Wednesday was a big day for island horror enthusiasts, Kennedy stans and “Pitt” aficionados. But fans of “Heated Rivalry,” the steamy Canadian hockey romance that became a word-of-mouth hit when it streamed on HBO Max last year, might be wondering: Why no love for Shane and Ilya?
Even if voters had wanted to honor the performances by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who star as two closeted gay hockey players, they couldn’t have: Because the show, which was adapted from the novel by Rachel Reid, is fully funded and produced by Canadian companies, it doesn’t meet the Emmys’ eligibility criteria for foreign productions. It was made for the Canadian streaming service Crave — HBO Max only licensed it.
Shows produced outside the United States are eligible only if they are co-productions between U.S. and foreign partners. “Schitt’s Creek,” another Canadian series, dominated the Emmys in 2020, but it was co-produced by U.S. companies.
The Emmys did recognize one “Heated Rivalry” star, however: Storrie received a guest acting nomination for hosting “Saturday Night Live” in February.
“Heated Rivalry” will be eligible for the International Emmy Awards. And there’s more good news for the show’s fans: The series has been renewed for a second season, which is set to debut in April.
“Heated Rivalry,” about the smoldering romance between the cocky, Russian-born Ilya (Storrie) and the reserved Canadian Shane (Williams), became a sensation after it debuted on HBO Max in November. It eventually inspired a nationwide “Heated RivalRave” tour; sold-out theme nights at clubs; and trivia nights, watch parties and costume contests at bars. An Off Broadway musical tribute is running currently in New York City, “Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody.”
Its success has also been a boon for the careers of Storrie, 26, and Williams, 25. The two men presented together at the Golden Globes, appeared on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (Storrie) and “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (Williams), and scored invitations to the Met Gala.
The abundance of furtive and passionate hookups between its leading characters were one big reason the show caught fire. But many fans were just as thrilled by the men’s passion outside the bedroom.
“I, at least, can’t recall being asked to watch a portrait of men falling in love with each other and staying there, staying alive in love, the way I actually am,” wrote Wesley Morris, a New York Times critic at large.
