Spill the Smut

BookTalk: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

• Jordan • Season 1 • Episode 24

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MEET US AT THE COTTAGE!!

Spoilers for both the show and book

I brought Genesis back for us to talk about all things Heated Rivalry!!

A hockey romance that actually trusts intimacy to carry the story? That’s the magic we dig into as we break down Heated Rivalry—from the viral cottage vibes to the quiet beats that make every look feel loaded. We talk about how a show that starts hot becomes something unexpectedly tender, why the mother–son conversation shattered us, and how consent shows up on screen in ways that feel natural, caring, and wildly compelling.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s “still at the cottage,” and leave a quick review—what moment sealed it for you?


Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Jordan:

I am back with another episode, and I have the lovely, the wonderful Genesis back with me today. And do you guys know what we're talking about? No, but we are talking about heated rivalry, and I am so excited. We are talking about both the show and the book because I have not read the book, but I have watched the show and I've already started re-watching the show because it is that good. Um, well, actually, first, Jen, before we dive into heated rivalry, can you tell me what the highlight of your week is so far?

Genesis:

Oh gosh, I this always catches me off guard. Oh goodness. I don't know, Jordan.

Jordan:

I'm so sorry. I should have mentioned it to you before, but I just totally forgot.

Genesis:

No worries. Um, okay, so there's this one thing that I got excited about, and it's uh my Substack. I share to my Instagram stories that I'm you know using it more and like have a whole thing planned for this year and really loving the direction that it's going. And I've been getting like subscribers, it's going up, which I didn't think it was gonna happen, so that's exciting. I have not reached a hundred yet, but um, that's my goal. But we're getting there, so that's manifesting. It's been pretty cool, yeah. Um, and the views are going up, so yeah, it's been that's been very nice. That's yeah, that's definitely my highlight for this week.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, that is so cool. I I don't have Substack, but I am subscribed to your newsletter through Substack, like I get the emails, so that's that's what I have, but I like don't have Substack, and but I love your emails. I love reading what I get in my inbox. That's awesome. Thank you. You are so welcome. Okay, so we'll just dive right on in to heated rivalry. And okay, for just the show, if you could sum it up in one word, what would you sum it up with?

Genesis:

Oh gosh.

Jordan:

Um, I know hitting you with the hard stuff.

Genesis:

Okay, I want to give two. Um intimate and emotional.

Jordan:

Oh, I like that because I was gonna say heartwarming, it but it's also like, but I'm taking the last episode, and I think the last episode is by far like my favorite episode because of how like wholesome it is, and it just like when he's uh Shane is talking to his mom, which by the way, this episode's going to be filled with spoilers if you haven't already noticed. Um, but when Shane is talking to his mom and being like, I'm so sorry, like I tried to be straight, and I was like, This breaks my heart. It breaks it into a bunch of pe tiny pieces, and then his mom being like, I'm just so proud of you, and and he she's like, I'm sorry, and he's like, I forgive you, and I'm like, Oh my gosh.

Genesis:

No, that that whole conversation, just the mom, everything that she said, it's like every parent should watch it, and it's like take example out of this, like you know, use it for whether your kid is straight or not straight, like you just you know, just so that it creates that sort of empathy and that sort of emotional awareness as a father, as a mother, how much your portrayal or your reactions can affect your child, even if it's something minimal. And we see that obviously uh with Shane and his mom, Yuna. I think is it Yuna? I'm pretty sure it's Yuna. Um, and but no, that the whole I literally perfection.

Jordan:

I loved it, and I like kind of want to go back to like the beginning because I never thought I would be into a show or book where something like because it gets spicy, it's pretty steamy episode one. And I was like, oh, this is like instalust, like that is this, this is it, like here we go. And even though there's like the times, so like it has been like a year from when they met to when they're intimate, but in the show, it's like very fast paced, things are like moving like no other. We're going through like a whole decade by the start of the show to the end of the show. But because you're experiencing it like through like TV, through your eyes, that I didn't know if I was gonna be into it after like the first spicy scene because I'm a slow burn girly all the way. But the fact that it kept me intrigued the whole time, and then the last two episodes weren't like spicy or steamy at all. And I like loved it all. Like I loved the super spicy, I loved the not spicy, like I just all of it was just awesome.

Genesis:

Everything, no, everything was perfect. I think Jacob, who's the creator of the show, uh did such a wonderful job adapting Rachel's uh Rachel's book. Like it was done. Agreed, so beautiful. Like, if you I know you've not read the book, but nope, it's the most accurate adaptation I've ever seen. Like direct conversations, word for word, scenes, just everything. I was very much in shock at how very respectful it was of the book. To me, that was like the best thing because usually I was talking about this today. Usually I feel like Hollywood loves to tell readers you cannot adapt a book exactly how it is for TV, and it it just it's not gonna work because it's a different medium. What happened with Heat at Rivalry then? He did it rivalry. Whenever you read the book, you will see word for word, it's kind of it's insane how copy paste, just with obviously some other scenes and whatever, but how true to the book it is. And now I'm like, so what you're telling me is we actually can, we actually can get true adaptations of a book. You're just too lazy and wanting to do your own thing, yeah.

