How is HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry redefining TV viewing habits? Details explored

HBO Max's sports romance, Heated Rivalry, premiered on November 28, 2025, and has become one of its most popular TV shows currently. The queer romance Canadian drama is adapted from Rachel Reid's novel series and follows the story of two rival ice hockey players who fall in love.

The star-crossed love story has kept viewers hooked not just with the depiction of romance but also with the various LGBTQ+ narratives revolving around the characters of the series. However, it doesn't stop there, as the series is also trying to change another trend, i.e., 'casual viewing'. According to SlashFilm, Heated Rivalry has been trying to change the audience's TV viewing habits, encouraging them to watch programs more attentively.

The latest HBO Max series isn't just keeping the fans glued to the screen with the steamy moments but also making them pay attention to the minute details that add more depth to the storyline.

More on this in our story.

How is HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry redefining TV viewing habits? Details explored

With the overabundance of content, the need to finish a TV show in a day or a night has also become a trend. This has also resulted in the rise of 'casual viewing'. It has become a trend for shows to run in the background while viewers multitask or continue using their phones.

Will Tavlin revealed in an article on n+1 magazine that screenwriters who worked for Netflix were asked to make the characters say what they were doing to catch the viewers' attention and inform them who were not watching it attentively. He stated:

"[Common note from company executives is] 'have this character announce what they’re doing so that viewers who have this program on in the background can follow along.'"

However, as SlashFilm noted, watching Heated Rivalry as a background program might not work well. Apart from the intimate moments between the characters, the series also depicts various tender moments that showcase the slow-burning love story, as well as emotional moments where subtle actions are enough to convey what the characters are feeling, rather than speaking it aloud.

For instance, numerous moments between Shane and Ilya needed attentive viewing, such as the moment they shared in the gym, where Ilya asks Shane to drink water from his bottle, and the latter obliges, which became the starting point of their complicated relationship. There are several other moments, such as Shane helping Ilya in an interview and the pair leaning on each other for support underneath the table by touching each other's feet.

Along with Shane and Illya's story, Scott and Kip's whirlwind romance in the latest episode of Heated Rivalry is also being praised by the audience of the queer romance series. While the series has numerous romantic scenes that grabbed the attention of many, these subtle details about the love stories of Shane and Ilya and Kip and Scott are also a reason the show is being praised for depicting queer romance in such a way, making it help break the trend of 'casual viewing'.

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Also Read: “He is emotionally ready”: Heated Rivalry star François Arnaud shares his thoughts about his character’s romance storyline with Robbie G.K.’s Kip

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