Heated Rivalry's latest episode is one of queer television's best – 5 moments that prove why

Words by Sam Damshenas

“A masterpiece”, “pure cinema” and “SOMEONE SEDATE ME” are just a few apt, and very on-brand, online reactions to the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry. (As well as phrases I actually said out-loud.)

Over the past four weeks, Jacob Tiernay’s gay hockey romance has firmly embedded itself in the queer zeitgeist. Based on Rachel Reid’s beloved MLM novels, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams have garnered acclaim for their on and off-screen chemistry as rival hockey captains who secretly boink, while Tiernay’s direction and faithfulness to the source material – sex scenes included! – have cemented its status as, undeniably, the queer show of 2025.

While we can’t praise the first four episodes enough, from the chemistry between Shane and Ilya to the heartbreaking romance of Scott Hunter (Francois Arnaud) and Kip (Robbie G.K.), episode five is something else entirely: Heated Rivalry’s magnum opus (so far, anyway...) and easily one of the finest episodes in any LGBTQIA+ series.

Heartbreak to triumph, confessions to historic declarations and performances worthy of awards-season buzz — here are five moments from Heated Rivalry episode five, 'I’ll Believe In Anything,' that ensure it will be celebrated and referenced for years to come.

“I kinda prefer being the hole rather than the peg” 

Following the events of episode four, in which Shane attempts to conceal his sexuality by entering a relationship with movie star Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse), memorably culminating in the now-iconic ‘All The Things She Said’ club sequence, episode five immediately puts that relationship to bed in a surprising and deeply wholesome way.

At a candlelit dinner, Rose gently voices her suspicions about their dynamic: “I have a feeling that… maybe I’m not doing it for you […] I feel like maybe you’d rather be kissing Miles?” Williams plays the moment with a closeted person’s familiar contradiction, visibly uncomfortable, yet clearly on the brink of living authentically, saying a hell of a lot without uttering a single word. (Emmy, now.) 

While Shane is understandably reluctant to open up about his sexuality, having never come out to anyone before, he eventually does. He’s met not with fear or rejection, but with empathy and safety. Rose becomes the LGBTQIA+ ally he needs and deserves in that moment, thanks in no small part to Nélisse's wonderfully attuned performance. 

This might be a case of recency bias, but fuck it: the scene sits comfortably alongside some of the most tender coming-out moments in recent TV and film history, from Love, Simon to Heartstopper, purely because of its gentleness. That softness makes Shane’s kinky reveal land all the harder: “I kinda prefer being the hole rather than the peg.”

“It’s not just being gay… it’s you”

Shane and Ilya’s fuck-buddy-but-secretly-head-over-fucking-heels-in-love-with-you sitch grew even more complicated in episode four, when their tender exchange of first names prompted Shane to abandon the Russian bi-icon and later get with Rose. While Ilya suffered in silence, he refuses to admit as much in episode five. 

Instead, it’s Shane who breaks first, apologising and making the initial move towards acknowledging what they both already know: that their connection runs far deeper than either of them has been willing to say out loud. “It’s not just… being gay, it’s you,” Shane tells Ilya, a confession that finally gives voice to everything that’s gone unsaid.

Ilya, whose inner monologue is undoubtedly screaming with joy, still tries to resist, grounding the moment in reality. He speaks about their careers, his Russian background and the limits it places on the life they could have together, as well as his father’s battle with dementia. Then in a rare moment of vulnerability, Ilya cries. And what this moment has taught me is: when Ilya cry, I cry.

Though the episode makes clear that they do sleep together, the act itself is deliberately left off-screen. In a series known for its viral, horny sex scenes, this omission feels pointed. Their bodies and sexual chemistry doesn’t matter here. It’s that they choose each other honestly.

“I hope Jane knows how lucky he is” 

There are a plethora of standout moments from episode five that could be included here, but the deepening yet entirely platonic connection between Ilya and Svetlana deserves recognition. While the nature of their relationship is sometimes ambiguous, ranging from best friends to occasional lovers, Svetlana, much like Rose, supports Ilya wholeheartedly. 

At his father’s wake, Ilya retreats to another room to compose himself. His brother storms in, demanding answers about their “plan” moving forward. Still steeped in grief, Ilya doesn’t respond well to his misogynistic, entitled brother, lashing out after he calls Svetlana a “whore.”

A tender moment between Ilya and Svetlana follows. She declares her love for him, but asks, “It’s not the same as it is with Jane, is it?” She then quietly confirms what audiences have long suspected, that she has an inkling as to Jane’s true identity: “I just hope Jane knows how lucky he is.” He! 

With the series consistently highlighting Russia’s archaic, hostile views on homosexuality, Svetlana’s unwavering support underscores the emotional weight of Ilya’s journey. She is a safe presence in a world that often leaves him isolated. She truly sees him. And while Shane sees him too, it’s crucial that he has someone who feels like home right next to him. 

“I’m so in love with you and I don’t know what to do about it” 

The fact that Connor Storrie is from Texas and isn’t, in fact, Russian, is one of those truths I’ll never fully process. Following the death of Ilya’s father, he leaves the wake to call Shane, who suggests speaking in his native tongue to finally breathe. What follows is truly staggering: Storrie delivers every word in flawless, fluid Russian, navigating grief, anger and longing with breathtaking subtlety.

He reads his family for leeching off his money, criticizes his brother’s decades-long contempt, and acknowledges the meticulous care he put into his father’s funeral, all while revealing the lonely truth beneath it: that, apart from Svetlana, he has no one. Then comes the line that absolutely shattered the audience: 

“She loves me, and I love her. But not, like… Fuck me. But not like I love you. That’s the worst fucking part of all this, that all I want is you. It’s always you. I’m so in love with you and I don’t know what to do about it.”

The combination of Storrie’s emotional rawness and the fact that it’s all in perfect Russian makes it one of the most vulnerable, devastatingly honest performances on television this year. I cried. The internet cried. My dead dad died. And, honestly, Heated Rivalry’s team and Storrie’s team: submit this episode for the Emmys immediately.

"Yeah, you"

Book fans knew it was coming, but seeing it play out was absolute euphoria: as episode five closes, Shane and Ilya separately watch the New York Admirals win the cup for the first time in decades. The team celebrates on the ice, surrounded by their families, but for captain Scott Hunter (Francois Arnaud), the moment feels incomplete without the person he truly loves.

He spots Kip (Robbie G.K.) in the crowd, accompanied by his best friend, queen Elena (Nadine Bhabha). For a heartbeat, he hesitates. The weight of the moment, of changing the course of his life forever, hangs heavy. Then, summoning courage, he calls out: “Yeah, you!” Kip, in stunned disbelief and egged on by Elena, steps onto the ice.

As Shane, Ilya and the rest of the world hold their breath, Scott brings Kip onto the ice and passionately kisses him. It’s a declaration of love that makes history: he becomes the first out MLH hockey player. It’s pure cinema; Arnaud and G.K. convey the exhilaration, fear and triumph of this historic moment for queer representation in hockey, while Shane and Ilya’s stunned reactions quietly communicate its ripple effects on their own lives.

Ilya’s immediate phone call to Shane crystallizes the impact: “I’m coming to the cottage.” In that single line, we feel how profoundly this moment reshapes his worldview and hints at the personal liberation and hope that will follow for both him and Shane. No notes. Emmys only. 

The season one finale of Heated Rivalry airs 26 December on Crave and HBO Max. 

Season one will be available to stream in the UK and Ireland on Sky and NOW TV from 6 January.