The Reel Rejects - HEATED RIVALRY Episode 6 REVIEW!!!

Episode Date: December 28, 2025

BRING ON SEASON 2!!! Heated Rivalry Full Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Greg's Guest Appearance on Tired Witches Podcast    • A GUY reads BINDING 13 for the first time....   Gift Someone (Or Yourself) An RR Tee! https://shorturl.at/hekk2 Heated Rivalry Ep 5 Reaction:    • HEATED RIVALRY Episode 5 REACTION!! The Em...   Heated Rivalry Ep 3 & 4 Reaction:    • HEATED RIVALRY Episodes 3 & 4 REACTION!! T...   Heated Rivalry Ep 1 & 2 Reaction:    • HEATED RIVALRY Episodes 1 & 2 REACTION!! W...   With Crave's hit series already renewed for seasons 2 & 3, Greg & Johnald head to the cottage for one more Heated Rivalry Reaction, Recap, Analysis, Breakdown, & Spoiler Review!! Greg Alba & John Humphrey react to Episode 6 of Heated Rivalry, the season finale of the Crave / HBO sports romance series adapted from Rachel Reid’s novel. The finale delivers emotional payoff, hard-earned honesty, and long-awaited resolutions as private love becomes public truth. The episode opens with a landmark moment for the league as Scott Hunter (François Arnaud – Midnight, Texas, Blindspot) accepts the MVP award and publicly comes out during his speech, watched proudly by Kip (Robbie G.K. – Departure, Murdoch Mysteries) and his friends. Inspired by Scott’s courage, the focus shifts to Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams – Bel-Air, Holly Hobbie) and Ilya Rosanov (Connor Storrie – Slasher, The Porter), who retreat to Shane’s cottage where joy, relief, and vulnerability finally replace secrecy. Ilya reveals he has been exclusive with Shane for months, and the two begin to speak honestly about their pasts — including Ilya’s childhood trauma and the loss of his mother. Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

are you ready to finally go to the cottage i'm ready for the cottage let's go to the cottage all right people we just watched heated rivalry episode six of uh this wonderful series one happy thumbnail three crying thumbnails holy shit i was even even i one point I literally went to before you were crying I was like I'm like I'm so happy right now this is so cool and I'm like oh fuck it's coming yeah well that's the thing is that's part of the experience of this show is it weaves in and out of those two modes constantly and you think catastrophic things are coming and yet it's often just it's emotionally rending because it's so touching and heartfelt or you're just witnessing this joy that you know is still precious even

And it's, you know, it's, it's an interesting thing because you're watching a show like this and there were conditioned by drama and blah, blah, blah, and tropes and things to think, like, oh, my God, some crisis is around the corner. And I think, you know, it says something interesting about society that, like, you know, you can have a show like this that is largely just about navigating the ups and downs of a burgeoning romance and, you know, the acceptance of yourself, of your sexuality or whatever. and like so much of what it's a it's a weird reminder that so much of what's here isn't actually fully normalized in society which is a bummer but at the same time it is like so lovely to see something that isn't as predicated on melodrama and like oh big blowups and stuff like that it's just all like careful thoughtful navigation of life yeah yeah i made a little note here i got to figure i do housekeeping guys uh patriott i forget that we mentioned them now that's where I mean first off holy shit I was checking the numbers

and so many of you guys from like one of our most pledged months because of this show and we've been shouting out our Patreon after the reaction

instead of at the intro and it's like kind of crazy to see just how many of you guys have pledged from it so thank you I want to say thank you first off

for supporting us because this show has taken a lot of more editing than usual just because the kind of content it is and is HBO.

So Prepper, thanks for this down. But yeah, our Patreon, it's the full-length watch-along. Sync up with your own copy of it. And helps off that monetization stuff that we often run into every day, as well as getting to participate in our reviews because they got access to our questions. And we got so many.

