How Heated Rivalry just ended years of gay TV trauma

by

If you watched television in the 1990s or 2000s and connected with a gay character, there’s a strong chance that character eventually died. Many LGBTQ+ characters met tragic ends, like Tara from Buffy, Lexa from The 100, Poussey from Orange Is the New Black, and Maya from Pretty Little Liars. Even The Vampire Diaries had a pattern of killing off every named gay character.

If you’ve ever been upset by the death of an LGBTQ+ character on TV, you might be familiar with the trope called “Bury Your Gays.” This frustrating pattern involves killing off LGBTQ+ characters, often right after they’ve found happiness or a loving relationship. While it frequently happens to lesbian characters, gay and bisexual characters are also often affected.

A 2013 report in The Guardian looked at Oscar-nominated movie characters and found a striking difference in how heterosexual and LGBTQ+ characters fared. The report showed that 16.5% of heterosexual characters died, compared to a much higher 56.5% of LGBTQ+ characters. Even among the LGBTQ+ characters who survived, only four out of ten received happy endings over a 19-year period.

Recently, people have become increasingly aware of this common storytelling pattern and its impact on how different groups are portrayed.

As a huge fan, what always struck me about Schitt’s Creek was how refreshing it was to see a queer love story without all the usual drama. Dan Levy, one of the show’s creators, explained it perfectly – he’d been tired of seeing queer characters only face hardship on TV. He wanted to show two men falling in love easily, and how much happiness that could bring, not just to them, but to all of us watching who rarely get to see that kind of representation.

With the recent success of Heated Rivalry, it finally feels like we’re making real progress.

If you haven’t heard, this super popular show centers on a passionate romance between two competing hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. We also meet Scott Hunter and his boyfriend, Kip. By around episode 3, I started to worry there were too many LGBTQ+ characters and feared not all of them would have happy endings.

I fully expected someone to die after Shane’s ice skating accident in episode 5 – I was bracing for a major emotional breakdown, like the one I had watching the beginning of the movie Up. When Shane survived, I thought for sure Scott and Kip were headed for disaster, at least a really painful breakup.

Instead of a dramatic finale, the last two episodes delivered a sweet and touching ending, bringing a few happy tears. We saw Shane and Ilya visit Shane’s parents and start planning their life together. Plus, Scott publicly celebrated his relationship with Kip, bringing him onto the ice during a key moment in his career and sharing a loving kiss.

Obviously Heated Rivalry isn’t alone in providing satisfying conclusions for its LGBTQ+ characters. Several recent shows, including Young Royals, Schitt’s Creek, and Heartstopper, have also delivered heartwarming and positive LGBTQ+ storylines.

There’s a clear trend towards creating more complete and positive stories for LGBTQ+ characters, and this show is a perfect example. Its huge popularity demonstrates that shows with queer characters don’t need to rely on sadness or misfortune to be a hit.

Many viewers, including myself, will likely appreciate this. It feels like the real world is becoming increasingly difficult for the LGBTQ+ community, and I personally prefer entertainment to be an escape from that, rather than a reflection of it.

This isn’t to suggest that LGBTQ+ stories should only be cheerful or simple. As seen in Heated Rivalry, they can be complex and emotionally resonant. The show skillfully blended intense scenes, humor, drama, and sadness into its six episodes. The story was particularly enriched by the impact of Ilya’s mother’s death and the complicated relationships within his family.

As a movie fan, I’ve definitely noticed a shift. It feels like screenwriters are really starting to put more effort into crafting gay characters with genuine depth. We’re moving away from those tired, sensationalized twists and towards stories that actually make sense and feel thoughtfully developed, which is great to see!

I’m optimistic about the future of LGBTQ+ representation. If more writers include diverse queer characters and stories, we’ll see richer, more realistic portrayals on television.

As a movie lover, I’m so relieved we’re moving past the tired trope of queer characters only existing to further the stories of straight characters, or worse, being used as disposable plot devices. It’s amazing to finally reach a point where queer lives are simply valued for their own sake, and we can enjoy a story without constantly bracing for a character to needlessly die. It feels like a huge step forward!

Don’t miss the intense competition of Heated Rivalry! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now to get daily TV recommendations, exclusive features, and stay up-to-date on all things TV.

Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, where she writes about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before joining TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-02-14 13:05