By Nicola Koper
The six-part Canadian series Heated Rivalry has become an unexpected world-wide hit, ranking among the most popular shows in numerous countries. The show depicts the lust and then love between two male hockey players, who navigate feelings, family dynamics, and social roles as their relationship develops. One of them, Ilya (Connor Storrie), is bisexual, with references to this identity made throughout the story.
The popularity of the show has resulted in a significant amount of social commentary—for example, the immense popularity of the story among “straight” women has been attributed to the fact that consent and equality are central to the relationship dynamics between leads Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya. However, there has been little public discussion of Ilya’s bisexuality. Noël Sertel refers to Heated Rivalry as “A love letter to bisexuals” (Bisexual Resource Center), pointing out that Ilya’s sexuality is never questioned or criticized. I wanted to learn more, so BWQ and I reached out to bi+ folks through social media for reflections on the show.
Responses were generally positive and expressed that Heated Rivalry is a welcome source of bi+ representation. Many respondents commented on the show’s high-quality character development, acting, and cinematography. This was often tempered by disappointment that Ilya’s sexuality is never named in the show (although it is in some of the books the series is based on), and that social references generally describe the show as “gay,” contributing to bi erasure. But some respondents had much more insight. So below, I share a few excerpts of the comments submitted. It’s clear that while the show isn’t perfect, it has been a source of joy and representation for queer folks that is much appreciated at a difficult time in our history.
I adore the portrayal of Ilya! He’s so unapologetically bisexual, even in the moment of coming out to Shane’s parents, who, based on their hesitation about his orientation, may be a [little] biphobic … I like that the slowburn timeline depicts Ilya hooking up with many women in the same time period as Shane, casually communicating that bisexuality doesn’t morph or go away when we’re interested in one partner of a particular gender.
I was worried about the “evil bisexual” trope at first because when you first meet Ilya, unless you’re paying attention to every micro-expression on your first watch … it’s not immediately obvious that his “a**hole” demeanor is a facade. But his character development is excellent, the conversation during sex scenes making it so clear that he is in fact a gentle, considerate person and lover—and he is just as much involved in the feelings/yearning as Shane.
—@Cookingwithclaire
I think this show has MAJOR potential for showcasing male bisexuality as a valid identity … Quite frankly, the biggest obstacle for bi representation in the show isn’t the show itself, but every news article and meme calling this a “gay” hockey show … I would like to see more people call out PinkNews, Outsports, and other media organizations that are erasing Ilya’s bi identity.
—Laura D.
I think Ilya’s portrayal is well done and respectful. I grew up hearing that “bisexuals just swing both ways to get more sex,” and I don’t feel like that was the case with the show. It’s complicated of course—lIya appears straight to everyone he’s not out to, and therefore others (such as his teammates, and Shane’s parents) see him as a typical hetero guy doing things that typical hetero guys do, such as making out with women at clubs—but I get the sense Ilya isn’t written as bi just to have more options. His sexuality makes sense within the storyline and isn’t a gimmick. I feel that the tension it introduces into Ilya and Shane’s relationship is also well done and realistic.
—Mandi, Canada
…As a die-hard sports fan, I REALLY hope the show makes straight people … know that queer people (esp. again queer men) 100% exist as athletes, and I hope that queer athletes will feel more comfortable coming out. I also hope that monosexuals will be more open to dating and being committed partners with bi+ folks.
…I couldn’t help but feel that Ilya’s bi-ness also manifests itself in a certain kind of relationship anarchy. He clearly loves, is attracted to, and dedicated in his own way to Svetlana …. While Shane might not be happy with it, Ilya seems to feel very natural about having multiple loves/lovers … and doesn’t see it as a competition between the two. To him, and seemingly to Svetlana, they can have a loving and sexual supportive connection and it doesn’t take away anything from Ilya’s devotion to Shane.
—A. Lopez, New York, U.S.
I love the characters of Ilya and Shane. They feel like full-fledged people. Being bisexual is one (important) part of who Ilya is, but he is also Russian, an immigrant, a son, a brother, a smoker, an amazing pro hockey player, and a s***….
—Emma, Massachusetts, U.S,
It’s not often that I get to watch people like me who have been involved with both men and women on screen, but I believe that visibility in the media is improving. My only criticism is that we never heard the word “bisexual,” which is so often treated as a dirty word by straight and queer communities alike. I think that naming Ilya’s orientation out loud would have helped normalize it.
My favorite thing about the bi representation in this show was how normal everyone acted about it. Svetlana understood Ilya’s bisexuality when she left him alone with Sasha to “catch up,” and Shane’s parents simply nodded whenever Shane explained that “Ilya likes both.” It was refreshing for me to see a bisexual character on screen that doesn’t have to deal with the tired negative stereotypes that we’re “just confused” when we’re dating or “picking a side” when we partner up. I am hopeful that when people who aren’t bisexual watch Ilya, they will see a person who is capable of loving others regardless of their gender.
—Chelsea B.
I was pretty worried when I read that the show’s writer-director Jacob Tierney was quoted as saying, “the baked-in audience for this is women. It’s wine moms. They love this stuff….”
The comment feels fetishistic, exploiting queer male bodies for a (straight-implied) female audience. However, after watching the first episode, I was relieved to see that the show felt instead like it actually was for queer men, and unabashedly so.
—Lauren B., Ontario, Canada
What I hope for the legacy of Heated Rivalry is to allow men and male-presenting people to feel safer about exploring their own sexualities. Having a lead male character be bi in a popular TV show is exciting and can open more doors for queer characters beyond just “gay.” Normalizing the bi experience can remove fear and rigidity from straight vs gay, and open discussions.
It’s rare to find queer stories that not only allow the characters to have a happy ending but also don’t frame the conflict as only about being in the closet. Heated Rivalry threads the needle of complex angst and queer joy.
—Taylor R.
Nicola Koper is an academic at the University of Northern British Columbia in British Columbia, Canada, and is active in supporting queer communities within and outside of the University.
