Fandom Culture & Heated Rivalry Episode 1

Much like the rest of the internet, at least my queer corner of it, I have been obsessed with Heated Rivalry for the past few months. In January, I began my first rewatch of season one in its entirety, and this week have started another rewatch to finally consolidate my various feelings about this show. I will be writing a few of my thoughts about episode 1 and 2 in this post, but I also wanted to note my opinions about the blossoming fandom that has come from this show.

I started watching this show the day before the release of episode 5, when the show had been releasing weekly for a month already, so when it came to interacting with the fandom online, I was playing catch up. With the show reaching such a wide audience, I realized there have been a lot of people joining the fandom who have never been in one before. Sometimes I forget that not everyone has been entrenched in fandom space forever, like I have (nearly 10 years online now, but I would say I've been a fangirl (gender neutral) my whole life, with my first obsession being Superman (1978) when I was maybe six).

Anyway, once I had watched all the released episodes at the time (4 of 6), I delved into the online fandom to see what everyone was saying about this show. It was all the usual stuff, and a lot of it, but the thing that kept coming up was people talking about the "mass psychosis" surrounding this show (example one, example two). Now, I know the internet, tiktok especially, loves to miss use medical terminology in the pursuit of new slang, but I had no idea what everyone was talking about. There was nothing in the show, or the fandom discussions online, that I would label as "psychosis", even the internet slang version of that word.

Listen, I've been in fandoms where the gay stuff has been barley there, or a bit of a stretch, or made up entirely through fandom invented subtext. I know that struggle, this show is not that. It only takes 7 minutes to get to soft launch gay stuff and 13 minutes to get to no-way-around-it, definitely queer, no argument, gay stuff. So I was confused by what people were saying about the "mass psychosis" this fandom was experiencing, it couldn't be the whole gayness of the show or characters, cause it's so blatantly there and integral to the plot, it's certainly not made up.

So you wouldn't believe my surprise, when I finally figure out that the "psychosis" everyone keeps blabbering about is just... people being overly obsessed with the show. Oh. Right. Right. Again, I forget that people enjoy things to a normal degree most of the time. Even then, what's the psychosis part of it? That it's good? That it's good enough to be obsessed with? Maybe I'm getting to bogged down by the logistics of people blatantly misusing using medical terms, but I still don't get it. I also can't overlook the obvious misogyny of labelling a group, majority in it being women, as going through psychosis for simply showing enthusiasm.

All of this to say, I forgot how much the general populous does not engage with fandom culture at all, and I guess the enormous success of this show has pushed fandom into the spotlight for the "normal people" to see. I am once again surprised how little it takes for something or someone to be labelled as weird.

Anyway, onto the episode deep dive!

Before proceeding any further, I do want to state that everything moving forward is my own understanding and interpretation of the characters. Though I do spend a lot of my time listening to other people's breakdowns of the show, I do pick and choose what I integrate into my own personal Canon of the show. My Bible Heated Rivalry Lore is an amalgamation of my comprehension of the show, my favourite fandom head cannons, as well as things that the actors and director have said. So if I got anything wrong in this break down, no I didn't and it was an intentional choice :)

Episode 1: Rookies

First thing I want to say is big shout out to the costume department. I really like that they are basically wearing the same outfit here. Plain hoodie, plain beanie, black coat, slightly different but the same none the less. And they are such boring outfits, you know, cause they're 17 year old athlete boys in 2008.

I also love how fucking awkward the dialogue in this scene is. They both clearly have no idea what the other is trying to do. One thing I have really enjoyed since the beginning, is how natural the dialogue feels. At least to me. I've seen some people say it's corny but... It's a romance, its gonna be corny sometimes. I don't hear it at all but I think that's cause I fell in love with these characters just as fast as they fell in love with each other. So.

This is a great intro to these boys. Ilya is immediately identified as an asshole. He says only 16 clipped words to Shane's nervous 44. He's frowning and side eyeing Shane the whole time, and Shane in all his earnestness is so obviously nervous to introduce himself. In response, Ilya is confused by him, clearly used to more hostile interactions with opposing players, acting standoffish in anticipation of mind games. I know who these characters are already.

