The penultimate episode of Heated Rivalry dispenses with the show’s signature time jumps to focus on a relatively specific window as Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Rozanov (Connor Storrie) finally acknowledge their feelings for each other.
Missed a review? Episode 1-2 / 3 / 4
The majority of the action takes place at the 2017 All-Star game in Tampa Bay, Florida and marks the first time the “rivals” play on the same team (insert your own nyuk nyuk). Naturally they complement each other incredibly well on the ice, but the real fireworks are the tiki hut discussions and looks at the pool.
Rather that revert back to clandestine hotel hook-ups – which do still happen (albeit off-screen) – “I’ll Believe in Anything” spends most of its runtime on the two men getting to a point where they can verbalize their feelings.
Following an apology from Shane for bailing on their intimate hook-up in Boston in episode four, the confessions come hard and fast. After being gently prodded out of the closet by/to Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse) over a (mutually agreed upon) break-up dinner, Shane eventually confides to Ilya that he’s gay.
Williams really shines during his scene with Rose. While I could quibble with the speed with which the break-up occurs (they only began their whirlwind romance last episode!), it’s pretty devastating to see the tears brim in Shane’s eyes as Rose gently asks if he’s ever said aloud that he prefers being with men. Hollander truly has had no one before her to confide in!
A lengthy period of unexpected separation follows as Ilya is called home to Russia to attend his father’s funeral. This section of the episode finds Shane desperately seeking ways to connect and/or help, which includes an (another off-screen) sex scene – this time over Facetime – but also, more crucially, arguably one the trickiest scenes of the season.
That would be Ilya’s lengthy confession about his feelings for his family and how he feels for Shane, all of which takes place over the phone…in Russian.
It’s a scene lifted directly from Rachel Reid’s book, but as shot by showrunner and series creator Jacob Tierney, this sequence brims with pained vulnerability and earnestness. It’s an extremely raw moment for Ilya, but one that is impeccably (and emotively) delivered scene by Storrie, who learned Russian for this role! It’s a testament to both leads that the conversation is entirely one sided and they shooting in different locations, but the romantic connection between the men is palpable.
The protracted separation continues when they make plans to meet up the following week, but Shane is hospitalized following an on-ice injury. It’s an encounter that obviously shakes Ilya up, and the tables flip as he suddenly becomes the one who’s worried about a hurt man.
All of this alone would be enough to deliver a satisfying episode, but the final moments mark the return of episode 3’s Scott (François Arnaud) and Kip (Robbie G.K.) in suitably dramatic fashion. After sitting out last episode, Scott’s team ultimately wins the Stanley Cup and, as everyone watches in bewilderment, Scott invites “one lucky fan” down onto the ice for a very public kiss.
It’s a lovely moment, though it definitely feels rushed considering where we last left Scott and Kip. As an emotional groundswell moment and, considering its impact on Shane and Ilya, it works, but Scott and Kip definitely deserved more screentime to hash out their own issues/storyline.
Shane, his parents , and Ilya all watch this moment on TV with mouths agape. But while Shane’s mother (Christina Chang) is stunned by the PDA, it heralds the end of one of the series’ most oft-repeated plot points: the lack of “out” queer players in the league is a deterrent that actively keeps athletes like Shane and Ilya in the closet out of fear.
With that rainbow barrier effectively destroyed by Scott’s very public coming out, the path forward is cleared for Shane and Ilya’s own romantic journey. There’s obviously still plenty to figure out, but the briefly seen (and occasionally mentioned) Hollander cottage will give the lovers the peace and quiet they need to work out their shit in the finale.
Other Observations:
- A concussed Shane nearly spills the beans about his lover as he’s carted off the ice on a stretcher. It’s an adorably dangerous moment as Hollander keeps mumbling about how mad “he” will be.
- Storrie’s coy, but knowing delivery of “Nope!” when Shane asks if Ilya came to Tampa with anyone is fantastic.
- The exchange about Shane wearing glasses and how much it turns Ilya on is also extremely amusing.
- Sidebar: Williams does look great in specs.
- At the post-funeral dinner, Ilya gets into a physical confrontation with brother Alexei (Slavic Rogozine) before finally cutting him off financially. It’s a satisfying moment that also suggests a severing of Ilya’s primary connection to Russia, which is one of the main reasons he told Shane he could never go public.
- Goodbye Sophie Nélisse! I would have liked it if the actress could have stuck around until the end of the episode, but with only six episodes, we are truly motoring through plot on this series.
- Also: the joke is that she’s clearly playing Mystique, right? She described the role as a shapeshifter and she’s being covered in blue make-up…
- Regardless of whether you felt rushed, if you didn’t tear up when Scott brings Kip down to the ice, you may be dead inside. It’s a very sweet moment, capped by Ilya’s immediate call to Shane to announce he’s coming to the cottage. And off we go into the S01 finale!
Heated Rivalry airs Fridays on Crave and HBO
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