Jordan:

So it would be Canada that proves Americans America wrong, like it would be, but I I I no words, I literally loved the whole thing, and even if it I mean, granted, I didn't know if it was like a direct, like word-for-word like conversations from like the book to the show, but just the show in its own could stand on its own. Because you know how you see some shows or movie adaptations where a lot of it can be kind of confusing, but if you read the book, then you know what's going on, kind of thing. And I loved that I had not touched the book, I have never opened the book, but the movies or the movie, the show standed on its own. Like I could, I like was here for every conversation that like the two of them had. I actually loved too, and I don't know if this is how it like happened in the book, but I love that they brought in Scott and Kip it for this like random episode, but then it played into the ending. So I love how they but I'm I'm assuming like Scott and Kip were probably a different book, and I don't know how they like did it because I think I must I'm guessing each book is like their own characters, yes, yeah.

Genesis:

So Scott and Kip actually start off the game changer series. Theirs is the is their first it's the first book, uh Scott and Kip. But because it plays such a huge part on Shane and Ilya, you know, I think I believe that's why Jacob wanted to include it into this into the actual TV show, because I in my opinion, this is my perspective, and I'm pretty sure others would agree. If we would have just seen Shane and Ilya throughout, don't get me wrong, it still would have been amazing, but then that pivotal scene at the end, you know, in episode five, would not have been ass chugging, it would have just been like, oh, two people, you know, kissing, uh, you know, two men kissing, and yay, now that opens up the space for them, instead of oh my god, I got chills, oh my goodness, instead of just being like, oh my gosh, they finally did it. They find you know, they're out. Like, that's insane, you know. Like, yeah, it had a different impact.

Jordan:

Exactly. You could grow attached to Scott and Kit exactly in a way that I don't think if they have their and even just having their own episode. Like, I watched their episode and I was like, wait, maybe we're getting like multiple characters because if each book has different set of characters, I was wondering, okay, maybe we have Shane and Ilya, Ilya? Ilya Ilia, okay. Are we gonna have them for a couple episodes? Then it's gonna be Scott and Kip for a couple episodes, and then I thought maybe it would come back to Shane and Ilya. Maybe it was gonna go to another set of characters. Like, I didn't know how they were gonna play it, but that also kept me on my toes, which I thought was really cool. And I love too, because like Kip and Scott's episode was still just as steamy, and I was like, oh, oh my! And also I looked up the actor that plays Scott, he's like 40 years old, and I'm like, damn, he looks great. And I would not have guessed that he was 40. And then I think Kip's like in his 20s, but I'm like, now secretly in my head, I'm like, that age gap.

Genesis:

No, that's so true that it is an age gap, it is. Um, but yeah, so it and in continuing to answer your uh about the books, Shane and Ilya. So every single book is a different couple, but Shane and Ilya actually have two. They have Heather Rivalry, and then I believe the last book in the series um is The Long Game, and so that's like a continuation. It's a continuation of their story uh from Heather Rivalry. So it's like more things in the future that are happening, but I have not read the re the other books yet, which I plan to, but I've heard that you still get a lot of Shane and Ilya throughout the series. Like Ilya makes a ton of appearances in the other books, and I can't wait because people are like, you know, this is Ilya, we love him. And I'm like, ah, okay, I can't I can't wait to continue reading for sure.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, wait, that makes me so happy. Like, I I didn't because like I did see the announcement that there's a season two coming, and Shane and well, actually, like the actors' names that I don't know what their names are. Hudson Williams and Connor Story. Thank you. Hudson and Connor are going to be playing like in season two. And I was like, oh, this is interesting. Like, are they gonna be different characters or are they like is this like now not strictly book anymore? Like, did they just you know what I mean? Like, you know how sometimes they'll take a book and then like seasons two, three, and four are like not anything to do with books anymore. But that makes me so happy that they actually have a continuation, which also now makes sense why they picked that book to do the show, because then they could people could get attached to these characters and they could create more content with it. So I'm I'm really happy they like did that now. And two, I saw someone else or on like a podcast, like talking about heated rivalry, and someone was saying how, you know, I'm still stuck at that cottage, I'm still at the cottage, and I was like, Yes, me too. I'm still at that cottage. I I'm in the backyard with them playing soccer, like I'm uh I'm eating one of those burgers that yep, I'm there, I'm there and I'm not leaving until we come back.