In my first watch of this show, I immediately identified Shane for what he is. Gay. No, lol. I already knew that. Autistic. Hudson Williams has spoken a little about this in some interviews, not enough in my opinion, but he integrates it into the way he plays Shane wonderfully. Even in just this scene alone, I felt it through the screen. The handshaking, the way he introduces himself. I can see the way he scripted this introduction in his head.

In just 1 minute and 40 seconds I love them already.

Love these parallel shots. It sets up how similar their positions are, why they would find this connection with each other.

I also appreciate the little detail in this montage that Ilya is already captain of his team, while Shane is not. Despite what we just saw of these two, Ilya seems to be more sociable, knows how to read people, more able to lead in the sport that they share. This is immediately vocalised by the voice over of the commentators calling Shane "not the most sociable" and Ilya is known to "really gets under other players skins". 

(I'm actually not sure about this from a costuming perspective, cause in the team training scenes in this montage, Shane doesn't have a C on his jersey, but he does in the handshake line right after the game they play. But they use the same jerseys for another handshake line after another game in 2010 so I can see them filming these right after one another, and the C either being missed when it's not meant to be there or forgotten in the training scenes)

This show is good at moving fast. First scene, our introduction to main characters and their dynamic with each other. Then, immediate montage establishing their positions and reputations within their sport. Next, this scene. Displaying their relationship with each of their direct family. Shane is being supported by his mum and dad, literally surrounding him with support. One of the first thing you hear Yuna say is that she's the "world's biggest Metros fan". Ilya has his father, who decides, upon being congratulated, that the first thing he is going to say about his son is that he "needs discipline". His First Draft Pick son needs discipline, apparently. The next thing he says is "You listen. Don't speak". Right.

The push and pull of this scene is wonderful.

Ilya is once again being an asshole. But it's shifted, it's more fun teasing, as opposed to apprehensiveness and detachment. He's decided he likes Shane. Wants his opinion on Boston and Montreal. The teams they're joining. The cities.

Shane's as earnest as ever, and equally as oblivious to Ilya's teasing at first. Answers Ilya's questions as seriously as if his dad was asking him.

It's in the non verbal communication, the looks, their bodies, that Shane realises what this is. What is between them.

The music in this scene works perfectly. Rises with the tension and falls away in the quieter moments. When they're on the bikes and later on the floor, it rises to highlight when the silence between them is more telling than the words they pass back and forth. 

I think this scene is the first time we see the real Shane and Ilya. Every scene before this has been our introduction to Shane Hollander™ and Ilya Rozanov™. This is them behind closed doors. Who they could be when no one's looking, when they are together. When they can be themselves with someone who knows what they are.

We get two phone calls in this scene. It opens with the Ilya getting an incoming call from his father, which he reject but doesn't get a second before he gets another call. This time from Alexei, his brother. He sees the incoming call, he's not even answered yet and he's visibly nervous, fidgeting already. His brother is crass with him, aloof and cocky, similar to how we've seen Ilya been in previous scenes, but with an added harshness that comes with knowing a person's weak spots and using them against them. It takes less than 40 seconds for him to call Ilya a faggot. They argue, but Ilya is monotone. He's even more closed off on the call with his father.

Ilya is so much quieter during these phone calls. Quiet. Small. Sorry. Saying sorry to his father, sending money to his brother. Giving. Only giving. Not how he is in other scenes.

The one things that shines through in this scene to me (literally), watching it back, is the gold of Ilya's cross in this dark hotel room. We've seen his father, now his brother too. Obviously it's hindsight, cause we only learn this later, but it's like this big glaring hole that's been punched straight through the film of the scene, where his mother should be. The glaring absence in his support system. 

Now, they've both won a game against each other. It's even ground between them.

Hi Jacob Tierney, I see you.

Again I love how awkward this dumb ass photoshoot is. And Ilya's cracked out his best line yet, "You look pretty". Straight to the point. They're so close to each other and doing this dumb ass face off thing. No wonder they laugh. I love it. 

I like that we can see that, despite what we are told later on, this rivalry was never real. They have no real reason to hate one another. And with how similar their lives are, of course even a tiny sliver of forced proximity is gonna get them creating a bond.

They are just babies here, they don't even know what they mean to each other yet.