So we're going to get to our questions so fast to shout out of Royals. And additionally, if you can know the way you want to support, get some RRTs, barcode right here on screen. Lastly, I think that's lastly. I don't remember. anyway so yeah those are those are oh yeah if you can't do any of that just leave a like you leave a comment so yeah i mean i agree with everything you were saying just there of like

the ebbs and flows of it i i loved how slice of life it was and you're right it does like we're so programmed for it and ironically this is the one that felt the most like the kip and hunter story because that one felt a little more slice of life yeah except this was way more slice of life like you were just at the cottage the whole time the way it was directed really made you there's like so much foreground shots

and because of that it often makes you feel like someone's pairing in so I love like the narrative they tell with the visual like the reveal of the father because there were so many of those types of foreground shots but there's some I don't exactly know what was different about that

one particular one but it was like someone's in this room right now and I don't know who it is but someone's here and the way they do the reveal and the narrative was kind of like foreshadowing. It was like doing twofold that one makes you feel like you're here with them and the other part

is telling you that someone will be here at some point. Yeah, and they do, like, it's so much of the early parts of the episode feel like you're a part of this trip. You are the third person along for the ride. And so, you know, when you enter the cottage initially,

like you're in this slightly wide angle, but you're also like pretty close to them. And I think maybe that's it is like because there are voyeuristic shots or shots on them from further away but a lot of them involve starting on one person so maybe you're even in Shane's POV

as he approaches Ilya on the rock and then he joins him in frame but yeah once you get to that moment you know the big turn it's like oh all of a sudden we're in a human POV observing but further away than we've been up till now or something like that and in more dark

in more shadow and blah blah blah like there's it's crazy how well made this show is and obviously there are questions that we're going to dive into that regard that but it is like a really great to me masterclass in going we don't have tons of money to work with so like let's just really make the blocking and the performance the blocking of the camera and the performances sing and it's like this is a master class to me in filmmaking in a lot of ways yeah uh I want to make sure because we have so many I want to get to it and normally we want to talk for a while beforehand but I think this will

the questions will probably carry us through everything we need to talk about yeah and for like I think like the first three shoots we didn't have any questions so it's like yeah let's honor them let's honor everyone here you guys have lifted up

the end of this year for us in a huge way so yeah let's do it right the first you know what we might have to like direct this a little bit let's go with, let's go with this one. Matildi? Okay, Matilde. Matilde. Thank you. Matilda? Matilda. Mathilde. Thank you for chiming in. Scott's speech was a powerful opener for the finale. Agree.

Did you think it was enough to wrap up Scott and Kipp's story? Or would you have wanted to see more of an aftermath of their coming out? I also want to thank you for giving this show a chance to see a big channel like yours react to it in such a genuine, heartfelt, and respectful way means a lot. Gay. That's a hard. Just had to do it. Game, bro.

The second someone gives a sweet. Deflect that compliment. It deflected. Immediately pushing away. With some irreverent humor. For the cope. Yeah, Scott. Holy shit.

It is hot in here. It's getting hot in here. I can go check. You want me to hit the AC while you? Why don't you start talking about Scott? got and I'll hit the AC. Sorry, there's two shoots. There's two shoots happening right now.

And the weird part about the AC system is that and here when the AC is running, it helps cool down a very hot room. That's a naturally hot. But the other one, it just like becomes an ice box. So if some people are from there, we don't run it. But then this one becomes like extremely warm. And so before I was wearing a sweater,

because it was cold now I'm like boiling up um you'll never guess what I said the thermostat too Scott Kipp there I feel like I don't know if we'll get more I love the way they they've done their stuff as like a short film you know you get one episode dedicated them and he's like vignettes of their story and it's cool to make the impact of that happen because the impact what the show does a good job of doing is showing that impact of their little section would still impact Ilya especially to the point it affects him even if we never as the audience saw that story

in episode three because they never saw that story in episode three yeah totally but in order for us to feel the impact that Ilya's feeling we the audience have to somehow get on board but we have to identify it empathize with the emotional struggle of keeping you know being gay and being in love with another man a secret so they give us that tail that way we really know what it's like to be in their shoes to witness something like that and to witness that unfold i just think it makes it powerful and