Genesis:

I saw today and I was like, no way that someone created like one of those ambiance, however you pronounce that word, uh, videos on YouTube where it's being at the cottage, and so it has like a cinematic intro, and it's just yeah, when they were at the um outside the fire, oh gosh, like the fire place outside, and they were talking and the whole like loon, the wolf bird.

Jordan:

Oh my god, that was amazing. I mean, I didn't uh I didn't know it was a loon, not gonna lie. So like I was scared, but like that reaction was just everything. Um that was pretty much word for word from the book. Stop. That's amazing. I just I also think they like cast this show so well.

Genesis:

I think both of them have such great chemistry on screen that yeah, I believe it was Hudson who said Hudson plays uh Shane and uh Connor plays Ilya. Hudson was I believe it was him who said that when they were reading for the chemistry read, it was down to two Ilyas, two separate actors, and so Jacob had asked Hudson, like, so which one did you vibe with more or whatever? And he was like, Well, both were great, but I felt like Connor was the one who like would throw me on the floor and like fuck me or whatever. Like it he said something along those lines.

Jordan:

I'm paraphrasing very badly, but and I was like, I mean, yeah, uh yeah, uh I I can see it because I oh my god, when the conversation he's having with the actress Rose Rose, okay, and she says something about like a square peg and a round hole, and then he goes, I'd rather be the whole. And I was like, which I was I don't know why, but like I feel like what's really great is like this show made me feel giddy at times, and I feel like that's not necessarily the case all the time. And so when a show can make me feel like that, I just I love it even more. And I I think what's so cool about this show too is I so I had coworkers coming up to me being like, Are you watching Heated Rivalry? And I was like, Yes, are you watching Heated Rivalry? And they'd be like, Yes. And like we wouldn't, as long as we were caught up, we'd talk about it. But because it was releasing weekly, I wasn't necessarily caught up when everybody else was. And I thought that was so cool that this show could bring people together that he didn't realize, and maybe that's just me personally and not like everybody, but I just like I never would have expected these coworkers to be like, Are you watching Heated Rivalry? Are you watching Heated Rivalry? So I just I thought that was, I don't know, like, I think there's something really cool and special about that. No, for sure.

Genesis:

Like, even in my book club, um, I remember we we were doing, we do our monthly voting for a book. People were like, Oh yeah, because it's December, let's go. But that is, you know, a holiday themed book. And so the book club basically switched to Heated Rivalry unofficially because everybody was reading it, everybody was watching. Um, and then just at first, I genuinely thought that it was uh small in terms of how many people around the world were actually watching, and not like it could be a big, like a whole the whole world, because uh, you know, in the UK, I believe it's releasing in January 20th. Um, there are still some places that don't have it still. So but I still thought, you know, like some people may be watching, but I didn't think it was to the level that it is. Like I just thought, oh, this is my algorithm. It's my own algorithm that I built it brick by brick to only show me this sort of content. But I'm seeing like, I don't know if you saw this video again, it's very much my algorithm, I get it, but um people who are actors and just like that have nothing to do with the show or whatever are watching it and eating it up and crying about it and talking about it online. And um, for New Year's Eve in New, I think it was in New York, and um Andy Cohen and something Cooper, Andrew Cooper, one of those, I don't know. It's their anchors or pod uh I know they're famous, I don't know why they're famous, but anyway, um they were and Stephen Colbert, whatever that he's has the show, the late night show that got canceled for next for this year, unfortunately. Um, but they were all talking about like he rivalry, and one of them, I think it was Steve Stephen Kobert that was like, I'm a bossy bottom. And then this is on national TV, by the way. And um, I think it's Andrew Cooper who's like, Is is this the heat of rivalry effect? And they on live TV they were discussing who was Shane and who was Ilya, and one of them was like, I think, I think you're Shane, or I think you're Ilya, and the other one was like, What? No, I'm Kip. Like, and it's like everybody that you would not even think about are watching the show, are tuning in, are so connected, and it's just I don't know, to me, it's just absolutely wonderful that a show that I love that I'm like, man, this deserves more recognition. It's actually getting more recognition, and I don't know if you saw, but it uh episode five ended up getting a perfect score on IMDB, like people voting. Unfortunately, it did go down, and we think it's the haters, obviously, you know, the people who are anti that are not allies, that's better said let's say that better. The ones that are not allies were um giving it one star rating, but it actually ended up to uh perfect score right underneath breaking bad, which breaking bad that episode came out like a decade ago or something whatsoever, I don't know. And so the point is this show, it's like people are noticing, people are seeing, wait, this is actually perfect. And it's not just yes, the spice is great. Don't get me wrong, the spice is amazing, but from the very first episode, I very much was like to me again, I noticed the spice, I loved it, but to me it was more the intimacy because there's a lack of intimacy when it comes to uh um romance movies. You don't see uh true intimacy in romance movies. You see the spa, you can see the spice and it's gonna be hidden. It's more like a very weird make out session that does not make sense in real life. Um, but you don't see that sort of uh emotional intimacy and even the physical intimacy, like you don't really see it. You don't see the consent, you don't see the conversation of is this okay? Are you okay? You know, you don't see that sort of thing on TV. And so to see it and from two men and and just doing it in such a beautiful, creative, artistic way. I don't know, that to me was what spoke to me the most. It was definitely the intimacy. I can literally go back and show you receipts from my text messages to my friends being like, the intimacy is just amazing. Like, what even is this? So yeah.

