Post Reports – How a Gay Hockey Romance Became a Global Phenomenon

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Martine Powers
Guests: Rachel Kurzius (Lifestyle Reporter), Shane O’Neill (Post Style Reporter)
Topic: The cultural phenomenon of HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry,” a gay hockey romance series

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the runaway success of “Heated Rivalry,” an HBO Max series based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling hockey romance novel. Host Martine Powers, alongside reporters Rachel Kurzius and Shane O’Neill, explores why this steamy, intimate portrayal of a queer relationship between two rival pro hockey players has resonated with such a broad audience—both within and outside the LGBTQ community. They discuss the show’s origins, its depiction of sex and intimacy, the meaningful chemistry between its leads, and what its popularity says about current anxieties and desires around sex and relationships in North America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of the Adaptation

Timestamps: 02:46–04:14

• Rachel Kurzius shares her early influence:
  • She wrote a piece in August 2023 on the rising popularity of hockey romance, featuring "Heated Rivalry."
  • Showrunner Jacob Tierney read her article and felt a “sense of preemptive FOMO”—he acted quickly to secure rights for a TV adaptation.
  • HBO Max ended up with a show that was nearly lost to Canadian streaming exclusivity.

Quote:

• “After reading my story in the Washington Post, he basically got this intense feeling of preemptive FOMO, like, someone else is gonna read this and know that this needs to be adapted, and when someone else makes it and it's not me, I'm gonna be mad.” — Martine Powers (03:40)

2. Why Is This Story Special?

Timestamps: 04:34–05:46

• Rachel: The central pairing (Shane & Ilya) fascinates because it features imperfect people finding a version of perfection together—a more authentic alternative to the over-idealized “book boyfriends” of typical romance.
• Shane O’Neill: The series has struck a unique chord, especially within queer communities, for its blend of camp, soapy fantasy, and genuine enjoyment.

3. Sex, Intimacy & Plot

Timestamps: 06:28–09:36

• The show’s explicitness is a major talking point—both for its frequency and its meaningfulness.
• Rachel: The sex is not “just a scene”—it’s integral to character and plot development, charting the evolution of their relationship.
• Shane: The show’s approach to sex is unusually communicative and realistic for queer relationships—sex scenes are “plot” and “character development,” not just titillation.

Quote:

• “For me, when I hear people say it’s just a sex scene, like just a sex scene, this is plot, this is character, this is everything happening.” — Martine Powers (07:09)

• Another unique aspect is the “shocking” and immersive sound editing, making the intimacy feel “realer” than even much more explicit content elsewhere.

Quote:

• “I have seen much more explicit things on my computer screen than I've seen on HBO Max. I'm not sure I've heard the sound effects quite so graphic.” — Shane O’Neill (08:41)

4. Success Story & Industry Reluctance

Timestamps: 09:36–11:08

• The show was initially a gamble by the Canadian streamer Crave, who protected the creative vision against U.S. funding execs that wanted to tone down gay sex scenes or insert “token” female characters.
• Its later international success is seen as a validation of that risk and creative integrity.

5. Cultural Appeal: Queer & Beyond

Timestamps: 11:10–14:13

• Shane notes the appeal to both queer viewers and straight women, suggesting that people fundamentally love to watch beautiful bodies and compelling chemistry, citing art history and the “collective horny moments” of cultural history (e.g., “Deep Throat,” “Fifty Shades of Grey”).
• Changes in gender power dynamics and dating difficulties for straight women may make queer stories more accessible and appealing to wider audiences.
• For queer viewers, the show balances fantasy with enough realism to feel resonant, without the constant trauma of being outed as athletes.

Quote:

• “I think it's hitting a lot of sweet spots between camp and genuine enjoyment.” — Shane O’Neill (05:59)
• “We're at a sweet spot where we are comfortable with a gay relationship, but there's still enough discomfort that there's a spark.” — Shane O’Neill (24:07)

6. Deeper Meaning: Post-MeToo Angst & Escapism

Timestamps: 17:17–19:43

• Rachel and Martine discuss the “escapist element” for straight women: it’s easier to enjoy queer romance when you’re not in it, and there’s less room for self-comparison or anxiety.
• They note the extraordinary on-screen chemistry between the two leads—deliberately cast for chemistry rather than star power.

