Anonymous
03/01/2026 11:41
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The club scene with TATU’s hit song playing in the background, esp when Ilya is scanning the club for his man (“this is not enough” on repeat as they are both hooking up with women); the phone call confession in Russian; and the All Star weekend in Tampa are some of the best scenes I’ve watched on TV in recent years. It’s no surprise that these particular episodes are rated near a 10 on IMDb by tens of thousands of reviewers.
+1. These are beautiful scenes and very moving. I re-watch the end of Ep 4 till the end of Ep 6 multiple times a week. This show soothes my soul and stirs my heart.
My gay son told me part of the reason this show is so different is the “feel good” optimism of how things work for gay people out due to the positive human responses—from the waiter dropping a tray and being forgiven, to the mom accepting her gay son and lover. It’s a fantasy of things working out in the best way possible.
This. Besides being romantic and beautiful and hot . . . my LGBTQ+ friends and family have said how this show would have changed their lives as a teen or young person. It shows the leads as normal, the relationship normal, instead of tragic, queeny, or having AIDS. Just two normal people. Many teared up talking about it.
I also personally loved (beyond the above) how these two very masculine guys were sweet, sensitive, talked about consent . . . . not toxic.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 10:08
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The club scene with TATU’s hit song playing in the background, esp when Ilya is scanning the club for his man (“this is not enough” on repeat as they are both hooking up with women); the phone call confession in Russian; and the All Star weekend in Tampa are some of the best scenes I’ve watched on TV in recent years. It’s no surprise that these particular episodes are rated near a 10 on IMDb by tens of thousands of reviewers.
+1. These are beautiful scenes and very moving. I re-watch the end of Ep 4 till the end of Ep 6 multiple times a week. This show soothes my soul and stirs my heart.
My gay son told me part of the reason this show is so different is the “feel good” optimism of how things work for gay people out due to the positive human responses—from the waiter dropping a tray and being forgiven, to the mom accepting her gay son and lover. It’s a fantasy of things working out in the best way possible.
I’ve also heard that it’s the first time that gay men are not portrayed as neurotic or with some sort of major personality flaw.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 10:01
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The club scene with TATU’s hit song playing in the background, esp when Ilya is scanning the club for his man (“this is not enough” on repeat as they are both hooking up with women); the phone call confession in Russian; and the All Star weekend in Tampa are some of the best scenes I’ve watched on TV in recent years. It’s no surprise that these particular episodes are rated near a 10 on IMDb by tens of thousands of reviewers.
+1. These are beautiful scenes and very moving. I re-watch the end of Ep 4 till the end of Ep 6 multiple times a week. This show soothes my soul and stirs my heart.
My gay son told me part of the reason this show is so different is the “feel good” optimism of how things work for gay people out due to the positive human responses—from the waiter dropping a tray and being forgiven, to the mom accepting her gay son and lover. It’s a fantasy of things working out in the best way possible.
Yes, I saw Jacob Tierney interviewed and he said that his gay friends were struck by this too. They were waiting until the very last scene for the other shoe to drop (would they get in an accident as they were driving back to the cottage?) because it generally does in gay plots. But it never did drop and this was on purpose. There was no drama, there was no tragedy. This was just a feel-good love story about 2 gay men.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 09:48
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The club scene with TATU’s hit song playing in the background, esp when Ilya is scanning the club for his man (“this is not enough” on repeat as they are both hooking up with women); the phone call confession in Russian; and the All Star weekend in Tampa are some of the best scenes I’ve watched on TV in recent years. It’s no surprise that these particular episodes are rated near a 10 on IMDb by tens of thousands of reviewers.
+1. These are beautiful scenes and very moving. I re-watch the end of Ep 4 till the end of Ep 6 multiple times a week. This show soothes my soul and stirs my heart.
My gay son told me part of the reason this show is so different is the “feel good” optimism of how things work for gay people out due to the positive human responses—from the waiter dropping a tray and being forgiven, to the mom accepting her gay son and lover. It’s a fantasy of things working out in the best way possible.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 09:40
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:SNL Feb 28. 👀
What an incredible shining moment. Applause all around.
