Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The unbelievable acting and chemistry makes this show/story/love so addictive. I am re-watching it as we speak.

They have great chemistry indeed. They touch and kiss each other so sensually. I don't think I have ever seen kisses this beautiful and passionate in ANY show or film.

[Anonymous]

They block filmed it due to their budget - really shows the vision and skill of the director and actors to need to put themselves into all different stages and times and places one after the other.

They filmed all the bedroom / sex scenes first - they only had the houses (Shanes and Ilyas) rented for 2 days. First two days of filming.

They did all the hockey (that involved other players) in one day - near the end of filming.

They filmed the cottage last and the final scene filmed was the one by the fire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I'm coming to the cottage" 💀

I set my CarPlay up to play this clip when I start my car.

[Anonymous]

Episode 5 is among the best TV episodes of all time. For me, it's up there with The Red Wedding in GoT, The Hope That Kills You in Ted Lasso, Ozymandias in Breaking Bad, The Constant in Lost and a couple of episodes in The Last Of Us. It had joy, pain, grief, hope and a big ILY sprinkled on top. I was feeling all the feels!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Episode 5 is among the best TV episodes of all time. For me, it's up there with The Red Wedding in GoT, The Hope That Kills You in Ted Lasso, Ozymandias in Breaking Bad, The Constant in Lost and a couple of episodes in The Last Of Us. It had joy, pain, grief, hope and a big ILY sprinkled on top. I was feeling all the feels!

High praise indeed. I almost didn't want to watch ep 6 for fear that all it could be was a let down. But it was great in its own way. And of course "I'm coming to the cottage."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was really moved by the scene with Shane and his mother in episode 6. 🥺🥺

“Mom, I want you to know that I tried…I tried so hard…But I just can’t help it.” This scene just about broke me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The unbelievable acting and chemistry makes this show/story/love so addictive. I am re-watching it as we speak.

They have great chemistry indeed. They touch and kiss each other so sensually. I don't think I have ever seen kisses this beautiful and passionate in ANY show or film.

From interviews both men are very comfortable with nudity and with physical intimacy. According to the director, they kept improvising even though the director knew what he wanted, and the intimacy coordinator had reviewed and rehearsed it. They had formed a real life friendship and were very comfortable (too comfortable according to director) with each other. He also joked that usually the intimacy coordinator is there to ensure their privacy but on this set she had to tell them to put their clothes back on - between takes and when crew were around as they were very comfortable being naked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I'm coming to the cottage" 💀

I set my CarPlay up to play this clip when I start my car.

this is great

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate that it is a very low budget show, but the creators clearly put a lot of effort into doing a good job. It’s also great that they gave opportunities to lesser known actors. The actor that plays the Russian is fantastic. He isn’t even Russian he is from Texas.

Yes, all of this. The acting is quite good, especially the actor who plays Ilya. I was very surprised that he isn't Russian or Russian speaking. A lot of the show is also beautifully shot and has really good music. I was not expecting to like it so much.

+1. Connor Storrie's acting is incredible, he carries that show. I was shocked to find out that he is from Texas. His Russian is excellent (my mother is Russian, and I am fluent).
He is so hot too.

Agree. But Hudson Williams was also outstanding, just more subtle. They don’t state it in the show, but in the books, Shane is mildly autistic and Hudson played the character with that in mind. It’s a really strong performance.

Fair point. Both leads are excellent actors.
I haven’t enjoyed an indie show like this in years.

The physical acting in this series is phenomenal. The way Connor can convey so much emotion with just one look. Hudson too. Man..I want the best for these talented young actors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What stood out to me was how Shane was coached by parents in his career (to do as many ads as possible while the getting’s good) and Ilya was on his own and I’m sure missing opportunities.

Yes, and also how disciplined Shane was: early in bed and reading, never goes out to party with his team, orders ginger ale on the rare occasion he does go out, the microbiotic diet etc. In contrast, Ilya parties a lot, drinks vodka, smokes cigarettes...and still beats Shane's ass at the rink at least half of the time :=) I found Ilya's arrogance and sass endearing. He is one of my favorite fictional TV characters in a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate that it is a very low budget show, but the creators clearly put a lot of effort into doing a good job. It’s also great that they gave opportunities to lesser known actors. The actor that plays the Russian is fantastic. He isn’t even Russian he is from Texas.