i like the short film version of it and i like how uh it's kind of like nicer you know like even though there was struggles in and their episode three if there's something more pleasant about the way it unfolds like even now with what you might call it ilya and shan there's like machinations that have to unfold and PR stuff they have to worry about and you know a whole bunch of other stuff where because I think Kip's not a hockey player there's less

to concern I mean there's concerns but there's less to be concerned about yeah and I mean they've established Scott as someone who's I mean they've all you know we've covered multiple years here but you know they keep dogging him for like being old and you know he's in a different walk of life

from Ilya and Shane and what I like is what I love and appreciate I'm so fat like I would love to go back could study, compare these to the books and kind of study the writing of the show too because Scott is in a different position he's from a slightly, he's in a similar

bubble but in a slightly different walk of life and so it could feel random to do this episode as a sidebar but yet it does make sense because yeah his story as it pertains to hockey is kind of that's his part of it but Kip

yeah is the one foot in the regular world and so there's like a different reason why he needs to come out in a different way both personally but also for like the dramatic payoff of that story and then like the idea that that should empower Shane and Ilya to at least you know really take full you know ownership of what's happening between them and to really commit to that you know and to kind of get this surge of empowerment to their love is is kind of beautiful and it compliments in a really nice way and it's like we do see Scott here and there I thought the idea of yeah having that be a moment in the last episode

where you're a little bit in his perspective but we leave that on Ily and Shane's beholding of it and then here we see the speech on TV just yeah it adds to the realism but also it is wonderfully complimentary in a way that makes the world feel bigger and more alive and I think that's really something special that they were able to do

and that episode is such a wonderful centerpiece of the season. Episode 3 is such a lovely detour and that yeah is like very personal to those two characters, but also very much as vital to everything else. So, yeah, I thought this was terrific. I mean, like, I'd be surprised if we never see them

again, but at the same time, you know, I can see how the Scott story wouldn't be like the full meat of a season or whatever, and I think it compliments nicely. That's true. Now that we've seen the whole season,

What is this show meant to you, if anything, or what did you like most about it? Here I want to thank both of you. I'm a woman and not queer, but due to bad experiences, I put up walls around myself. But seeing this beautiful and tender couple and the care they had making the show. See men like you appreciate this work in such a respectful way has made me feel like I'm not so afraid to open up anymore. Greg John, thank you for being who you are, truly. Well, on the masculinity side. one thing I've sort of preached for a while and granted this is like a mantra I try to live by

but a lot of times I don't live by it is you know a lot of men have this concept of like to be a man you must face your fears and oftentimes with that they end up somehow bottling up their emotions and taking it out in other ways whether there's escapism or anger or some other bullshit and really it's because they're afraid to feel their feelings and express that and show it and then Sometimes when a guy does that, other men might call that, you know, fucking, like, overly sensitive or something or some other demeaning word. Like, I kind of like the opening speech that Scott was talking about of the kind of slurs that were used in the locker room, which decurages, you know, not being able to open up. So this show shows that in a way that constantly felt naturalistic and real. In terms of this particular episode, that conversation that he has with his mom where he's opening up,

about being gay and they're outside talking. It was weird because it was hitting me on a note because I'm half Asian. I in my adult years have had to have certain conversations with my mom that I did not have as a child that were really difficult to have that led to me crying first. And it would remind me of like,

it was like hitting those like fucking fire cells in my brain the entire time. And it was interesting to see a scene that was about, will you accept me for this, this thing I've never, talked to you about. And even though mine wasn't about me being gay, it was about something else different. It was interesting to see like the correlation that I was feeling and the connections. That seemed like really breaking me on like multiple levels of the struggle for

acceptance, a struggle of approval from your own mom and then having to open up about something that you feel like should reject you for and you never be able to talk to about. So something that kind of beautiful there is because I think it's really common in a lot of different cultures and races and I think in Asian culture it could be really common. Like I have gay people in my Filipino side a couple who were

like forever we've all known they were gay but they just refused to say the words or acknowledge it because of where they come from where that is really frowned upon and shamed. It's like we all know. Why can you just say it?