Quote:

• “What Heated Rivalry dares to imagine is what if we cast romances with leads who have chemistry with each other?” — Martine Powers (17:59)

• Shane: The level of intimacy in the sex scenes is rare for mainstream media and “remarkable”; even pornography doesn’t usually create this kind of intimacy.

7. Criticisms: Who Is It For?

Timestamps: 19:43–22:16

• Addressing claims that the show is “written and filmed for straight women,” Shane points out this is a common cross-identification in pop culture (e.g., “Sex and the City” or “Golden Girls” as “gay” stories).
• Martine: The fandom is also lesbian, and the broader appeal shows it’s reductive to ascribe the work to one demographic.
• The story arc is novel: Instead of “meet-cute then romance,” physical connection precedes emotional connection, which mirrors many real-world experiences, especially in queer relationships.

8. Taboo, Patriarchy & Authentic Barriers

Timestamps: 22:16–23:29

• Shane explores why gay male erotica can feel “freer” for women to enjoy—removing the worry of patriarchy and the vulnerability of women in those scenarios allows for less troubled voyeurism.
• Martine: The obstacles that keep the lovers apart (being gay pro athletes in a masculine subculture) are believable and external, unlike the often contrived barriers in much hetero romance.

9. Final Thoughts: What Does All This Say About Sexuality Now?

Timestamps: 23:29–25:25

• Martine (tongue-in-cheek): “The state of our [sexual] union is strong.” But, she notes, the show is a Canadian creation(!).
• Shane: There will always be a market for beautiful depictions of the human form, but the “wholesomeness” and intimacy combined with just enough tension reflects a desire for “consequence-free titillation” and personal, digestible kinds of conflict—not heavy drama or trauma.
• The show offers a comforting escape and a new way to experience intimacy and romance, especially against the backdrop of broader societal anxieties.

Quote:

• “I think maybe a lot of us are trying, with so much genuine anxiety about our future, I think sort of reverting to these sort of like smaller scale schoolyard anxieties about like, I like him, but can we be together? I think that it's a really welcome escape…” — Shane O’Neill (24:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I ended up just staying up until 1 o' clock in the morning last night watching this show because it seems like that's the only right way to do it.” — Rachel Kurzius (00:28)
• “It's not like full frontal. There's no full frontal. There's a lot of back frontal. A lot of buts.” — Martine Powers (09:17)
• “Do we have a problem with Sex and the City? I mean, that was a show … by and for gay guys.” — Shane O’Neill (20:01)
• “This was funded by Canada. Like, this is Canada's greatest cultural export since, what, Hockey itself.” — Martine Powers (23:54)
• “The idea that we're paid to do this is so delightful I can't even begin to tell you.” — Martine Powers (25:30)

Key Timestamps

• 02:46–04:14: How “Heated Rivalry” got optioned after a Washington Post article
• 06:28–07:59: Discussion of the explicit, meaningful use of sex in the narrative
• 09:36–11:08: Industry reluctance; creative integrity in resisting mainstream “notes”
• 11:10–14:13: Why such crossover audience appeal?
• 17:17–19:43: Chemistry, escapism, and casting for chemistry
• 19:43–22:16: Debate: who is this show for (queer men, women, lesbians)?
• 23:29–25:25: What the show signals about contemporary sexuality and desires

Conclusion

“Heated Rivalry” is more than a titillating gay romance: it’s a cultural touchstone tapping into very modern anxieties and desires around intimacy, representation, and escapism. The episode explores why the show feels fresher, realer, and more “wholesome” than its surface might suggest, and why its blend of fantasy and realism is connecting so widely. It reflects a shift in what audiences want from romance—not perfect people or contrived obstacles, but messy, genuine connection, believable barriers, and chemistry that leaps off the screen.

For listeners wanting insight into not only why “Heated Rivalry” is popular, but also what its popularity says about all of us—this episode is must-hear analysis, frank, smart, and (appropriately!) a little steamy.