode 2: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 3: 1 minute 40 seconds
Episode 4: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 5: 0
Episode 6: 2 minutes

Under 19 minutes. Total run time for the entire show is 295 minutes. 6.67% of the show was sex scenes.

Are these people prudes? Or is it just that the couples are men?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 9+ on IMDB and only 5-star ratings on Amazon, plus hot young athletes? Yah, I am watching this tonight. Thanks for bringing this show up, DCUM.

FWIW, I think the show has such high ratings because it's having a viral moment. It was a fine show with some phenomenal acting and a nice story line but it's not The Wire.

Not a fan of The Wire & Breaking Bad. I don’t enjoys depressing shows. Love Heated Rivalry. It’s a beautiful story, beautifully shot and executed. I like that it’s indie and low budget. The sex scenes are surprisingly very hot.
Signed, a 50 year old straight mom with a PhD.

Stright men like watching two women together, and straight women like watching two men together. Heated Rivalry is designed for straight women. The low budget / indie aspect does add to the feel of the show for sure.

Yeah, Jacob Tierney totally adapted, produced, and directed the show just for woman. HAHAHA. That's hilarious!

If you want to keep up with the people in this thread, you have to do your homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 9+ on IMDB and only 5-star ratings on Amazon, plus hot young athletes? Yah, I am watching this tonight. Thanks for bringing this show up, DCUM.

FWIW, I think the show has such high ratings because it's having a viral moment. It was a fine show with some phenomenal acting and a nice story line but it's not The Wire.

Not a fan of The Wire & Breaking Bad. I don’t enjoys depressing shows. Love Heated Rivalry. It’s a beautiful story, beautifully shot and executed. I like that it’s indie and low budget. The sex scenes are surprisingly very hot.
Signed, a 50 year old straight mom with a PhD.

Stright men like watching two women together, and straight women like watching two men together. Heated Rivalry is designed for straight women. The low budget / indie aspect does add to the feel of the show for sure.

Yeah, Jacob Tierney totally adapted, produced, and directed the show just for woman. HAHAHA. That's hilarious!

If you want to keep up with the people in this thread, you have to do your homework.

Yes he did. Straight women make up a huge portion of viewers and you need them to make it a success. The primary readers of the books were straight women and so most of the show - given how closely it mirrors the books is also for straight women. That is the demographic that made the show successful. The storyline is also written for women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the people who things this show is erotica or p*rn, someone timed the sex scenes. They counted time spent talking afterwards and flashbacks.

https://www.threads.com/@toriloves_heas/post/DTg3BcglCkl?xmt=AQF0ddJBn7TASRJOQaFA1XikylCvTUXh1DpIO8HJmuErg_0

Episode 1: 8 minutes 15 seconds
Episode 2: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 3: 1 minute 40 seconds
Episode 4: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 5: 0
Episode 6: 2 minutes

Under 19 minutes. Total run time for the entire show is 295 minutes. 6.67% of the show was sex scenes.

Are these people prudes? Or is it just that the couples are men?

Yes, yes, AND one of the biggest themes in the books is creating positive change in hockey (challenging homophobia, sexual violence, toxic masculinity, etc.). The NHL (as an organization) is kind of a villain in the books. Hockey is an old boys club, and they do not like change.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately I think the series reinforces a discomfort that a lot of hockey players would have. That the gay guy on the team is staring at your body and genitals in the shower and jerking off to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I think the series reinforces a discomfort that a lot of hockey players would have. That the gay guy on the team is staring at your body and genitals in the shower and jerking off to it.

It's a special person that assumes any queer person around them is attracted to them.

[Anonymous]

The show is very arty: the lighting, the framing, the sex scenes. The music choices were excellent and perfectly timed. Using a hit song by a Russian pop band for the club scene was on the money, and the frame of Ilya’s eyes scanning the club for Shane as the song builds up is very well done. There are a ton of little details throughout the show that are a testament to how thoughtful the creators are, e.g. the art in Ilya’s home; I especially love the abstract painting of two hockey players in Boston’s and the Montreal’ team colors above Ilya’s bed, which Shane would never notice because he is so literal and straightforward; or how high Shane’s heart rate in the hospital scene as he is freaking out about having missed his chance to invite Ilya to the cottage, and then after Ilya’s visit his heart rare settles at 81, Ilya’s jersey number etc.

I am a sucker for details, art, good music, romance and yearning, so this show is right up my alley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the people who things this show is erotica or p*rn, someone timed the sex scenes. They counted time spent talking afterwards and flashbacks.

https://www.threads.com/@toriloves_heas/post/DTg3BcglCkl?xmt=AQF0ddJBn7TASRJOQaFA1XikylCvTUXh1DpIO8HJmuErg_0

Episode 1: 8 minutes 15 seconds
Episode 2: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 3: 1 minute 40 seconds
Episode 4: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Episode 5: 0
Episode 6: 2 minutes

Under 19 minutes. Total run time for the entire show is 295 minutes. 6.67% of the show was sex scenes.

Are these people prudes? Or is it just that the couples are men?

Eh not a big fan of gay sex, men or women. Not my jam.