And there it is, folks. Ilya planned it all. I see through you and your tough exterior, I know you're a fake IDGAFer, I caught you caring deeply for your fellow hockey boy.

This scene is just so fab. It highlights how much of Shane's life is out of his control. I mean, for fuck sake, he can't even decide what shoes he can wear. Shane has to be perfect, his reputation, his hockey, it all has to be perfect and stay perfect. God forbid his reputation isn't squeaky clean. Yuna lays it out: you are not like them, you are different, you have to be perfect or you're cut out. And it's all there on Shane's face; she doesn't even know the half of it.

And finally, here we are. 13 minutes in and we've hit unequivocally queer status. 

God they are so captivated by one another. It's like. They live such busy lives and they see so little of each other, especially this early on. But they are spiralling around each other, magnetized. Each interaction is enthralling enough that it feels like they are constantly showing up in each others lives.

We get the first instance of Shane's overused "Fuck off" in this scene. This again feels like a manifestation of Shane's reliance on scripting to socialise. Whenever he seems caught off guard, or encounters something he hasn't before, he often uses it as a deflection. But I think here, Ilya sees it for what it is. Not rejection, but insecurity. Shane's never encountered someone like Ilya before, or more importantly, the way Shane reacts to him. 

Shane says "Not here". Again, not rejection.

I think part of what makes Ilya so enticing to Shane is the fact that, even though he barely knows him, Ilya can see through Shane in a way that is unlike anyone else in his life. Everyone else will smooth past Shane's wants and needs because he's a polite, nice Canadian boy who says please and thank you. Who is good at hockey and smiles for the camera. But Ilya seems him for what he is. And for who he is. And, he can see someone with wants and desires that aren't perfect or proper. They are greedy and flawed and ugly. Things you're not meant to want.

I think it's because Ilya knows that even if you are someone who is good at something, great at something, you are still human. They are alone in the category, Ilya is the only one who could know the inside of Shane like this.

Shane essentially tells Ilya to forget about all that's just happened, in this scene. And Ilya decides he's not gonna let Shane get away with pretending he doesn't want. And Shane wants whatever this is so bad that when Ilya pushes back, he can do nothing but want for more.

"I might open."

"I might knock"

With that, Ilya tells him he wants the same ways that Shane wants. So strongly they can do nothing but spin closer and closer towards each other.

Once again, Shane is in a situation he's never been in before. How do you get ready for a hotel hook up? Put on a suit I guess. It's crazy, I can see so clearly his train of thought. It's exactly the kinda thing I would do.

He's so nervous he doesn't know what to do with himself. It's so endearing.

I know Yuna thought about this so much later down the line.

"This is such a bad idea"

I love this. I think Shane Hollander™ has crept up on him and reminded Shane that he's meant to be this perfect version of himself. He has to be. To have this life he wants. To have hockey. Even in his own hotel room, with someone who knows, he still can't want something that doesn't fit into that life. 

But even then he's wanting. Letting Ilya move closer.

The moment Ilya shows he wants this just as bad, moans right into his mouth, Shane allows himself to want something from this interaction just as bad. Escalates, by prompting Ilya to take off his jacket. Taking for once. Wanting.

They are both so entirely distracted by each other in this scene. They both can't stop looking at each other. 

Ilya hesitates before telling Shane about his "Coach's son back in Russia". He might be more confident, but this part of him is still intimate. He's being open with Shane in more ways than one.

Shane asks about if he was scared of getting caught, holding up a mirror and verbalising his own fears about this. 

They cannot stop touching each other, it's crazy. 

Again, I think at the beginning Ilya isn't trying to hide that fact that he likes Shane, is attracted, curious about who he is. Likes his earnestness, his restraint, how much he is NOT like Ilya. What is expected of them is so different. Who they are expected to be.

I think their Rivalry can best be described as an inside joke that is only between Shane and Ilya but everyone else thinks they're in on it and knows what's going on. 

Shane and his emotional support blue dress shirt.

Again, we're talking about sponsorships.

Rolex says "He's smart, he's serious, he's handsome." That's it. That's all he can be. A talented face to slap a brand on. Someone who is easy to look at and doesn't say anything that could reflect of the brand poorly. Squeaky clean.

Shane, going though the universal experience of thinking, I'm not gonna come out right now but if I did, I could make the perfect joke.