And to be around that and so to see this acceptance, especially on the Asian side, was really hitting me in a specific way. Anyway. I'm done, so we don't need to talk, John. Yeah, I mean, this is meant a ton to me, personally.

I mean, like, it's partly is just the strength of a beautifully told story and wonderful vulnerability from the actors and all that stuff. But, but yeah, I mean, this is a, this is something that's been fascinating to see because it's become such a phenomenon, and it's something that, you know,

is important to people in my life already, one of my best friends in the world, who I've shouted out a few times here, Mallory, at the Reading Smut podcast. Like, you know, again, I remember when she was reading this and kind of being even privy in a small way, you know, to the sort of onset of this. And then all of a sudden it's this HBO show and it's this huge thing. It has been really inspiring to see people flock around. And, yeah, like, you know, there's a communal aspect in the personal life around this show.

But also, for me, just as an individual viewer, and I'm not going to go, like, too heavily into, specific details but you know like especially dealing with heartache recently and dealing with the kind of consequences or just checking back in with the consequences as a human being of like being repressed or having anxiety that you're trying to avoid and you're really only just bringing the thing about by trying so hard to avoid it like seeing these guys especially a character like Shane you know who you know they're both repressed in certain ways due to society but Shane of the two characters is the most repressed well and and Scott too like they both in their own personal lives have a lot of guards and barriers and inability to speak the words to

certain people and to you know let love or let you know certain friendships or relationships or whatever it is you know there's a fear and reluctance to just let those things shine out and you know being guided by your fear more than your love and uh to watch a show that involves characters that are dealing with all these things that again are super universal you know like what i love about this and what has touched me so heavily about this is that like yes it's known as like the gay hockey romance but like the gay the homosexuality part of it is a beautiful intrinsic part of it but it's in no way a barrier to anything it's like beyond just like oh this isn't my exact lived experience i'm like the things these guys are going through

and watching them be so beautifully articulated and watching so many beautiful nuances be told. This is like a rare case of a piece where I'm like, this is kind of helpful to my life. Like, this is therapeutic and cathartic to watch the... I'm getting emotional talking about it. Like, to watch these guys go through

what they're going through makes it a little easier to, you know, deal with the stuff, you know, the interpersonal or the, you know, just living out last. stuff that you need to do in your life that sometimes creates barriers so yeah uh i could go on about what this has come to mean to me but uh i love it man and it's so joy is like it's it's weird it's like it's we sit here and we've cried through most of these episodes because they're so

touching and beautiful but they're also like it's really striking and like a way profound to see that it doesn't have to be a disaster and there aren't like oh my god there's some huge cliffhanger like like no there's there are bumps along the way and there are conflicts that arise you think the whole thing with the parents could go any number of ways but like this feels like life and that's about the best thing I can say about it

you know I can sit here for a second if you want yeah yeah yeah yeah I appreciate you Here's this

Here's this lens wipe filled with alcohol To burn your eyes back into No, it's actually It's dried out now So just wiping dust into my face Thank you

I appreciate Yeah. So it means nothing to me. There's not enough sex. I mean, John's King. No, man. Just being vulnerable in life is hard and knowing what you want and how to express that and not being afraid of all the things that could go wrong by doing so.

