If you haven't started watching Heated Rivalry on CBC yet, Ottawa hockey fans, consider this your official recommendation.
The series, a dramatic adaptation set in the world of Canadian professional hockey, has found an audience that extends well beyond the typical sports drama viewer. And its creator, Jacob Tierney, is already deep into his next project: another CanLit adaptation that suggests he's building a body of work worth paying close attention to.
What Is Heated Rivalry?
Heated Rivalry is based on a popular Canadian romance novel set in the world of professional hockey. The story follows two rival players whose fierce on-ice competition is complicated by something more personal, a premise that sounds familiar but is executed with the kind of sharp writing and strong performances that elevate it above its source material.
The show stars Hudson Williams and François Arnaud, both of whom have spoken out this week against a wave of hateful comments the show has attracted online, a sign that the series has broken through to a level of cultural visibility that generates both devoted fans and bad-faith critics.
The Ottawa Connection
Hockey is religion in Ottawa, and Canadian-made television about hockey is exactly the kind of cultural product this city should be championing. The fact that Heated Rivalry is a CBC production, the national public broadcaster, headquartered in part in Ottawa, makes it even more of a home team story.
Tierney's broader career trajectory is also worth watching: he's positioning himself as one of the go-to adapters of Canadian literary fiction for screen, a role that has historically been undersupported in this country's film and television ecosystem.
Where to Watch
Heated Rivalry streams on CBC Gem and airs on CBC Television. If you're looking for something to watch this weekend that's genuinely Canadian, genuinely good, and will give you something to talk about at your next hockey watch party, this is the one.
Source: CBC Arts