"Shane Hollander, will you disappoint them?"

That's what it's all about, isn't it? Disappointment. The omnipresent them. Whoever they are. Everyone. Anyone.

Ilya Rozanov, are you watching Shane Hollander interviews alone in your hotel room? Right. Hm.

Another call from Alexei. Money again. Giving again.

Talking with Alexei about this is going nowhere. Ilya asks about their father, Alexei still brushes him off. As monotone as he always is when talking to or about family, he says his father asked him to bring home bread last time he called, brining up that something is wrong with him, while still talking around it. Alexei passes it all off, "well he is stupid". Neither look convinced. But that's the end of it.

Side by side once again, but still somehow pitted against each other. Ilya is obviously struggling with the English questions here, using his reputation as a mask. Giving one word answers that come off as self assured and cocky.

Shane sees him for what he is. Nervous. Out of his depth. And because they aren't really rivals, he jumps in and answers first. He's got his PR approved answer ready and he delivers it evenly. He's got his Shane Hollander™ face on. Ilya Rozanov™ follows his lead.

They cannot keep their eyes of each other. Constantly tracking. The moment Shane is close enough, Ilya is chatting his ear off, saying anything to get his attention. "Good job" He just beat your record which you just set.

Shane cracks one mediocre joke and Ilya immediately decides he needs Shane alone again. 

Shane pushes into Ilya's hotel room ready to be angry and reminds Ilya that this is a bad idea and that they could find out. 

He gets one look at Ilya and it all melts away. They both want this so bad that this constant audience watching over their lives disappears and all they can see is the each other.

"Have you ever? Do you want to?"

And Shane doesn't answer. He knows Ilya sees right through him when he lies, so what the point. But it's something new. Something more, and he can't admit he wants this with Ilya too.

Ilya mentions next time like it's nothing. He knows what he wants and he's not missing an opportunity to get it. They play each other again in two weeks. Obviously they're gonna see each other.

Jane and Lily you will always be famous!

Even this early on Ilya is visibly nervous about not being able to see Shane. Even this early on, when his flight is cancelled, it's Shane he's thinking about, not hockey. This is not something he can fix by going and fucking someone else. Shane, already, has become irreplaceable in Ilya's life.

Again we can see how Shane doesn't socialise as much with his team. We just saw Marleau teasing Ilya in a way that shows he obviously knows him well enough to know Ilya's probably not fretting over a missed hockey game. 

Hayden is inviting Shane to his house cause his wife wants to be the first WAG to cook for him. Shane's never been over to a team mates house. Hayden's inviting him to his house for the first time. Hayden doesn't know about Shane's weird diet. 

Svetlana I love you and I've loved you from the beginning. 

I find it crazy that some people watched this scene and thought Svetlana was Ilya's girlfriend when she literally sees him text who she thinks is another girl right in front of her.

Shane wins rookie of the year. Hell yeah. There's this big scene where everyone's cheering him and then it immediately cuts to him stood alone at the bar. Again, he's inside of this big social events but not really participating in it.

Don't worry Shane, I also hate parties and big groups of people. 

"Where's your boy Rozanov?" Scott Hunter, accidentally setting off the homo alarm in Shane's brain. Gay on gay crime.

Shane is once again at the bar on his own. He looks around. He sees his dad with a party goer, his mum doing the same. He doesn't wanna talk to these people. He doesn't want to have to be Shane Hollander™. 

Where is he?

He's found him, up on the roof. All alone too.

Ilya laughs about Shane being drunk, mentions Shane winning the ROTY. Shane deflects his complement, Ilya doesn't let Shane run away from his greatness. Shane takes his flat response as rejection. He thinks he's seeing Ilya Rozanov™ right now. 

He doesn't want to have to be Shane Hollander™ right now.

I often don't like the miscommunication trope in anything but especially romance. Often because the "miscommunication" comes from the characters just NOT talking to each other at all.

But here, I can see exactly why they misunderstood one another. I can hear what each of them is trying to say and what the other interprets that as. 

Once again, even when they're moving away from each, with the touch of a hand they are swinging back around and smacking into each other once again. 

And then Shane snaps back into reality. 

"No one is looking" 

"You don't know that"

Cause someone is always looking. Someone. Anyone.