TV Review: Heated Rivalry, Episode 3
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Episode 3 of Heated Rivalry is kind of a wild swing when you think about it. Heated Rivalry is a 6 episode TV series that has to span a timeline of a decade of a situationship and in this episode, Jacob Tierney decides to turn our view away from the main couple and towards Scott Hunter, who we find out is also gay. Asking the audience to spend an entire episode away from the main couple, save for some cameo appearances, is an incredible ask of the audience, especially as the show has exploded in popularity due to the sexual nature and yearning of Ilya and Shane.
Well, isn’t it great to say that Jacob’s decision pays off in spades, with the best written episode so far, fleshing out the world and bringing a thematic resonance that will have great ripple effects for the rest of the series.
Scott Hunter is the focus of the episode. We’ve met the man at a couple of points in the story around Shane and his reaction to Ilya in episode 2 might be the shows funniest moment so far. However, he’s not all fun and games here. After having a tremendous season the year prior, he’s down on his luck and after a run, heads into a smoothie shop where he meets the adorable Kip. When he believes the smoothie Kip made him contributed to his best game of the season, he starts frequenting the juice bar more, and him and Kip’s flirtations suddenly turn into a relationship. However, due to Scott’s status as aa hockey player, their relationship happens mostly behind closed doors, terms agreed to by both parties. It ultimately ends after a disastrous trip to an art store and a rejected birthday party invite causes the two to split up.
What I think I love about this episode is it takes the show from simply being a worthy sex romp (which would be worthwhile on its own) to a much more rewarding, fleshed out world. In this show, we get to see a relationship develop that kinda sorta feels healthier than the arrangement Holland have. Both men are upfront about their wants and Scott makes it clear that he won’t come out until 2-3 years after he retires. But with the Sword of Damocles hanging over them, we are left to wonder and pontificate if their relationship is indeed a worthwhile venture. Neither man is made to feel less than or wrong for the decision they pursue, but Heated Rivalry lets everyone live in the decisions they make, while also giving voice to the hope and message many in the closet need to hear (Elena, you may be the MVP of the Heated Rivalry-verse for the seed you tried to plant in Scott’s mind).
I remember once attending a book event with Adam Silvera where he talked about the necessity of the coming out narrative. People often asked him why he includes coming out stories in his narratives and he replied that when it stops being taboo or something that causes great pain to people, then he’ll stop. Heated Rivalry is being both praised and critiqued for its vision of a world with lots of gay male hockey players, and I think bringing Scott and Kip’s relationship to the fore, we get a much more interesting show. The show certainly could have gotten on with simply being a fantasy, but if our characters are to win the loves of their lives, it will be all the sweeter to see them triumphing over giant mountains of conflict. While many may be tired of it feeling that all gay love is tragic, grounding for the show with this episode is going to allow it to soar to places previously unforeseen.
Additional Thoughts
While last week when the two episodes dropped I was surprised the show didn’t spend any time with Shane exploring what it means to be a bottom, I’m actually more surprised that the show did not deign to give us a sex scene with Scott bottoming after Kip asks to fuck him. It feels like a massive missed opportunity.
Also, it was hilarious to see Scott deal with both Ilya and Shane on the ice, especially when he clocked the hell out of Shane saying that he was sounding like Ilya with the taunting. I lived!
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