Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)

[Anonymous]

Watching heated rivalry feels like a warm hug. There is so much longing and tenderness in this show. The acting, directing, cinematography, editing, score etc are all top notch. There are many things to love about it.

[Anonymous]

It's completely the chemistry between the 2 leads.

The Scott Harper/smoothie guy story line in episode 3 stands in total contrast. Those 2 characters are good looking guys but to me their sex isn't hot at al. It's generic, kind of boring, you remember you're watching 2 gay men have sex.

Unlike the leads. I watch the leads have sex and my brain doesn't eve register:"these are gay men". As a previous poster on here said "it's 2 people giving and receiving pleasure and that is hot" with really strong chemistry, longing, tenderness. Their gender or orientation doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is fresh faces who are good actors (and willing to do anything) and hot bodies. But I don't get people crying over fantasy hockey smut. It is like men crying over porn!

Did you watch the show? It’s hard for me to imagine someone getting through the entire thing and still thinking it’s just porn with zero plot or character development. People cry when they care about a character or their situation. And like it or not, people like these characters. It’s as simple as that.

I mean the storytelling and directing is obviously a lot better than porn but women care about those things a lot more than men. So porn doesn't need it. Both are similar in providing fantasy based smut in a way that appeals more to each sex.

People caring about Harlequin romance novel smutty characters to the point of crying makes no sense to me. The writing in the books is very weak. The director and actors did a great job given the weak writing but it is still porn for straight women - with the qualities that make it appeal to women. Watch it and enjoy it for what it is but to get carried away - I mean I guess men rewatch some porn repeatedly too if they really enjoy the fantasy and smut it creates but crying over it?

You seem really stuck on this comparison with porn for men. I’m sure they don’t cry over it because there’s no emotional story. This has an emotional story. Not one that speaks to you, and that’s fine. One show can’t possibly appeal to everyone. But it’s simply a fact that there is a storyline here with emotional characters who laugh, cry, and fight together. Therefore…tears. What’s not to “get”?

[Anonymous]

It was written by a woman, so there is romance and yearning. It was directed by a man, so there are hot sex scenes. It’s portrayed by young, fit, beautiful, talented actors who make you feel every emotion and then some. This is a killer combination and seems to have captivated everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was written by a woman, so there is romance and yearning. It was directed by a man, so there are hot sex scenes. It’s portrayed by young, fit, beautiful, talented actors who make you feel every emotion and then some. This is a killer combination and seems to have captivated everyone.

Yep. It’s the one show everyone’s is talking about. The Tonight Show, the Today Show, Jimmy Fallon, the Golden Globes, the New York Times, SNL, WSJ, The New Yorker…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was written by a woman, so there is romance and yearning. It was directed by a man, so there are hot sex scenes. It’s portrayed by young, fit, beautiful, talented actors who make you feel every emotion and then some. This is a killer combination and seems to have captivated everyone.

Yep. It’s the one show everyone’s is talking about. The Tonight Show, the Today Show, Jimmy Fallon, the Golden Globes, the New York Times, SNL, WSJ, The New Yorker…

Yes it went viral and had it's moment. Not uncommon now a days for a video to have 15 minutes of fame and make the rounds and get talked about a lot for a brief time. Good for them - they worked hard and got the viral moment that many only dream of. The cast being lovely people worked in their favor as well. Time will tell if anything comes of it for them. Seems the hype is already pretty much over. But not often that erotica gets the spotlight so kudos to them.

[Anonymous]

Gay stories do well and get a lot of buzz

TK and Carlos
Elite
The Schitts Creek couple
Shameless
Heartstopper
Fellow Travellers
Young Royals / Red, White and Blue
Plainclothes
Call Me By Your Name
Queer as Folk (old now but very similar to Heated Rivalry)
SKAM
Looking
Love, Victor

[Anonymous]

I finished it last night.

I really liked it and I was not expecting to.

The Wasian was way hotter than the Russian imo.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/01/heated-rivalry-sex-scene/685596/

"Perhaps Heated Rivalry is a sign that many people are game for sexy content when it’s done creatively or thoughtfully—when it serves a purpose. If audiences haven’t been enjoying sex scenes, well, maybe that’s because most sex scenes haven’t been doing their job."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was written by a woman, so there is romance and yearning. It was directed by a man, so there are hot sex scenes. It’s portrayed by young, fit, beautiful, talented actors who make you feel every emotion and then some. This is a killer combination and seems to have captivated everyone.