It's like such a huge barrier in my life, you know? And to watch a show about breaking down those barriers. It's amazing. Yeah. I'm glad I'm not that much to you Yeah Yeah I love this You probably hit on all the reasons why it's

Like this show There's no way this show is Only hitting Gay people You know what I mean Like it's not obviously only for queer Or just women or whatever Yeah niche you want to lump it into

It's mainly straight women There are a lot of straight women Who is mainly fours But even like Even, too, like, the sex side of it is even enlightening in a way because, again, it's showing the expression and the ways to work out through the, you know, for people who, you know, have additional barriers to that expression, you know, through the gay experience, the queer experience, et cetera. Like, you know, being able to express their wants and needs is, like, subtly profound. And it applies to everybody. Like, I think that applies to anybody who deals with attraction and relationship.

to some extent it applies you know i agree very solid points i'm glad you shared thank you gotta reflect a little bit thanks yeah this one comes from uh miguel do you want more sex in the show yes more d we only got that one pick in episode what was that two r t i don't i communicate through humor right so our our t art retreat what the hell art

art they you guys got so many like extra letters at the end of your names that you don't even pronounce it's art but more elegant what did you think of the directing and cinematography

of heated rivalry uh well I think this is one of the rare shows were we oh let me finish a question first of all knowing that they had a really

limited budget compared to some big series uh will you react to some interviews of the actors they are really funny I don't know if I like doing that I like I love that's a personal for me thing we've done that with other

actor stuff before and then it was one of those experiences that sounds fucking stupid for some stuff I'm like I just want to keep that for me yeah I'm sure I'll watch it that's part of yeah that's it would be fun to watch on camera but that's the stuff that's fun to nerd out over and that that's how I kind of engage

my own just for the sake of fandom you know yeah and this is one of this I don't think we have to talk too long about this because we unlike most shows for some reason this one because we've seen a lot of like beautifully directed movies

and shows but I you know like fucking I don't know what's a great with severance and or like beautifully directed shows but there was something about this I think that really stood out because those shows are like science fiction shows where you sort of

expect like cool shots and everything and like the depth of this reason for this angle and whatever in production design like there's a whole lot of things that go into like making the shininess of how something is shot and this was like

you know I keep saying it gay hockey show and then we watch it like why does this show like every shot is so meaningful and calculated and telling and the lighting is so evocative of the emotions and like there's signals

you know like even right at the very in this episode to keep it on the episode right away i think i said it out loud sometimes i have these thoughts about i was telling john this before uh before we shouldn't something else like sometimes i can't turn off my brain when i'm thinking about shots and i'm like i can't i can't say every shot there was there was like when he first confronts the parents yeah and they're in the living room and it's awkward then it cut to the um them at the table yeah and it was like yellow warm lighting you feel the sun and i said oh it's warm lighting it must be okay yeah and that's what i mean by at least not a disaster yeah so like that's that's what i meant by how

like this show even in this episode can can tell you a lot so i think every this is this is like one this is i feel like this is a show that is probably being very overlooked for how incredibly directed and shot and it is like every everything is really choice especially color and every angle yeah it's like i feel like that's one way you overcome your budget is by really directing the hell out of the thing and just really zooming us into the emotion on display i think the only the only thing that like limited budget even kind of comes to mind to for me during this show is like oh maybe that's why there aren't as many like actual on ice hockey sequences yeah but like uh yeah the direction the

cinematography as we've said a thousand times they and their use of color their use of editing they know when to lull you into a moment with a vibe with the music with the tone and then harsh cut they know when to smooth cut they they really like this is again masterful in terms of just how it expresses visually and if you again i said this a thousand times but it is that meme in like cinematography class where you're like bring in a scene and break down the intent of every shot and this is one of the rare things i've ever watched where i'm like it feels like everything was composed thought of well in advanced rehearsed like so many of these subtly impressive shots where it's like a play and you're in what doesn't get called out as a

but there are tons of great oneers in this show where we're just patiently following people through the room or we're zooming really slow in and out it's it's so emotionally attenuated and yet in a sneaky kind of way in a low key but still present across everything kind of way it is beautiful picturesque the light is incredible and uh yeah i can't say enough about how well this is assembled visually and tonally yeah as insane as insanely great as it looks i never feel like the it's the only where that comes to mind and it's so fitting for this never feels

masturbatory you know yeah yeah it's yeah it's the style and the substance are perfectly balanced to me kiki kiki do you love me are you writing so thank you for chiming in season one of heated rivalry is adapted from the first

