The hottest new show on HBO Max lives up to that description figuratively and, most especially, literally. Heated Rivalry made its premiere on the streaming platform on Nov. 28 and has taken the world by storm. Based on the sports romance series of books by Rachel Reid, the hockey drama has definitely added some heat to our watch lists as the temperature drops outside.
In the series, rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) take their tension off the ice and into the bedroom for a secret fling that turns into a whole lot more as time passes. As their teams face off against each other or they simply watch each other from afar, Shane and Ilya's sexual chemistry melts away into something they didn't expect.
Even though the show hails from Canada, Heated Rivalry quickly picked up a stateside streaming home on HBO Max, thanks in part to the fan adoration for Reid's books and the excitement for the adaptation. Since premiering, the series has gone viral on social media for its graphic sex scenes, the unbeatable chemistry between Storrie and Williams, and... uh, a few other things.
If you have already devoured the latest episodes, and maybe rewatched them a few times, you're probably wondering when new episodes become available to stream on HBO Max. Unfortunately, the series wasn't released all at once, so there are still lots more steamy episodes to come. When are new episodes released? We're sharing the release schedule so you never miss a moment!
When are new episodes of Heated Rivalry released on HBO Max?
Heated Rivalry's first season contains six episodes, and two episodes were released as the series premiere on Nov. 28. Multiple episode drops won't be the norm for the season, though. HBO Max will only release one new episode weekly until the season finale. New episodes are released on Fridays at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT. That's a little late to stay up, but we have a feeling that many of us devoted fans won't be able to help ourselves and watch the episodes as soon as they're released.
Below, we shared the full release schedule for Heated Rivalry on HBO Max in the United States:
Episode # | Episode Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
Episode 1 | "Rookies" | Friday, November 28, 2025 |
Episode 2 | "Olympians" | Friday, November 28, 2025 |
Episode 3 | "******" | Friday, December 5, 2025 |
Episode 4 | "Rose" | Friday, December 12, 2025 |
Episode 5 | "I'll Believe in Anything" | Friday, December 19, 2025 |
Episode 6 | "The Cottage" | Friday, December 26, 2025 |
Ahead of the release of episode 3, the official title of the episode hasn't been revealed. The title appears to be one word that's six letters and has been censored by asterisks. We'll find out on Dec. 5 what the asterisks stand for and whether the title's a spoiler for what's to come for Shane and Ilya. The rest of the episode titles have been revealed and tease certain events from the book.
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead from Heated Rivalry.
When we left Shane and Ilya in episode 2, the frenemies with benefits had their most recent hookup in Ilya's hotel room, and even though Shane seems to begin falling for Ilya beyond their current sexual arrangement, pressure from his family has caused Ilya to grow distant and pull back. While in the elevator, Shane considers texting "We didn't even kiss" to Ilya. Heartbreaking!
Throughout the first two episodes, time moved very quickly as weeks and months separated Shane and Ilya from each encounter, allowing them to change and feel different things in the midst of the distance. Time will surely continue to move fast in the first season's remaining four episodes. Fingers crossed all the success will lead to season 2, but for now, let's savor the rest of the season.
Heated Rivarly is available to stream on HBO Max in the United States and Crave in Canada. Make sure not to miss the action when new episodes drop every Friday!