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Heated Rivalry TV Series Diverges From the Books as New Reviews Scrutinize Its Sex-Forward Focus

Midseason episodes spotlight expanded backstories with a stretched timeline that reframes the central romance.

Overview

  • Premiering in November on Crave and HBO Max, the series is rolling out weekly in the US and Australia, with a UK release date yet to be announced.
  • Creator Jacob Tierney frames the story around a public–private tension that keeps the leads’ physicality constrained in view and charged in private.
  • Reporting highlights changes from the novels, including explicit attention to Shane Hollander’s cultural identity and earlier hints of his fraught relationship with food.
  • The adaptation extends the interval between the leads’ early encounter and their next step to years on-screen, whereas the book compresses that to roughly two weeks.
  • Recent coverage notes episode three’s focus on Scott and Kip, expanded roles for figures in Ilya’s life, and budget-driven location cuts, while The Guardian questions the sex-first emphasis and scant on-ice action.