book of ilia and shane's story ilia's and shane's second book is probably going to be adapted into season two my question is what do you think is going to happen in season two do you have any predictions also i wanted to know your thoughts on as a whole of this on this first season p.s thank you for reacting to this show it has been very entertaining to watch your reactions and your thoughts okay well thoughts on the whole i want you to do what you did uh five minutes ago yes recount it relate to it right yes to it all john

i honestly like i can't wait another year because like to have this consistent of like a basis to tap into the cathartic power of crying this has been an amazing like one of the highlights of this experience has been like oh i have like a ready to go like yes obviously if you're crying in a reaction video part of your break goes good this is helping the video but at the same time uh i just it's like a clean sweat after a workout after every one of these uh yeah i have no predictions honestly At the same time, it's like, you know, I don't know how to, I mean, I guess that's how it is for actors, too. Like, you can't, like, if you try to cry, it, it's like, it's so fake.

And I don't even know how to like, there's just people who can, like, fucking just do it as a skill, like a hack. Yeah. I don't know how you do that. So now, yeah, we have to really feel it in order to get there, you know. So, yeah. just acknowledging that I don't think John's saying he's like fake crying or something. No, I know, and you know, life of a reaction

video person, you know, there are certainly times where you're like, I know this thing is a big cry, it's a tearjerker. It's weird when you're like, I'm not, I don't feel like crying at this and I feel like people probably expect me to cry. Yeah. Yeah. And they're like, oh, it's going to be weird to get crap over that. Yeah, when you go into one of those movies

where it's like, this is a cry movie, like that actually kind of can be an obstacle. Or when people are like, oh, this next episode, you're going to cry. I'm like, now I'm just on the lookout for what I'm going to cry. Unexpected stuff is usually where it gets me because, yeah, you're not expected. But anyway, I don't really have heavy predictions for season two because part of this experience has been about realizing they're not going to do a bunch of like cliche trope beats. I know book fandom really likes when people who haven't followed up with the next installment like hearing predictions. And so I'd love to do that just to satisfy you.

at the same time i i don't really like letting my mind trail there i prefer i prefer to like stay in a reflection i'm that's just where i'm i used to be like let me predict and say in the moment i like to predict sometimes uh but i like to sort of just stay with what we're at and reflect on what the experience has been yeah i'm hopeful like who it's going to happen next you know and i know some people love that and i i'm just not quite there well this is the kind of show now with like the types of developments i'm like uh i guess i predict that like they start the charity and there are some bumps along the way but they kind of figure them out i guess i don't know i i i'm not you know maybe there will be some kind of major obstacle but this is

yeah such a slice of life that i have to imagine that yeah anything what i would anticipate would be kind of bespoke to whatever circumstances they weave oh well let's move on to let's do c r kurt it's crazy to think how the volume volumetric environments were such exclusive and lauded when it was first used on the Mandalorian and now a pretty low budget show like heated rivalry is only able to be made by using

it in many of what that's bonkers so what also most of the crowd shots in the stands at the hockey games were completely CGI generated no way I just think it's funny that a romance smutbook show needed the volume

in CGI no that's sometimes it they're the usual of vol like did you know in the batman they use it a lot like all those outside shots of the city uh like the orange glow and everything that like batman coy was pointed that out to me and i was like what that's that's the that's the that's volume sometimes the volume when used is the most deceptive one you know yeah and then other times it looks like every disney plus show but other times it's like whoa i had no clue i never knew that and i'd ever suspected either i would be fascinated to see up behind the scenes because

what I'm mainly imagining right now is these exteriors with the really dramatic sunlight, stuff on the beach, stuff on the lake, stuff like that and potentially, I know they have a scene where they're shooting that promo and I was like, I bet they just shot this in the dressed down volume without any

of the effects in there, but that's beautiful and I mean, honestly, for as much as the double-edged sword exists of technologies like this and through shows that are profile as the Mandalorian sometimes would go, oh, it feels too volume. Like This is a great application of that technology because there were only a couple of moments in here

where I was ever like, oh, is this maybe a green screen or something? And even then, it's like not a big deal. It's not taking away from like the movie magic of a show like this is the emotion and their ability to lends the emotion. So like, you know, it's great when you have effects like that that are, you know, the best ones are invisible

and largely they have been. So that's just kind of neat to know. I had no idea. And that gives me further faith for application. of the volume. Nicely said. I agree. Manny.