Jordan:

I know I agree because I feel like you can really grow attached to these characters and you're rooting for these characters where sometimes, and I don't know too, like I think it's also Jacob, like who the creator of the show, like putting this together. And I think also, too, with it being a show, I think you have like more room to like grow that. But like I feel like these movies, and I don't know if it's because they're moving so fast or if they're like not doing a good job of like growing their like connection, it's almost just like throw these two random people in and they're gonna do whatever they're gonna do and then they're gonna fall in love by the end. But I feel like with this like show, they're really throw throwing these two characters together, and it's it's real life because like things happen fast in like that aspect, but they're also still trying to. I mean, I feel like Ilya knows a little bit more about himself than Shane, but like Shane really was learning himself, and but it's like and I'm glad they showed the years because you can see the progression he makes with at least coming to terms with himself, and then he kind of is forced to come out because his dad. But I think it's you really are rooting for these characters, and I felt so much for Shane because, like, at the moment where he's like, I can't do this anymore. It was like the last time they had hooked up in Oh, episode five. Was it episode five? You're like really yes, yes, they had the tuna male, the ginger. Yeah, yes, and it's like I could I felt for him because it's like you knew he was getting feelings, and you knew you knew that he was thinking that Ilya wasn't there, and he was like, I can't get myself hurt anymore. And I think that just made it that much more special in the last episode when Ilya's like you're my boyfriend, and he's like, boyfriend, and he's like, Yeah, like what else? Like, you know, I it just like it it's just so feel good because at and then at the end you're like, yes, they like even though there's still so many unknowns, you know they're good, like you know they're strong, they're together, they're here, even though they're the you because like it's not wrapped up, and I know too, like there's supposed to be another season, and even if like another season hasn't hasn't been announced or got picked up or whatever, like you know, too, you want to leave some like unknowns, but knowing that they had that made everything for me, so it's like yes, they're not out to the public, but there's also hope on the horizon, yes, their bubble, and there's hope on the horizon because Scott and Kip came out, which and even they just got one episode, and as much as I like didn't really know Kip, I was rooting for Scott because Scott, and maybe two because he hadn't come out yet, and he like wasn't comfortable in his own skin yet, and Kip was so, but then you could feel for Kip because Kip wants to be like someone's person and loud and show everybody where Scott's like, no, maybe like when I'm done with hockey. So it's like you could feel for all these characters, and even if we just got like one episode, you could still feel for these characters, and I think that just also goes to show behind the like creating it. And I don't know if Rachel also had a say in it. I don't know like how the specifics of that, but I feel like that was done very well with however that was handled. Cause I know too when the show first came out, I wasn't planning on watching it. I was just like, uh, like not really. I'm not my thing. Like, I know, I know, I know, I know. But then, like, I saw so many people talking about it, and so many people were like, No, you need to watch it. No, you need to watch it. And I'm like, all right, I'm going in. And then this was like when the first two episodes were out, and I watched them back to back, and I was like, fuck, I need them all now. And then then we were like waiting week by week, and I'm like, this is brutal.

Genesis:

