Flipping the Script: Analyzing Heated Rivalry’s Success
If you have been on the internet for any time at all in the last two months, you have probably heard the name “Heated Rivalry.” “Heated Rivalry” is a Canadian TV show that made its way to the US through HBO Max and follows two male rival hockey players and their 10-year-long romance. Looking from the outside in, “Heated Rivalry” looks like your typical romance novel adaptation. So, what caused its massive success?
Actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams star as the male leads in the show, and both have little to no prior acting credits. This has not been commonplace in Hollywood in recent years, as many studios and production companies have been pushing major stars in all their movies and shows. The lack of new actors in Hollywood has been a trending topic recently, as many have pointed out the overuse of actors such as Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and Jacob Elordi. The internet’s obsession with both Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie shows that the public has a thirst for new talent, and that it can actually be an advantage.
The obsession we are seeing with these two actors can only be compared to 80s heartthrobs. By coincidence, many have compared Storie to Patrick Swayze and Williams to Keanu Reeves. As of now, they are seeing success that has been difficult to achieve with the separation of large audiences through social media. Most people have small niches of the internet that they stay in, making it very difficult for everyone to know about one cultural moment, but “Heated Rivalry” seems to have reached almost every corner of the internet. They have recently appeared on late night talk shows and done an extensive press tour. Dozens of YouTube interview videos from major publications have popped up from the press tour, along with photo shoots from major magazines such as Vanity Fair and GQ.
Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams for Vanity Fair
Another major talking point for “Heated Rivalry” has been their low budget per episode as compared to other top shows on streaming platforms right now.
“Stranger Things 5” had a budget of nearly $50 million per episode (Snellgrove, 2025)
“Severance” was given a budget of around $20 million per episode (Selcke, 2024)
“Heated Rivalry” received $5 million CAD, about $3.6 million USD per episode (Idiz et al., 2026)
Compared to other massive cultural moments that have hit our screens in the past year, “Heated Rivalry” was given a significantly smaller budget and was able to become just as successful. Their filming time was only around 1-2 months for the entire season as well, moving at an insanely fast pace compared to many US-made TV shows. The show was praised for its stunning cinematography and great soundtrack despite this smaller budget, which fueled conversations about the misuse of large Hollywood budgets in the film world.
One of the main moments that allowed “Heated Rivalry” to become a viral sensation was a scene where main characters Ilya and Shane see each other across a crowded club with “All the Things She Said” by t.A.T.u playing. The music made the scene, and was a real focal point of the show. The soundtrack featured various hits spanning from indie pop to Russian techno. It was a unique sound that viewers appreciated and resonated with. Some artists even saw a spike in streams from being featured on the show, some of which include Wet Leg, Wolf Parade, and Feist.
Almost every aspect of the “Heated Rivalry” production strayed from the path of your typical 21st century TV show, and came out just as successful (if not moreso) than Hollywood’s biggest productions. The show not only had a smaller budget, unknown actors, and an unconventional soundtrack, but even touched on an underrepresented issue: The stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ people in sports. The culture surrounding men’s sports in particular still tends to be hostile towards members of the LGBTQ+ community. There is a reason we do not hear about many LGBTQ+ athletes in male-dominated sports, and it’s not because they do not exist. Williams has been open about how professional athletes spanning dozens of various sports have contacted him to tell him how much “Heated Rivalry” meant to them as a closeted athlete.
Beyond the monetary success, “Heated Rivalry” succeeded in capturing the hearts of people all across the world, showcasing a beautiful love story that fueled important conversations about sports culture. The show flipped the script on how to have a story be told successfully, and became an iconic moment in 21st century pop culture.
References:
Idiz, D., Luka, M., & Sicondolfo, C. (2026). Heated Rivalry: How investment in Canadian content can pay off at home and abroad. https://doi.org/10.64628/aam.xtqdgcur9
Selcke, D. (2024, July 25). Somehow, Severance season 2 cost an enormous $20 million per episode. Winter Is Coming. https://winteriscoming.net/posts/somehow-severance-season-2-cost-an-enormous-20-million-per-episode-01j3n9akygj6
Snellgrove, C. (2025, December 28). After Spending Half A Billion Dollars, Why Does Stranger Things Look So Cheap And Ugly? GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT. https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/scifi/stranger-things-cheap.html
Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/90986854972284843/
About the author: Sophia Butsch is a senior studying Business Administration and Media Studies. She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and loves the PNW more than anything. She loves exploring topics surrounding pop culture, feminism, and the film industry.