Manny. So the ending of the show versus the book is a little different here. In the book, you get a bit of a time jump and look into the plan the boys make together.

But in the show, the boys, Jacob, in the show, Jacob Tierney decided to make it a bit more of a happy, no loose strings ending. I just wanted to get your guys' thoughts

on that approach. And if there was anything you would have done different this season if you were in the director's chair. P.S., thank you for reacting to this show. It's legitimately one of the best book adaptations ever made and has reached so many people now. So much good representation for the LGBTQ community. So thank you for coming into this series with the open mind and loving

it just as much as the rest of us. I think it's so smart to end it here because I don't think he knew he was going to get another season. And it ends in a way where the main theme is done. You know, if you look at where they were as characters in the first episode, this is a journey of Both of them learning to have self-acceptance, acceptance of the relationship, and being, and also, like, a big part of it with Shane was his parents, like, his relationship with his parents was so important and vital to him, and would he be accepted? So in terms of character, like, well, the arc is done for, I mean, I'm sure the sequel books introduce new developments, but in terms of the main arc setup from secrecy to acceptance, it's beautiful

and it's complete, you know, like, you don't really, I like the, tease for what more they can do but if the show ended it could end and i would i want to see what more would happen what their future would be but i thought this was a really smart place to end it yeah yeah and given the cultural context i think it is a very beautiful choice to just let them ride off into the sunset ostensibly you know yeah and have it be a happy ending it's one of those things we're like yeah it's nice to see that we're progressing to a point where we can maybe past that eventually where like, you know, something like this isn't viewed as so much of a niche or it doesn't have to be a struggle show or a struggle movie. There is the struggle represented here. But to have it end off on a beautiful heart swelling note, I think, is beautiful. And again, is part of what's so lovely and has created such a big cultural moment around the show, I think, is because of choices like that where you would expect, oh, no, there's going to be catastrophe and crisis. Yeah.

You know, even the stuff looking at the aftermath of Scott Hunter's decision is like not as tumultuous as a different show might have been. And I think it's striking and profound in a sense to see it articulated like this. So yeah, I love that choice to whatever the amendment is from the book. I like what they did here. I think they made the right call. 100%. I don't think Jacob's do anything wrong. I am part of the fandom now.

And anything they do is correct. And anyone who criticizes is wrong. That's right. And hates the show. Annie I wanted to ask What do you think it is about this show

That made the viewers Just fall in love with it The reception to the show Has been huge Even Trump watches it It seems like overnight people I have the gayest friends Love the gayes

Love hockey Love the gays It's like overnight People were completely obsessed with it And the obsession is only grown With each episode So what do you think people Are connecting with

They're feeling impacted By the most Now that the season is complete as a queer girly John, you don't stand a chance This has been so near and dear To my heart

But dude, bro, you can change that, bro Yeah Come on, bro Bro, come on, man That's had the right to you, bro That's right, I can change you It's been so near To my heart

And I love watching it anymore I'm so sorry We sincerely appreciate Your sincereness And vulnerable complication i have a problem whatever i start to really like something i end up having too much fun and then i started knowing people it is a consistent problem in my life um the uh i don't know that's a good question i have you know tony and cordonie so i have a friend who is like just a chill

mexican dude one of my closest friends loves pot as two kids and he's like he's the definition of just the most chill guy, like a complete opposite of me in every way. And, you know, one of my closest buddies. And he's got, he has a wife who loves reading and has read all the books and stuff. And they were one of the

people, too, who were like, raven about, she was, and he got put on this show too. Huh? And he's like, not bisexual or anything and doesn't watch like queer content. He's like, you know, man, this actually, like, actually, bro. I was surprised. The show's actually, you know, it's a really cool show, bro.