I actually don't get me wrong, it was brutal waiting week by week, but I still enjoyed it because I mean, again, I was on threads, so we could all collectively crash out and then at the same time like wait, but then continue the conversation going. So even for me, it never felt like I mean, I was constantly rewatching. I lost count of how much I rewatched, but um, because the conversation was never over, like I would just go on threads and just be like, okay, and I would just spend, I was just doom scrolling on threads, just liking, reposting, and talking with other people about the show. Um, so by the time a new episode would come out, everybody was like, Yes, we're gearing up for this. Who's staying up? Like, who's doing this? So I think it definitely like united, like threads became a healthy space because it was toxic in there. And threads became a healthy space thanks to this, thanks to the show. Um, for me, in terms of like whether I was gonna watch it or not, so I think for me, I had no idea what the book was about um at all, or what the show nothing, but I had seen I don't want to say interviews because they weren't necessarily interviews, but it was um the two main, you know, the actors Hudson and Connor, they were I think it was doing videos for social media that was um, you know, when you reply to like a comment and it appears as a sticker on the video kind of thing. So they were doing that, and the way that they were doing that, it was so much fun. Like it wasn't just like, okay, I'm gonna answer whatever this question is, and that's it. No, they made it so much fun to watch and just seeing their chemistry and personality that I was like, wait, just for them, I want to see the show. So it was for me, that was my intro. It was seeing them handling like the comments from fans and stuff like that. That I was like, okay, I I wanna, I want to like, if this is your chemistry off camera, how is it like on the show? Like, I want to see how that's gonna come across. And it did not, obviously, it did not disappoint. Um, I was literally one of those commenting on Craves uh Canada social media before it got announced that HBO picked it up for United States. I remember just messaging like, so when is it gonna come out in the United States? Like, what do I have to do to watch this show when it comes out on November 28th? Like, I don't wanna, I am not, I don't wanna watch it illegally, but I will I have to crave edit up. I'm gonna have to.

Jordan:

Um, but oh my gosh, it's so funny. So because you say that, so before I knew anything, because I remember you sent me a reel that was basically a snippet from the show, the first episode, where it's like handing over the water bottle, and then he was like, more, and I was like, Okay. But I saw someone else, I saw like a booktuber, bookstagrammer, book talker, or whatever, talk about how she she was like, How am I gonna watch heated rivalry? Like, it's in Canada. I do not live in Canada. Am I going to be downloading it illegally like I used to do in like middle school? And I'm like, what the fuck is she talking about? But I almost like just totally forgot about it. I was like, scroll, scroll. I'm like, it was like two seconds. She was like super funny. I was like watching it, but I was like, but I wasn't that crazy or invested in it that I needed to know what she was talking about. But I think that also just goes to show, like, I don't know, like the power of like social media and the people because this show would have just released in Canada. Like this, but like it was talked about and like fucking HBO picked it up for the US. I know.

Genesis:

I I saw today that the person who pitched the show to HBO for HBO, you know, it was one of the workers from HBO. She pitched the uh her and her coworker, they're literally in their 20s. They pitched the show to HBO so that HBO would actually pick it up for their channel, and they did. Um, and people online were like, I seriously hope that the whoever pitched it got a raise. And she did mention that she did get a race, and I'm like, yes, because I mean they're single-handedly keeping. Um I would like to believe that they're single-handedly keeping HBO Max. Because there's nothing on HBO to watch right now, there's nothing to watch right now that's new on HBO.

Jordan:

There's nothing like this, the only reason can we talk about if if HBO would have picked up this show, like not a like you know how extra spicy it would be if HBO would have done this show.

Genesis:

True, true. But that's the thing. A lot of people are saying that HBO would have definitely butchered it. Like, we have not we would not whenever you read the book, you're gonna you're gonna get it. Like, we would not have gotten such a faithful adaptation, and it's why it has blown up so much because the readers are buying the books, readers are reading it. Um, I've spent like I'm buying the ebooks. Like, I is I bought a $7 ebook. I don't care. I wanted to read it. Paperback was nowhere to be found. It was like months of wait time in the in Libby. So I was like, I guess I'm gonna have to buy the freaking ebook. So I bought uh that one. Game changers went on sale, so I bought that one, and then the first three as a bundle went on sale for like $2.99, and I was like, well, might as well. So I got that, gotta get them all. Literally. Um, we do what we gotta do, girl. Yes. Um, but yeah, I really don't I don't know. I don't think HBO would would it have been spicy or spicier, sure. But I don't think it would have would have been as good. Yeah, no, it that intimacy would have been nowhere, they would have literally just focused on the spice, and that's it.

Jordan:

I know I feel like no, nothing. I'm my opinion. That too, but I think they would have tried to make it more of an intense show, if that makes sense. Like, I think they would have tried to put in like more drama or more action, but like we didn't need that. Like what this show was was perfect as is.

Genesis:

Like, I think that's why it's it's standing out because it's different than what we're seeing. If HBO had gotten it, it would have been more of the same thing. So it's like, okay, cool.

Jordan:

I think too, like this this show is like very character driven. It's it's not really plot driven, it's these characters that are bringing the show like to the forefront of like everything. Maybe that's not the right word, but like I feel like but I think like a lot of people think it's supposed to be plot, and not saying that it can't be plot, but character-driven things work too, like shows, movies, books, and all that. And I think it's but you I feel like you don't see it in shows and movies as much. I do like see it more in books, but I think it's because it's probably harder to like showcase in like a show and movie if not done right. And I think this just shows that it was like done right and well, and nothing like hurt from like hurt as in like it didn't hurt the show by doing it. And I think that's so cool. And I do agree with you. I think HBO would have butchered it in a way of like because their their shows are very much action, whether it's like a fighting scene or like just so much like tension or whatnot from a plot aspect, not the characters. So I do, I I agree, but I think they would have made it a lot spicier. Like, I'm just thinking of like all their shows that they've done and how like spicy a not spicy thing is.

