Hockey Love Story Heats Up Streaming Charts

"Heated Rivalry" is a Canadian series based on a book by Rachel Reid. It's about two hockey rivals, Shane and Ilya, who start a romance.

Quick Pickup by HBO Max

The show was picked up by HBO Max for the U.S. and Australia just 10 days before it aired. It started streaming on November 28, with only a little bit of advertising. Despite this, it quickly became the second most-watched show on HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia.

Top Performances

In the U.S., "Heated Rivalry" is only behind "Welcome to Derry," the "It" prequel series. It even beat other popular HBO shows like "The Chair Company" and "I Love LA." In Australia, it's also in second place, right behind "Welcome to Derry."

Social Media Buzz

Social media has been buzzing about the show since it came out. People are talking about how steamy and romantic it is.

Future Episodes and Potential

But will it keep its spot in the Top 10 as more episodes air? The season has six episodes, and the last one will air on December 26.

If "Heated Rivalry" stays popular, it could get a second season or even a spinoff. There's plenty of material to work with, as the book is part of a series. Rachel Reid has written other romance novels about hockey players, including a direct sequel to Shane and Ilya's story.

Uncertain Future

But will the show keep its momentum? It's too early to say for sure. Only the first two episodes have aired so far. We'll have to wait and see if it becomes a big hit for HBO Max.