Yeah, it is, bro. It's cool as shit. The greatest dude, just being like, you know, bro, it's actually surprisingly really good, man. It gets you hooked, bro. It fucking does. 100% it does. Because it's a

it's sneaky. It's the thing. It's universal. Everything they're dealing with is universal, except it's under this niche umbrella because of society, but like. Well, it's romantic. It's got an erotic thriller element. I could see how you even straight guys might be into it because of the

appeal of like fucking hockey and sports and like, let's this really go on and the sport systems. Yeah, the locker room. There's a lot of cool angles to it. One, and I think to lovers is always a good hook. Definitely. And I think like the shock value and I do think like the

big talking point of this was when this was first debuting was how it was the graphic. Say the word graphic sounds like upsetting for some reason. The I don't know the level

John's better It's shown in more intimate detail It's good yeah It hits you like a freight train Like it's strong Like you gotta be ready for Accepting This is gonna be some extreme depictions basically

In a way that is They're not gonna hold back In the way how a lot of other shows might When it comes to like gay guys having sex In a way you're not used to seeing with two men Yeah Because you're gonna show you like a variety of ways Yeah yeah yeah

And not just, like, positions or intensity, like, you actually, in intense, anyway. The best of stuff demystifies, like, it's interesting. But that part of it is, is a big section that I think did get people talking of just like, wow, this show is really going there. And then I think it surprises you with the heart of it and then the emotional soul that it has. I think it, I think they actually starting off with, like, this show is, like, the first episode is. is like this show is so sexual yeah and and then it's like oh my god i am so emotional now you know and i think that's the point because it literally puts you in their shoes of wow this the heat between them and oh my god they're falling in love and now i'm being heartbroken

by them not being able to be together you know well and in a way it is like a in a way it is the classic just sort of like you know you you have a some kind of physical altercation can often you know you're in a similar environment you have some kind of physical physical chemistry that kicks things off and then as time goes by and you find your way closer to each other things get more serious and yeah yeah like it feels like a just a the unfolding of a relationship and yeah but i think because of the strength of the cinematography and the style the strength of the music the strength of all the things plus you know you have both a niche but simultaneously a universal set of themes i think it's kind of brilliantly poised to you know be in

the position that it's in it's very inspiring a thousand percent yeah um yeah i thought this uh i thought this was a pretty uh amazing experience and yeah i agree i know we got like a bit of an overflow uh we try to keep it a little bit fair on submission amount and stuff and we are press for time right now so we went wait we're like literally 18 minutes past exactly where we were at then so thank you guys so much for encouraging us uh to stay on this train thank you for supporting us thank you for watching i i we have Other stuff, of course, that we're going to be coming through 2026, hopefully stuff that piques your interest as well.

Leave suggestions down below. It doesn't mean we'll oblige them. Just leave suggestions and we'll consider stuff. You know, people often, like, leave suggestions and they expect that you said to leave suggestions. You must do this show from 1972 now that has 10 seasons. Let's do the OG Shogun now. Let's go back and watch queer as folk. I said you should watch all the Law and Order SVU.

Why didn't you do it? People love SVU, all right? That is the most beloved law in order. He and a rivalry audience will transition over. I mean, maybe. Maybe, yeah. I know a lot of women who love SVU and a lot of, you know, queer folks who love SVU.

But no straight people. No straight people. Because all the straight people are out there being the criminals they catch on SVU. The show is trying to out me. Yes. All of us straights are no good. Oh, yeah. Well, thanks.

John, this was like a last minute, you know, I think it was like the day of. I was like, yo, I think this is what we should do. And John wasn't supposed to be here the day we, you were supposed to have, but go out home, like, can you stay longer and do this for me? So thanks for going to do this with me. Yeah, this is my one of my favorite things we've done all you. Giant commitment. So it's a great way to go out.

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