Since its premiere on November 28, 2025, Heated Rivalry has become HBO Max’s latest streaming hit. Currently at #2 in the US, the series, which is based on the 2019 novel by Rachel Reid, follows two opposing hockey players, Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya (Connor Storrie), as their antagonism on the ice blossoms into a steamy romantic connection. The series has a sizzling gay romance at its heart, and is certainly one of the first shows of the genre to receive this much attention, but another queer romance series from Netflix has been trending too.
In 2021, Netflix released Young Royals, a series that, according to Television Stats, is the #1 talked-about TV show on Reddit right now. Heated Rivalry, for comparison, is at #3, with Stranger Things as the odd one out between them. So, while Heated Rivalry continues to reign supreme on HBO Max, it seems viewers are looking to Young Royals for more steamy, same-sex romance.
‘Young Royals’ Has Even Higher Stakes Than ‘Heated Rivalry’
Much like Heated Rivalry, which follows the forbidden romance between two opposing ice hockey captains, Young Royals also follows a connection that is frowned upon, yet too electric to resist. The series tells the story of Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (Edvin Ryding) as he’s sent to an elite boarding school, named Hillerska, and is immediately drawn to his working-class classmate, Simon (Omar Rudberg). As their connection turns romantic, the series sees Wilhelm coming to terms with his own sexuality, while handling the pressures of being a royal under the guidance of his rigid mother, Queen Kristina of Sweden (Pernilla August).
But while public scrutiny and homophobia are tackled in both shows as the couples keep their relationships hidden as best they can, Young Royals has Wilhelm and Simon experiencing young love at even higher stakes. After all, Wilhelm starts the show with a bad-boy reputation, and is taken to Hillerska to get his act together. But, after his older brother, Crown Prince Erik (Ivar Forsling), dies in a car accident in Episode 4, and turns Wilhelm into the heir to the throne, Wilhelm’s rebellious attitude becomes even more risky, even with his relationship with Simon still under wraps. From one day to the next, he goes from being the “spare” to the future king, and his relationship with Simon certainly jeopardizes it. So, while Shane and Ilya believe their rising careers could crumble if their relationship was discovered, Wilhelm’s secret coming out could ruin his chances of becoming King and even threaten the monarchy as a whole.
This briefly referenced teammate deserves a proper introduction.
‘Young Royals’ Is Much More Than a Romance
While Young Royals‘ synopsis highlights main characters Wilhelm and Simon, the series, which has received an average 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, is much more than just a story about how the two of them connect. In fact, an ensemble of complicated, layered characters makes the story as successful as it is. Among some of them are Wilhelm’s cousin, August (Malte Gårdinger), who takes Wilhelm under his wing at the school, but slowly reveals himself as the villain, and Simon’s sister, Sara (Frida Argento), who lives with Asperger’s and struggles to fit in.
Plus, even with Wilhelm and Simon themselves, the story goes much deeper than their connection. Coming from different family situations and polar opposite backgrounds, the show tackles clashing social class divides, anti-monarchist sentiments, and generational trauma. Therefore, while the three-season series will always be described as a romance, the series’ multidimensional characters bring layers to the story, and isn’t just a straightforward romance with steamy moments, unlike Heated Rivalry in many ways.
Overall, as Heated Rivalry continues to get all the attention on HBO Max, it seems viewers are curious to see what other gay titles are out there, and praising ones that fit the same genre. After all, while Heated Rivalry and Young Royals aren’t exactly rivals given their different platforms and far-apart release dates (Season 3 of Young Royals on Mar 18, 2024), both shows lead to one resounding conclusion: queer and gay romances make for some TV gold.
- Release Date
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2021 – 2024-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Rojda Sekersöz, Erika Calmeyer, Kristina Humle
- Writers
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Tove Forsman, Pia Gradvall
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Edvin Ryding
Mistress Anna
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