Anonymous
03/01/2026 09:34
Subject: Re:Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous
02/26/2026 20:24
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure if I’m more excited to see the plug or the plane scene. I love them both for very different reasons. Do you think we’re getting any Troy and Harris, or Ryan and Fabian?Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ahhhh! So many things from the next book I’m looking forward to seeing play out.Anonymous wrote:Season Two April 2027! Can't wait!
me too!!
DP - I think Troy and Harris almost have to be in the next season because of how much their book overlaps with The Long Game. I loved The Long Game so excited to see season 2 when it comes.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 18:36
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was aware of the books having a big following and am so glad this show is so wildly popular. The first four shows span years of the relationship, that's mostly conducted by text, it seems. I'm enjoying it a lot!
The actors are posting a ton on social media and they seem to have a great rapport.
Anyone else watching? I know people who wait up until midnight when the new episode comes out!
I need someone to explain the appeal of this show to me like I am five. Or rather, why are females swooning over it so?
It's romance. A romance between equal partners with consent, emotions, vulnerability, and incredible chemistry between the actors.
Women have been dreaming about this since Kirk/Spock fanfics were getting circulated. It’s just a fantasy.
The truth is that we as women get the short end of the stick biologically so this sort of thing sidesteps all that.
I’m not interested anymore but when I was young and naive I found it appealing.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 14:16
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
I’m not sure if I’m more excited to see the plug or the plane scene. I love them both for very different reasons. Do you think we’re getting any Troy and Harris, or Ryan and Fabian?Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ahhhh! So many things from the next book I’m looking forward to seeing play out.Anonymous wrote:Season Two April 2027! Can't wait!
me too!!
Anonymous
02/26/2026 13:45
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Ahhhh! So many things from the next book I’m looking forward to seeing play out.Anonymous wrote:Season Two April 2027! Can't wait!
me too!!
Anonymous
02/26/2026 11:53
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Ahhhh! So many things from the next book I’m looking forward to seeing play out.Anonymous wrote:Season Two April 2027! Can't wait!
Anonymous
02/26/2026 10:31
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Season Two April 2027! Can't wait!
Anonymous
02/13/2026 17:20
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was aware of the books having a big following and am so glad this show is so wildly popular. The first four shows span years of the relationship, that's mostly conducted by text, it seems. I'm enjoying it a lot!
The actors are posting a ton on social media and they seem to have a great rapport.
Anyone else watching? I know people who wait up until midnight when the new episode comes out!
I need someone to explain the appeal of this show to me like I am five. Or rather, why are females swooning over it so?
It is just one of those things that goes viral. People needed something positive and lighthearted in the midst of all the ICE and darkness and this was the thing that went viral. You can’t really explain why some things just take off.
The books already had a big fan base of women who are into Harlequin romance / gay erotica / hockey smut. It has hockey and men on men action and is a Harlequin romance.
The show was well made and that helped too. It’s a good piece of TV but the crying and swooning and fandemonium is just people being a bit crazy.
Is it a safe fantasy because the characters don't pose any threat to them?
It is two men, same physical size and strength, same age, same career, same financial status, same desire for hook up sex, - so yes, no real power differential which makes it very unthreatening.
Fantasy as not something women can ever have due to biology.
Anonymous
02/13/2026 16:22
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was aware of the books having a big following and am so glad this show is so wildly popular. The first four shows span years of the relationship, that's mostly conducted by text, it seems. I'm enjoying it a lot!
The actors are posting a ton on social media and they seem to have a great rapport.
Anyone else watching? I know people who wait up until midnight when the new episode comes out!
I need someone to explain the appeal of this show to me like I am five. Or rather, why are females swooning over it so?
It's romance. A romance between equal partners with consent, emotions, vulnerability, and incredible chemistry between the actors.
Anonymous
02/13/2026 08:43
Subject: Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO-Max)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was aware of the books having a big following and am so glad this show is so wildly popular. The first four shows span years of the relationship, that's mostly conducted by text, it seems. I'm enjoying it a lot!
The actors are posting a ton on social media and they seem to have a great rapport.
Anyone else watching? I know people who wait up until midnight when the new episode comes out!
I need someone to explain the appeal of this show to me like I am five. Or rather, why are females swooning over it so?
Maybe read the previous 32 pages of people telling you exactly why?