I have already spread the gospel of Heated Rivalry, the gay hockey romance TV series bestowed upon us by our yaoi-loving neighbors in the north (Canada). But now, weeks later, many more worshippers have heard the word of our gay Lord.
According to Variety, Heated Rivalry is the most-watched original series ever on Canada’s Bell Media Crave streaming service. 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. They’re playing scenes on the Jumbotron at hockey games, they’re doing flirty Teen Vogue videos, they’ve got packed WeHo sports bars screaming over the most recent episode.
That episode, titled “I’ll Believe in Anything,” is currently rated as the second-best episode of television ever by IMDB users, topped (teehee) only by Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias.” Both episodes have a perfect 10-star score, but Heated Rivalry‘s up there with just 31,000 votes compared to Breaking Bad‘s 273,000.
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— Empty Netters (@EmptyNettersPod) December 21, 2025
Though both showrunner Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny, Shoresy) 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.
The NHL, a league infamous for its players hurling homophobic slurs and refusing to take part in Pride nights, is embracing the newfound attention the sport has gotten thanks to Heated Rivalry (hockey has struggled to gain a consistent viewership foothold in the States). “There are so many ways to get hooked on hockey and, in the NHL’s 108-year history, this might be the most unique driver for creating new fans. See you all at the rink,” a league spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
If you have a young woman or a gay man in your family, expect to hear about this show during Christmas if you haven’t already. Especially because the season finale of Heated Rivalry airs on HBO Max at 12 a.m. ET on December 26.