If you’ve read an entertainment magazine or watched a talk show in the last few weeks, you have probably heard a great deal of buzz about an HBO Max series called "Heated Rivalry." What’s all the fuss about?

The Popularity of Romance

"Heated Rivalry" is a television adaptation of Rachel Reid’s bestselling hockey romance novel, a slow-burn queer love story of two Canadian hockey stars, Shane Hollander and his Russian rival Ilya Rozanov. And it’s got everybody talking. While many seem surprised by the show’s popularity, perhaps they shouldn’t be—romance is the second most popular genre of fiction according to the nonprofit Romance Writers of America, and while the stereotype is that only women are interested in reading romance novels or their television adaptations, the organization estimates that about 18 percent of romance novel readers are men. What has been refreshing about the response to "Heated Rivalry" is that all kinds of people are loving it, women and men, queer and straight—unapologetically.

What makes romance such an appealing genre?

Consuming media that centers romance, whether novels or television series, is a way to explore relationships and our own emotions, without any risk of disappointment or rejection. Just as our brains release oxytocin when we are emotionally close to someone else, the same chemical response happens when we read about or watch fictional characters bonding. In fact, engagement in fiction fosters empathy and helps us understand other people’s emotions better (Oatley, 2016). People who prefer the romance genre have been found to have higher levels of interpersonal sensitivity, perhaps because they spend a lot of time vicariously experiencing fictional characters’ perceptions, emotions, and relationships and so better understand their own and their loved ones. (Fong et al., 2013)

It also feels good. Seeing two people allowing themselves to be vulnerable, express their genuine feelings, and be intimate lets us feel emotionally engaged ourselves.

The Power of Story

"Heated Rivalry" is also a complex and compelling story. The more fans feel an attachment to the fictional characters, the more they identify with their emotional struggles and successes. Shane and Ilya are fully fleshed-out human beings in the show and novels, struggling with issues of identity, safety, and family, as well as what it means to be a professional hockey player who’s in love with another man. They are embedded in a richly drawn narrative that allows viewers or readers to immerse themselves in the story. Immersive reading or viewing experiences activate the dopamine system in the brain, a natural reward that is both pleasant and satisfying. Through mental transportation, viewers and readers take in a piece of consciousness from the fictional world, deepening their understanding of other people and their own social experience.

Fans who connect with the characters empathize with them and share their emotional responses, feeling good when the characters feel good. That "Heated Rivalry" has allowed its characters to truly love each other feels good to its fans, too. Importantly, as a queer love story, "Heated Rivalry" is not a tragedy. It does not gloss over the sociopolitical challenges, but, ultimately, the story is a celebratory one, unafraid of a happy ending.

Challenging Toxic Masculinity

Because "Heated Rivalry" explores the love between two men and allows them to be vulnerable and openly emotional with each other, the series has also been lauded for challenging tropes of toxic masculinity, as many romance novels do. Because romance media focuses on feelings, the narrative necessarily depicts strong emotions and vulnerability in all its characters, both male and female. Both men in "Heated Rivalry" model emotional intimacy as well as the challenge of that in a culture that teaches men to suppress those emotions. Many women and men want to see men emote for each other more openly, frustrated with societal norms that discourage that emotional expression. The show’s real-life stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, have also spoken out about their commitment to challenging those toxic masculinity norms.

Perhaps surprising to some, many (but certainly not all) "Heated Rivalry" fans are women. Women, both straight and queer, have long enjoyed consuming romantic fiction that centers love stories between two men—it’s one of the most popular genres of fanfiction, and that includes steamy hockey romances. However, the show’s broad popularity and mainstream media coverage are something new, and have the potential to change the way romance fiction is viewed—as well as some real-world cultural norms. Forbes credited the series with changing the culture through “soft power,” influence without coercion. By creating something that people admire, the series may expand empathy and normalize a new narrative that challenges homophobia and toxic masculinity. An article in the New York Times asserted that the series might also change how welcome LGBTQ people feel in stereotypically masculine male hockey culture.

Parasocial Relationships, Escape, and Community

"Heated Rivalry"’s popularity is also increased by its appealing, refreshingly open stars and their real-life challenging of toxic masculinity. The two have kept a dizzying schedule of interviews, and many fans are as attached to the actors as to the fictional characters. The research on parasocial relationships, in which fans know a great deal about a celebrity, while the celebrity does not know individual fans even exist, has evolved from historically pathologizing to a recognition that, while one-sided, these relationships can be positive for fans. Feeling connected to a celebrity you admire can be a source of inspiration and can increase sense of well-being (Kim & Kim, 2020).

Becoming a fan of a romance series can also be a healthy escape in a time of sociopolitical and cultural stress. Losing yourself in a fictional world is a form of leisure, which is associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression and higher levels of well-being (Trainor et al., 2010). As more and more people discover "Heated Rivalry," a vibrant fan community has also formed, bringing its own benefits. We all have a strong need to belong, so finding other like-minded people who are passionate about the same thing can increase self esteem and mental health, with less loneliness and greater resilience.

While some have accused "Heated Rivalry" fans of only caring about the onscreen (or on the page) sex, many fans of the show are also hockey fans. Other fans who were not hockey fans are using their love of the show to learn all about hockey, and the NHL itself has jumped on the "Heated Rivalry" bandwagon to welcome them. An article in The Hollywood Reporter quoted an NHL rep as saying that, in the league’s 108-year history, this might be the most unique driver for creating new fans. They added, “See you all at the rink!”

Parasocial Relationships Essential Reads

Since "Heated Rivalry" has been renewed for a season 2, you can also see Ilya and Shane at the rink (on your screen). And reap the benefits.

References

Abeywardena, P. (2026). ‘Heated Rivalry’: How a gay hockey romance became a soft power masterclass. *Forbes, *January 5. forbes.com/sites/pennyabeywardena/2026/01/05/heated-rivalry-how-a-gay-hockey-romance-became-a-soft-power-masterclass/

Abramovitch, S. (2025) Down to puck: Why women are going wild for ‘Heated Rivalry’. *The Hollywood Reporter, *December 22. hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/heated-rivalry-hbo-max-gay-drama-hockey-players-hit-women-1236456083/

Fong, K., Mullin, J.B. & Mar, R.A. (2013). What you read matters: The role of fiction genre in predicting interpersonal sensitivity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, 7(4), 370–376. doi.org/10.1037/a0034084

Kim, M. & Kim, J. (2020). How does a celebrity make fans happy? Interaction between celebrities and fans in the social media context. *Computers in Human Behavior, *Vol. 111. doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106419

McKenzie, J. (2026). Hit show ‘Heated Rivalry’ became a TV phenomenon. Can it change hockey culture? *Athletic/New York Times, *January 6. nytimes.com/athletic/6936576/2026/01/06/heated-rivalry-nhl-hockey-culture-change/

Oatley, K. (2016). Fiction: Simulation of social worlds. Trends in Cognitive Science, 20 (8), 618–628

Trainor, S., Delfabbro, P., Anderson, S. & Winefield, A. (2010) Leisure activities and adolescent psychological wellbeing. Journal of Adolescence, 33, 173–186.

Westenfeld, A. (2021). Better For You Than Porn: Why Men are Reading Romance Novels. *Esquire, *July 27. esquire.com/entertainment/books/a37094392/men-reading-romance-novels/