"In the United States, it's the top-rated non-animated series HBO Max has acquired since its launch in 2020, and amongst the top five of all scripted debuts on the streaming service this year. The breakout TV series is spreading like flash frost across the nation. There's an entire TikTok cottage industry dedicated to the show (I bought my sister a shirt through it). The gay bar I occasionally work at won't stop playing "All The Things She Said" over the speakers."
"Though both showrunner Jacob Tierney ( Letterkenny , ) and newcomer stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams are shocked by Heated Rivalry becoming one of the year's biggest shows, there is something especially stunning about how the world of hockey has welcomed it. There are straight dudes with hockey podcasts watching a gay show with earnestness and excitement -not judgment."
Heated Rivalry has become the most-watched original on Canada's Bell Media Crave and a top-rated acquisition for HBO Max in the United States. The series has generated a widespread cultural phenomenon, including TikTok fan communities, merchandise, packed sports bars, Jumbotron clips at hockey games, and viral Teen Vogue content. An episode titled "I'll Believe in Anything" has reached extremely high rankings and a perfect score in major episode polls, supported by tens of thousands of votes. Showrunner Jacob Tierney and lead actors expressed surprise at the scale of the success. The hockey world, including many straight fans and the NHL, has embraced the attention despite a history of homophobic incidents.
Read at Kotaku
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