Genesis:

Yeah, I honestly think even the thing is again, the reason this show stands out so much, it's because Jacob did a wonderful job creating, like taking Rachel's work and creating it in such a way that, like you said, stands on its own. You don't need to read the book to understand what's happening. Um and then he gave us something completely different than what we see in TV shows everywhere. Um, it was the only, I believe it was like the only new thing that was coming out for the holidays. And so obviously people got to binge it and put it out there even more, show it to people. People are not working, they're relaxing, spending time with family, so it makes it so much easier. Um, but then also I believe it's like no other, like I think if Jacob had not been at the helm of it, it wouldn't it have wouldn't have been this way, where even the small little details, for example, episode two, I think it is the ending of episode two, when Shane leaves and he starts texting, we didn't, we didn't even kiss. When he starts texting that part, that as a text message does not happen in the book. And the text messages it's him in sorry, in the book, it's him thinking it. It's him, it's third person. The book is third person, but in that third person, he's thinking, Oh my gosh, we didn't even kiss. And so something of that detail that took everyone, because that was the ending of episode two. We had to wait a whole week. So for that entire week, we're all like feeling like, oh my gosh, they didn't even kiss. Like, they went from basically kissing to you know, just being strictly physical, like, I don't want to get attached, so we're not even gonna kiss. And for him, like for that to get translated into a text message that he was typing and then very slowly deleting letter by letter. Who else was gonna do something like that? Tell me, because oh that that was to me that was top that that was amazing. That translation from book to screen was perfect.

Jordan:

Oh, I mean, it's like I remember that, but I like didn't think of how important it was at like that time, but it it does go to show because like it is something like I mean, I also didn't realize that they didn't kiss.

Genesis:

But it's like at that time at that moment, I didn't I but I didn't know.

Jordan:

But that's like what makes it so much better because it's like having that in the show and having it done that way, you can be like, oh my god, they didn't even kiss. So I'm glad they put it in there as they did, because I could know something that I would have missed otherwise. Like, let's be honest, like I would not have picked that up. And so it is like it really is the little details, and if done right can be done so well, you just and it maybe it has to be done differently, like this text message versus what he's thinking, because it's I hate like internal monologue. I understand it in the sense of like you're talking about it, and maybe there's something before the show. I'm thinking like the summer I turn pretty and you get like belly. I I don't mind that, love that. But when it's like the character, and now I need to like showcase like what she's thinking or he's thinking. So it's like if it would have just gone to like Shane's head being like, we didn't even kiss, like, I don't that wouldn't have been good, like in my mind. Yeah, I don't think it would have translated well. So I'm glad they didn't know.

Genesis:

It wouldn't have been as emotional, I think. Agree. What a lot of people were talking about the way that he very slowly deleted letter by letter, like like it was costing him to not send that message and to little by little be removed, like that wouldn't have we wouldn't have had that. It would have just been like, oh, we didn't even kiss, and then episode ends. Instead of like that emotional, like you can see it on his face, the emotional turmoil, just seeing it on the just him removing the oh no, honestly, that that whole thing for me was like, oh my gosh. Um also I don't know if you know this again, my entire algorithm. I think I built it and I am so thankful for it. Um, but I don't know if you saw that a lot of their touches and like smaller kisses and stuff like that were actually improvised. And I was like, excuse you? No, what so yeah, a lot um the stairwell scene, which is one of my favorites, that when um there I I think that's episode three, I think. Um when Shane is sitting down on the floor and Ilya um goes to him and oh, what did he say? He said something, but I know that Shane says your cab is here, and I think Ilya says something. And when they're going to kiss, it's a very soft, slow, intimate kiss. And um according to Jacob, apparently like it was not supposed to be that sort of kiss. Like they just the actors did it that way, and then as they were filming it, someone like from behind the scenes asked Jacob, like, so are we like requ like shooting this again? And he was like, No, that was perfect. Like, that's I didn't even know that that's how the kiss needed to be in this scene until they did it. That it was like that, it wasn't just like a like a fast, okay. I'm leaving kiss bye. No, it was like a very small, intentional.

Jordan:

Both of them are smiling, and oh I'm telling you that it that just makes it even better. It makes it even better that those things were improvise. I love like you just it goes so much smoother that way, like it just looks so much better. And I uh now I'm like thinking about every moment that I can think of that was like an intimate, like little kiss, and I'm like, did they improvise that? Did they improvise that?

