The final episode of Heated Rivalry, which – in a span of only five weeks – has become an international sensation, is upon us!
Missed a review? Episode 1-2 / 3 / 4 / 5
When last we left Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Rozanov (Connor Storrie), the latter had accepted the former’s invitation to his cottage following Scott Hunter (François Arnaud)’s historical coming out with boyfriend Kip (Robbie G.K.) after winning the Stanley Cup.
“The Cottage” takes place almost exclusively in a single location, and is basically a two-hander wherein Williams and Storrie’s characters relax and spend exclusive downtime with each other. Following the teased (but never seen) sex of episode five, there’s a great deal more physical action here, but it’s more about the intimacy as both men continue to let down their guard (think episode four, only without Shane running away).
Plot-wise things are relatively static until around the forty minute mark (more on that in a bit), but for fans who have grown to love the characters and the chemistry between the actors, “The Cottage” plays like pay-off for five episodes worth of romantic edging. There’s plenty of playful ribbing (particularly from Ilya to Shane), but most importantly, it’s the first time the two men have been able to spend a dedicated amount of time together without fear of being discovered.
The result is, as expected, captivating. Series creator/writer/director Jacob Tierney introduces the palatial cottage with a long take that follows Shane and Ilya stumbling through the foyer and into the living room where they collapse on the couch for an extended make-out. This is all tease: Shane keeps putting off more physical intimacy to ask questions, which frustrates both Ilya and the audience (in a good way!) who are eager to get down to pound town.
But sex has never been the point of the series. The reason that Heated Rivalry has taken the world by storm is because audiences are hungry for a satisfying queer romance, which is what “The Cottage” is chock full of.
Scenes that follow feature the guys making meals, swimming in the lake, and watching the sunrise. Just like in Rachel Reid‘s book, Ilya is freaked out by the “wolf bird” call of a loon and it’s as adorable as Shane’s inability to cut a burger recipe in half.
It’s only upon reflection that it becomes clear that what we’re seeing is the possibility; this is what Shane and Ilya’s life could be like if they committed to each other and became a couple. It’s what the audience wants and what the characters have never allowed themselves to consider.
It also gets the wheels turning in Shane’s head, so much so that he wakes Ilya up in the middle of the night with a plan: when Ilya becomes a free agent in a year, he’ll move to Ottawa (a mere two-hour drive from Montreal where Shane lives). Then the men will begin a charity and “change the narrative” about their rivalry, then – after retirement – they’ll come out together.
Naturally the idyllic escape comes to a surprising end around minute 36 when Shane’s father David (Dylan Walsh) discovers them kissing in the doorway, necessitating a tearful, but supportive coming out with him and Yuna (Christina Chang). After spending most of the season relegated to a few brief scenes, Chang and, to a lesser extent, Walsh finally get to flex their acting muscles and the results are surprisingly affecting. Most queer people live with some degree of fear that their family will reject them if/when they come out, so the moment when Yuna abruptly leaves the table and Shane apologizes, professing he “tried really hard” (to be straight), is incredibly impactful.
Just as Shane and Ilya have proven to be an escapist romance fantasy, here Heated Rivalry proves to be the ideal queer coming out fantasy. Not only do Yuna and David accept their son; they also accept his boyfriend (yes, boyfriend) and Yuna even asks for forgiveness from Shane! If only it were that easy (but also, the series seems to imply, if someone loves you, why can’t it be this easy?)
“The Cottage” also marks a notable other first for the series: the L word is uttered by both Ilya and Shane. Surprisingly enough, it’s Ilya who says it first (Shane’s response? “Holy shit”, followed by a quick confirmation that he feels the same). Once again, credit both actors for turning what could be trite or familiar dialogue into something more intimate and meaningful.
Admittedly one wishes this moment could have hit a little harder (the dialogue is too whisper/quiet considering how impactful it should be), but it resonates through the parental coming out scene and into the dialogue-free credits of the pair driving and rubbing their hands through each other’s hair.
Overall, this finale doesn’t reach the same highs as episode 5, but as a season finale, it achieves exactly what it needs to do: “The Cottage” offers emotional catharsis; it hints at where the story could go (the charity); and it sums up the previous episodes in a satisfying way.
Would this have hit differently without the confirmation that a second season is in the works? Undoubtedly no, but as it is, seeing our hot hockey boys driving off into the distance together, feelings on the table, and plans in the works, this works as a nice send-off. See you next season!
Other Observations:
- It really must be said that Williams’ cry face is A+. It works in small instances (such as when Shane asks Ilya not to marry Svetlana for the green card) and big (when he and Yuna break down outside).
- Sidebar: it plays like a mixture of both comedy and romance when Shane contradicts his mother’s fears about Ilya’s lack of loyalty with “He’s loyal to me!” Good moment.
- As a queer person who prided himself on passing (which, in retrospect, LOL), I felt seen by Shane’s quietly devastated “For how long?” after his parents admit they suspected he might be gay. There’s something a little crushing about the suspicion (“everyone else knew but me”), as well as the realization that you weren’t fooling anyone and could have come out much earlier.
- Speaking of performances, the series would have been far less effective without Storrie’s facial expressions. From the legitimate fleeting terror at the loon call, to the frustration when Shane wants to talk rather than fuck, to the disbelief when Shane initially asks him to wait in the car before coming out to his parents, Storrie can truly sell it all.
- Case in point: Shane’s meltdown en route to his parents’ cottage begins with the suggestion that Ilya’s decision to wear his team shirt “isn’t helping.” Ilya’s cheeky response: “Oh, they don’t know I play for Boston?”
- After episode five featured a ton of implied (but unseen) sex, “The Cottage” adopts the very strategic decision to start with a lot of teasing before showing a blowjob (while Shane is on the phone) and then fucking on the bed (with the usual strategic blocking). It’s not as steamy as the first few episodes, though that feels deliberate: the sex has moved away from hot and heavy hook-ups and into something more romantic and intimate. It’s appropriate for where the boys are at in their relationship.
- Although the blowjob is fast (perhaps even faster than in the book), it’s surprisingly risqué – and funny! – to see Shane try to bluff his way through a phone call while getting his rocks off.
- Speaking of blowjobs, Tierney opts to change the way that Shane and Ilya are discovered by David. In the show Hollander Sr. merely observes a kiss, whereas in Reid’s source material, it’s a full-on blowie.
- Another change from the book, and arguably one that provides a lot more leeway for S02 (and beyond, if necessary): Heated Rivalry, the book, ends with Shane and Ilya making a public announcement about their joint charity venture. The show, on the other hand, floats this as the game plan, but refuses to shift away from the present or leave the cottage.
Heated Rivalry has now concluded its first season. It will be back for S02 on Crave (in Canada) and HBO (in the US) at an unspecified time in the future
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