Heated Rivalry Episode 5: One of IMDb’s Highest-Rated TV Episodes

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The mature drama Heated Rivalry has become a hit thanks to its engaging stories and memorable characters. The show recently aired its next-to-last episode, “I’ll Believe in Anything,” which many viewers are already calling the best TV episode of the year.

The fifth episode of “Heated Rivalry” has received a perfect 10/10 rating on IMDb, making it one of the best episodes ever. This is comparable to highly-rated shows like “Game of Thrones,” where the episode “Battle of the Bastards” (season 6, episode 9) earned a near-perfect score of 9.9/10.

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Heated Rivalry is a TV series based on Rachel Reid’s 2019 novel. The show centers on Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie, two hockey players from opposing teams who begin a secret and intense relationship.

In the fifth episode, several major events unfolded: Shane ended his relationship with his girlfriend after grappling with his sexuality, the Tampa Bay all-star game took place, Ilya’s father passed away while Ilya confessed his feelings to Shane—though in Russian, leaving Shane unaware of the confession—and finally, Scott came out by kissing Kip on the ice after winning the Stanley Cup.

I recently spoke with Robbie G.K. for Variety, and we discussed that incredibly raw moment between Scott and Kip – you know, the one where they shared a kiss right out in the open. It was a really powerful scene, and Robbie shared some interesting insights into what was going through their heads at that time.

I expected the scene to be emotional, but actually seeing it was something else. Filming it in an empty hockey rink, without any music or atmosphere, didn’t capture the impact at all. When I finally watched the finished product, I was overjoyed. It felt like everything had been building to that moment, and all the different stories came together perfectly. I’m so happy with how it turned out – it exceeded all my expectations.

The series is also highly rated overall on Rotten Tomatoes by critics and audiences, with a rating of 96% from critics and 93% from the audience. The season finale titled “The Cottage” synopsis is:

You know, Shane and Ilya finally managed to escape all the attention for a little while, just a chance to breathe. But life has a way of crashing back in, doesn’t it? They were suddenly forced to make some really difficult choices – the kind that could completely alter their future and everything they thought building a life together meant. It’s a relatable struggle, seeing how they navigate it all.

The Heated Rivalry finale will premiere on December 26.

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2025-12-21 18:10