"Rachel Reid didn't intend for anyone to write a dissertation about her horny little gay hockey series. Then again, the Nova Scotia author behind the Game Changers series could never have anticipated the level of fanfare that's accompanied the television adaptation of her books: Heated Rivalry. The show, commissioned by Canada's Crave and distributed by HBO Max in the US, debuted in late November and quickly became a massive hit. It's the number one Crave original series of all time,"
"From Reddit to BookTok, the show and its source material have also sparked a lot of discourse, ranging from speculation about lead character Shane's neurodivergence, commentaries about race in hockey, and accusations that Reid favors mischievous Russian Ilya over Shane. "I didn't expect this book to be analyzed like The Great Gatsby when I wrote it. It's really just a hockey romance," Reid, now a New York Times bestselling author, tells me over Zoom, laughing. Still, she's flattered at the time people have spent theorizing."
Heated Rivalry, the television adaptation of a gay hockey romance series, premiered on Crave and HBO Max and rapidly became a top-rated hit, prompting a second season. Online communities on Reddit and BookTok generated extensive debate about character neurodivergence, race in hockey, and character preferences. The show attracted public criticism about its depiction of gay intimacy and comments suggesting lead actors should disclose their sexuality. Amid the attention, the lead actors have posted flirtatious videos together, fueling further fan engagement and media conversation.
Read at WIRED
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