Скачать или смотреть How HBO Turned Heated Rivalry Into a Cultural Phenomenon

Heated Rivalry has become a cultural juggernaut. The HBO show's stars (Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie) carried the Olympic torch through Milan, appeared at the Golden Globes, Paris Fashion Week, and are doing every press hit imaginable.

Why it works:

Novelty: Queer romance + professional hockey is an intersection nobody expected

Timing: Hockey season, Winter Olympics, hockey romance novels trending with women

Diverse storytelling appetite: Proves audiences still crave representation even as studios pull back on DEI

Female + queer audiences: The "jet fuel" of pop culture phenomena

Straight male viewership: New York Magazine reported straight men posting TikTok reactions—proof it reached escape velocity

The NHL commissioner said he binged it in one night. Women are attending their first hockey games ever. The hosts note this mirrors how Taylor Swift brought new female audiences to NFL games.

Mark's observation: At a time when we lament the "male loneliness epidemic," this show features men talking about feelings openly, confidently, and eloquently.

HBO's marketing team saw the organic buzz and stepped on the gas hard—a masterclass in leaning into a hit.

Watch the full episode of Meme Team.