Yes, all of this. The acting is quite good, especially the actor who plays Ilya. I was very surprised that he isn't Russian or Russian speaking. A lot of the show is also beautifully shot and has really good music. I was not expecting to like it so much.

+1. Connor Storrie's acting is incredible, he carries that show. I was shocked to find out that he is from Texas. His Russian is excellent (my mother is Russian, and I am fluent).
He is so hot too.

Agree. But Hudson Williams was also outstanding, just more subtle. They don’t state it in the show, but in the books, Shane is mildly autistic and Hudson played the character with that in mind. It’s a really strong performance.

Fair point. Both leads are excellent actors.
I haven’t enjoyed an indie show like this in years.

The physical acting in this series is phenomenal. The way Connor can convey so much emotion with just one look. Hudson too. Man..I want the best for these talented young actors.

+1. They fell in love early on, but neither believed the other could possibly feel the same, plus the stigma of being gay in the NHL, so they wouldn’t admit it out loud for almost 10 years. But boy did those longing, love drunk eyes tell the story!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You see that Ilya is abusive and you’re right, his actions are immature and abusive.

But you’re completely missing the point that Shane is also abusive. He’s hiding Ilya from everybody. It would be like an ultra religious boy who’s dating an atheist and refusing to introduce her to her parents and keeps her hidden for years.

What’s beautiful as you watch them both grow through those 10 years to loving and supporting partners.

Ilya literally could not come out or his family could be killed. He could be killed. He could be deported back to his country and killed.

Shane couldn’t come out why?

Also, I think we are using the word abusive very liberally because it’s not literally abusive.

This is erotica. Hockey smut. You are reading too much into it. It is a fantasy novel and women like fantasies involving men roughing each other up and treating each other in a way that would be considered abusive if it was a man and a woman. Ilya would be considered just another loser of a F*boy and nasty player who treats women badly. Which is why there is so much man on man content now in TV and film. A big audience is straight women and they like it.

You’re reading too much into everything going on in the world. How in the hell you’ve made such a leap from a movie plot to the condition on cis gender women is wild.

They are both abusive. Welcome to the real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You see that Ilya is abusive and you’re right, his actions are immature and abusive.

But you’re completely missing the point that Shane is also abusive. He’s hiding Ilya from everybody. It would be like an ultra religious boy who’s dating an atheist and refusing to introduce her to her parents and keeps her hidden for years.

What’s beautiful as you watch them both grow through those 10 years to loving and supporting partners.

Ilya literally could not come out or his family could be killed. He could be killed. He could be deported back to his country and killed.

Shane couldn’t come out why?

Also, I think we are using the word abusive very liberally because it’s not literally abusive.

I don’t see it that way at all. There’s nothing wrong with two single people who are in a consensual relationship that is mostly physical. Yes, it is tragic and distressing when one or both partners catch feelings and can’t take it to the next level (btdt), typically because of external pressures and sometimes because of pride and ego, but the other party can always say no and move on with their life. No one is forcing you to stay if that’s not what you want.

I don’t blame Shane for keeping their relationship secret. He was young, extremely competitive and focused on his hockey career, on the spectrum so struggles with attention and being in the public eye, and also wants to protect Ilya. It is why he tells him at the cottage that he would’ve probably come out to his parents sooner, but kept it private because of his concern for Rozanov.

Everything you said could be true and… They’re being abusive towards each other. Their actions are abusive.

He could’ve told his parents and his parents would’ve kept it secret. But that’s not the way immature brains think.

Actually think they are very abusive towards each other throughout it, which could also be something that young people do in their 20s that are hetero and have friends with benefits with abusive of aspects.

[Anonymous]

I'm still struck how so much is conveyed with so little

- when Ilya first utters "Shane"
- the season 5 phone call
- "I'm coming to the cottage"
- the whole ending at the parents' cottage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm still struck how so much is conveyed with so little

- when Ilya first utters "Shane"
- the season 5 phone call
- "I'm coming to the cottage"
- the whole ending at the parents' cottage

^episode 5 phone call