Genesis:

It's a lot, it's a lot more of like the touches, like like you know, yeah, I don't know how to explain it, but like, but yeah, they improvised a lot, they improvised a lot of those things, and I'm like, thank you. Like, thank you for feeding us because those are again, we all a lot of people got into it because of the spies. For me, I got into it because of the care of the the two actors. For me, that was, you know, but then for me, what continued to shine was that intimacy, like those soft kisses, like, but then also just everything like every there's nothing wrong in this show, in my opinion. The only thing that I wish had included nothing wrong, the only thing, and it it's not a negative, it's more of just like I wish this scene had been included. Um, and it's about Shane's freckles in the book. Um, I don't know if it's towards the end or where it is that uh Ilya is like, oh, I love I love your freckles, and Shane is like, oh no, and he's like, No, but Hollander, I cannot do that accent, but anyway, he's like, Oh, but Hollander, they're they're they're beautiful. Like he's trying to come up with the word because he doesn't know it because Russian. And so try like that whole scene in the book for me. That's what I was looking forward to in the show. We didn't get it. I hope we get it in season two, fingers crossed. Um, because I want to see that uh on screen.

Jordan:

Wait, I love the like moment with like the slutty little glasses, and he's like, put them back on, and he's like, that's what I was just reading. He's like, put put that back on. I'm like, oh my god, put them back on. I I just I just like love, I just love this show. I did want to ask because we you haven't read the book till like last one, where do you think the season two will go?

Genesis:

I believe they mentioned that it's going with the long game, which is the side like the continuation of Shane and Elia.

Jordan:

No, that no no no, but you haven't read it yet. So I'm like, what are your thoughts? Like, where do you think it's gonna like

Genesis:

do you think this is gonna like they'll still be like like w I don't know like now they're like boyfriend boyfriend like where do you think it's gonna go like where like where does the story go only because you haven't read the book I haven't read it but I you know know of I know of some things that they did do foreshadowing in season one like once I knew once I knew what once once I found out about see like about the long game and their journey and everything once I found out certain things you see the foreshadowing in I think it's episode five or six I think it's six you see a little bit of foreshadowing about it and I was like oh this is genius this is genius if this was intentional which I believe it is um and so yeah but I I do know that the creator said that he did it rivalry as it is it's specifically going to be focused on Shane and Ilya um like that's gonna be the focus of everything like maybe there's like another show with a different name that could include the rest of the books but he at rivalry as it is it's gonna be Shane and Ilya on its own. Something that people don't know about.

Jordan:

Fair fair wait but then but season two is supposed to be Shane and Ilya right which would be heated rivalry which is the long game. But it would are you but would it be like heated rivalry season two or is this like it's gonna be like the long okay that's what I hope.

Genesis:

I think so I think it would stick to just heated rival because that's that's how people know it. And it's such a unique name whereas the long game I think that's very common in my opinion.

Jordan:

It is it's like it's not as exciting as he yeah heated rivalry just sounds so much better in my mind.

Genesis:

And the way that people are using it where they're like oh reheated rivalry where it's like rewatching the show which I have lost count genuinely how much episode three when it came out it's like ending play again ended play again like I was just like on repeat play again constantly play again play play play oh my god I love it.

Jordan:

I I started watching it again um because my roomie was out last night and so I started watching it again because we're actually it's funny that you bring up breaking bad but we're watching breaking bad because I'm watching it for the first first time but he's not but I'm still waiting for him so I was like yesterday when he was out I was like oh well what am I gonna do and I'm like I'm gonna rewatch heated rivalry I'm back at the cottage I'm here to stay the thing is I just if the thing is if I'm not re-watching if I go on threads or I go on Instagram I'm just watching clips of the show just it's constant it's funny you say that because so my feed is not heated rivalry I love the show I know I really do but like mine do you watch Stranger Things?

Genesis:

Sorry this is gonna be way off topic no I I watched the last I watched the last um what's it called episode episode whatever like season five yeah the last yeah the last thing that that came out that the I don't know again this was on threads uh Netflix shared oh like we're ready to go to the upside down or something like that is what they posted on threads the entire comment section not one thing was related to stranger things everybody was like wait hold up we're stopping at the cottage first and then we're going like people were very much like no no no you have it wrong we are not going to cottage we're going to oh I love that no but like literally my whole feed is Stranger Things so it's not heat on rivalry but like I I love delightful Derek so fucking much and so like my whole feed is like suck my fat one and I'm like yes but that is my feed but I will be making a pit stop at the cottage before going to the upside down for sure um but I don't did you have anything else you want to say about heated rivalry if um the woman of the show uh for me Rose oh gosh oh I love her Rose Svetlana Elena Maria I think those are the four uh for me so Svetlana is Ilya's best friend oh gosh Rose is uh Shane's new girlfriend yes it confused Maria and Elena because I know they were in um they're Kip's best friends um they were in the third episode yeah just so that can do the picture um for me I just loved I was very scared because while I did read the book I was like I wonder how this is gonna how they're gonna do it for the show in terms of how are they gonna portray these women because you know how it is it's always like woman against woman like that's how they constantly do it on these things. So I was very scared of how they were going to portray and just seeing how much at least online they all blew up especially uh Elena with her girl like that for me is like the best thing I've ever seen um and just Maria talk I or the opposite because again I'm confusing the names but um one of them when they talked to Kip and they talked to Scott about like they deserve sunshine and you deserve sunshine as well.

