Heated Rivalry Proves Investing in Queer Shows Pays Off

Over the past few weeks, Heated Rivalry has exploded in popularity online and among TV viewers. 

It has already earned the status as one of the most viewed LGBTQ+ series in recent years. Even before Season 1 finished airing, Crave had renewed the show for yet another season, despite it initially being promoted as a limited series. 

All the buzz around Heated Rivalry has pointed to one prominent issue for television: audiences want more LGBTQ+ stories. 

An argument can be made that there are more queer stories on TV now than there were 20 years ago. But that progress has been marked by many setbacks, namely the trend of LGBTQ+ shows getting cancelled. 

Series like Our Flag Means Death, Dead Boy Detectives, and A League of Their Own are known for featuring several queer characters. However, they each received only one or two seasons and were cancelled early. 

In fact, a recent GLAAD study found that 39% of LGBTQ+ characters from the 2024-25 TV season will not return due to cancellations. This finding demonstrates how the number of currently running shows with queer representation is constantly in flux. 

In fact, several LGBTQ+ shows like Heartstopper and Yellowjackets are slated to wrap up with the next installment. And emerging popular shows like Heated Rivalry are showing promise of filling the gap left by these shows when they end. 

There are many different factors why Heated Rivalry has achieved so much success, but its focus on putting LGBTQ+ stories at the forefront is notable.

The show mainly centers on Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s relationship, but also features another queer couple: Scott Hunter and Kip Grady. By offering several perspectives of what queer identity can look like, particularly for queer men, Heated Rivalry offers valuable, nuanced representation. 

Heated Rivalry‘s setting in the hockey world is notable. As of 2025, the NHL still remains the only major men’s sports league without any out gay players. The representation of multiple queer hockey players on one show opens up the conversation about LGBTQ+ identity on the ice.  

Additionally, the show also embraces the fact that Shane is Asian and autistic. His identity as a queer and neurodivergent character of color is just one aspect of his character, as the series makes sure to highlight that he loves hockey just as much as he loves Ilya. 

Also, Heated Rivalry is yet another popular book-to-television adaptation in recent years. While this phenomenon has mostly applied to straight books series like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Bridgerton, there have been a few exceptions. 

The queer film Red, White & Royal Blue, also based on a book, received so much critical acclaim that its sequel is in development. The success of this film adaptation helped set the precedent for Heated Rivalry, which also had a dedicated fanbase before the television show aired. 

All these points about Heated Rivalry circle back to the central conclusion that viewers want to see more series about LGBTQ+ characters. The next step is for networks to understand this and begin investing in queer shows instead of canceling them and disappointing audiences. 

These cancellations are often made with the justification that there aren’t enough people watching LGBTQ+ shows. But with the way social media has been consistently flooded with Heated Rivalry references, so much so that actual NHL teams have referenced the show, is an argument against that. 

Heated Rivalry operated with a thin budget and still achieved so much success. Imagine what the future for LGBTQ+ shows might look like if networks and streaming services earnestly invested in queer stories that audiences are hungry for. 

This show shouldn’t just be an exception to the trend of underappreciated LGBTQ+ series. Heated Rivalry has the potential to not only start conversations about mainstream queer representation but also open doors for LGBTQ+ shows in the coming years.

Representation is not something that can simply be one-and-done but a consistent effort in the world of television. With its raunchy and heartfelt approach to storytelling, Heated Rivalry has proven that there’s an unaddressed desire for queer representation. 

Now, it’s time for the industry to step up and meet that demand. 

Heated Rivalry Season 1 is available to stream on HBO Max and Crave. 

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