Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid has responded to the biggest criticisms of both the shows and the books, explaining her perspective on the critiques. Heated Rivalry season 1 is taking HBO Max by storm as it depicts the forbidden love story between rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).
However, the series hasn't been without critics, something Reid discussed during an interview with Wired. In the conversation, she addressed criticism from actor Jordan Firstman, who says Heated Rivalry's depiction of gay sex is unrealistic. The author explained how, when it comes to representation, she understands the need to address such critiques, amplifying the importance of weaving feedback into her future work:
I'm not super familiar with what he said. I didn't really look into it too much. But I've been hearing the conversation around it for years. I knew it would be amplified by this show.
I feel personally, that as long as you're willing to be sensitive and thoughtful about what you're writing, and most importantly, are willing to listen to feedback from the community that you're trying to represent, then you can write what you want to write. But you have to be careful and sensitive. And certainly, if you're getting criticism or feedback from the community that you're representing, you should listen to it and take notes.
In addition, she addressed how showrunner Jacob Tierney didn't want to address the sexual orientations of the actors on Heated Rivalry. She said that there's nothing wrong with a creative "[keeping their] personal life personal," citing how some things – like a Smallville fanfiction she wrote in her 20s – aren't always meant for the public to hear about:
I know, generally women who write romances about two or more men get criticized. I haven't heard a lot of it directed at me specifically, but I agree with Jacob about the actors, and I extend that to myself and anyone else involved with the show or these books. I think it's OK to keep your personal life personal.
When I was in my early twenties, I wrote some Smallville fanfic. I wouldn't say I was active in the fandom, but I had a LiveJournal and was doing that. I shouldn't even say that. People would dig it up somehow, but it's long gone, guys, and it's terrible. Don't do it.
There have been criticisms of the series since before it became a hit TV show, with fans deeply analyzing both the characters and themes involved in the book. This extends to Reid's entire Game Changers series, but with a particular focus on Shane and Ilya given their central romance, which extends beyond the pages of their debut book.
The popularity of the series has already resulted in Heated Rivalry season 2 getting greenlit. Although this renewal didn't stop some criticism about the show and books, more public conflicts have been quashed. This includes Firstman's statements being addressed by actor François Arnaud, leading to an apology from Firstman. Even with controversy, though, the series has still soared.
Reid's statements about the series' depiction of gay sex show that she's still willing to learn for her future work, especially when it comes to representing a demographic, gay men, that she's not part of. Her statements on actors' personal lives is reasonable too, considering not everything about someone needs to be shared in the spotlight.
With one episode left before Heated Rivalry season 1 ends, it's enlightening to learn what the author's take is on the numerous conversations happening surrounding her book and TV show. It also lays the groundwork for how the series will approach these topics in the future as Shane and Ilya's steamy love story continues.