Yep. It’s the one show everyone’s is talking about. The Tonight Show, the Today Show, Jimmy Fallon, the Golden Globes, the New York Times, SNL, WSJ, The New Yorker…

Yes it went viral and had it's moment. Not uncommon now a days for a video to have 15 minutes of fame and make the rounds and get talked about a lot for a brief time. Good for them - they worked hard and got the viral moment that many only dream of. The cast being lovely people worked in their favor as well. Time will tell if anything comes of it for them. Seems the hype is already pretty much over. But not often that erotica gets the spotlight so kudos to them.

Nope.

"Heated Rivalry has solidified its position as a global streaming phenomenon.
- Sustained Momentum: Heated Rivalry grew from 30 million minutes watched in its debut week to over 324 million minutes by the finale in late December 2025. By mid-January, the series exceeded 600 million minutes streamed in the U.S. alone.
- Continued Chart Dominance: On January 15, the show hit #1 overall on independent streaming engagement charts. As of January 20, it remains the #4 most popular show across all platforms and the #1 original series on Crave. As of January 21, 2026, Heated Rivalry is the #1 series on HBO Max, having evolved from a niche Canadian production into a global cultural phenomenon.
- Global Expansion: In mid-January, the show reached #1 on Max charts in Singapore, Taiwan, and the Philippines, moving from a North American hit to a global top-ten series.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was written by a woman, so there is romance and yearning. It was directed by a man, so there are hot sex scenes. It’s portrayed by young, fit, beautiful, talented actors who make you feel every emotion and then some. This is a killer combination and seems to have captivated everyone.

Yep. It’s the one show everyone’s is talking about. The Tonight Show, the Today Show, Jimmy Fallon, the Golden Globes, the New York Times, SNL, WSJ, The New Yorker…

Yes it went viral and had it's moment. Not uncommon now a days for a video to have 15 minutes of fame and make the rounds and get talked about a lot for a brief time. Good for them - they worked hard and got the viral moment that many only dream of. The cast being lovely people worked in their favor as well. Time will tell if anything comes of it for them. Seems the hype is already pretty much over. But not often that erotica gets the spotlight so kudos to them.

Nope.

"Heated Rivalry has solidified its position as a global streaming phenomenon.
- Sustained Momentum: Heated Rivalry grew from 30 million minutes watched in its debut week to over 324 million minutes by the finale in late December 2025. By mid-January, the series exceeded 600 million minutes streamed in the U.S. alone.
- Continued Chart Dominance: On January 15, the show hit #1 overall on independent streaming engagement charts. As of January 20, it remains the #4 most popular show across all platforms and the #1 original series on Crave. As of January 21, 2026, Heated Rivalry is the #1 series on HBO Max, having evolved from a niche Canadian production into a global cultural phenomenon.
- Global Expansion: In mid-January, the show reached #1 on Max charts in Singapore, Taiwan, and the Philippines, moving from a North American hit to a global top-ten series.

Exactly. It has been popular for a month or so. Peaked at the Golden Globes and now will head back down. Lets see where it sits in a month.

[Anonymous]

I watched for the hot sex scenes but ended up crying for the stories. So good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m obsessed. Rewatching and counting down to the finale. It is not just gay porn. There is a nuanced story being told.

Yea it is. If the sex scenes were hetero you'd say it was porn. They're over the top and unnecessary.

Please. There are PLENTY of graphic sex scenes in hetero shows (Game of Thrones, Boogie Nights just off the top of my head but I bet I could put together a very long list). You don't like it b/c it's "gay."

The sex is part of it and normalizes this normal, loving relationship. As does Hunter's story. It's hot. It's sweet. It's normal. And it's totally important in 2026 where homophobes still homophobe.

-straight, married, middle aged mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/01/heated-rivalry-sex-scene/685596/

"Perhaps Heated Rivalry is a sign that many people are game for sexy content when it’s done creatively or thoughtfully—when it serves a purpose. If audiences haven’t been enjoying sex scenes, well, maybe that’s because most sex scenes haven’t been doing their job."

+2. I watched and didn't think I'd be hot and bothered over two guys but I def was.

[Anonymous]

No one would accept this show if it was hetero.

They would feel the woman was being used and abused by the Ilya character. He just wants her for sex when they are in town - and sleeps with lots of other women as well. Ghosts her by text then expects her to just be there and go down on him at his beck and call. And this goes on for years? He would he an absolutely hated character if Shane's character was a woman.