To outsiders, the phenomenon of Heated Rivalry could not seem more impossible: A show about two rival hockey players is one of the most popular shows on HBO Max. Not only that, but these two puck buddies have a lot of sex. There has never been a moment in history when the world has been more obsessed with gay, Canadian, softcore porn.

Since the show premiered in late 2025, stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storie have been on every red carpet and in every photoshoot, and they’ve talked to seemingly every entertainment publication in existence. They’ve amassed millions of social media followers overnight. (Their co-stars have become hot Hollywood commodities, as well.) And at this Sunday’s Golden Globes, an awards show that brings together the biggest movie and TV actors on one stage, all eyes were on the two heated rivals.

The intensity of their stardom and how quickly the pair have ascended all raises the question: Why? What is it about Heated Rivals that everyone loves? What itch is this smutty hockey show scratching? Does the world simply thirst for hockey butts?

To get a better perspective on the show’s popularity, I asked Vox’s book critic and senior correspondent Constance Grady for some help explaining the popularity, the intensity of that popularity, and why it is and isn’t at all surprising that women, in particular, are powering the gay hockey smut moment that we’re living in.

Constance, please tell me what you thought of Heated Rivalry. Have you read the books?

I have to start off by admitting that Heated Rivalry is one of those things that is close enough to the stuff I like that I thought I should enjoy it, but then I simply did not.

This is how I feel about confetti/funfetti cake. I like all the things that constitute confetti cake — vanilla, celebration, icing, buttercream, sugar, cake — separately, but it just doesn’t work for me.

Heated Rivalry is famously inspired by Real Person Fanfiction, specifically hockey RPF, which is big enough to be its own genre. (We’ll get into it.) I like love stories, and I like fanfiction, so I was ready to be as obsessed with Heated Rivalry as everybody who watches it seems to be.

But I think I simply read too much fan fiction to be surprised by the structure of the story! It is a........

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