Jordan:

I think that was so I didn't like it in the sense of like because of that they kind of I don't want to say they broke up but you know they kind of like had the conversation and then they were like okay we this is not gonna go the direction that we want it to go kind of thing if that makes sense but fair I well see what I loved about that is the fact that she was like he deserves sunshine which that's it that's her friend like so yes he does deserve sunshine but I loved when she was like you deserve sunshine too because I think it's so so easy to be like so don't fuck it up and but instead she was like but you deserve it too so I think I loved that moment because there was so there it could have gone in a different direction that I just assumed it would have gone in because they were protecting their friend so I loved that scene just for that but I do agree with you it did end up with them breaking up but then we got that last we got it season or episode five and I was like not whatever episode episode five because that's when it ends with uh Iliam uh talking to saying being like yeah I'm coming to the I'm coming to the cottage I'm coming I'm coming to I'm coming I'll be there last thing I want to mention the accent oh he fucking kills it and he learned it like I think it was like a week before like it was the the time frame was like finding out okay so you're gonna play Ilya and it's like okay so now I need to I need to learn Russian.

Genesis:

So he was like constantly talking to a Russian um teach like the person who was teaching him and stuff and then uh what was the other thing on set I've heard that on set he was like even if it even if they were not filming he would talk in that accent or speak Russian to kind of like continue staying in that in that mindset and practicing.

Jordan:

Yeah I generally thought he was Russian I thought so too until I saw an interview where I was like oh you're not Russian you're not Russian oh my gosh I didn't know he was Texan yeah he's Texan um but yeah no that that I was blown away oh the monologue I praise Jacob for writing a whole monologue in Russian because we don't get it in the book in the book it's just like oh yeah like Ilya's speaking in Russian and then it does end with the oh the whole about I think I'm falling in love with you in the show is I know I'm falling in love with you and the book is I think I believe um but that's all we get and so to get the whole like a whole monologue that Jacob wrote for this specific I was like thank you because I was like I loved that scene I'm so glad I've kind of forgot about it but I'm so glad you mentioned it because I loved that scene because I love that like as the viewer we're getting what he's saying but like Shane not somebody that understands the Russian has no idea what the heck Ilya is saying. And I think it just makes it that much oh you're just again you're rooting for these characters because you feel for Ilya as you well as you feel for Shane and I'm just ugh I love this show so freaking much.

Genesis:

No they did a wonderful job acting everything even uh Hudson who plays who plays Shane at first when I remember when I started watching it I was like I was like I don't know what direction this is gonna go in terms of acting but then have you seen any interviews of him any interviews at all of him of Hudson or who plays Shane like any any interviews online but I've like seen some where it's like with um him and uh Connor yeah yeah have you seen those and just how unhinged he is or have you not oh that have not if you're questioning if you're questioning you have not seen it and it was watching those sort of interviews that I was like oh he is a great actor because some people were saying oh he's kind of stiff in his acting like he doesn't know how to act very well first of all Shane I think it got a uh I think the author admitted that Shane is autistic and so knowing that and how Hudson portrays that without being without throwing it in your face I guess it's very subtle I guess but that's how a lot of people are a lot of a lot of people mask a lot and so for him the way that he handled that with so much grace and then you see him in real life and how unhinged he is and you're like no that man knows how to act like that that man knows how to act like I'm gonna send you if I find some because my please send them to me I'm gonna send you some or just summaries because it's like whoa I need it.

Jordan:

Whoa yeah okay that's all I got for heated rivalry do you have anything else I think that's it probably I don't know we could have a part two later on we know we might if we if we think of more things we'll just have a part two heated rivalry part two I also just I can't wait for the second season and to anybody that's listening that hasn't watched it what the heck and Bob are you doing? Go watch it um it's amazing and then go read the book which I still have to do that which I will at some point since yeah this year 2026 baby it's happening it's happening um but all right thank you so much for coming on and doing this episode with me about heated rivalry thank you for the invite I'm having me again yay