Episode two offers a deeper look into the life of Ilya Rozanov and a taste of the struggle for what life is like for a man in the closet. It also gave us the character of Sasha (Kaden Connors) who I hated immediately.
SYNOPSIS
Over the next two years, Shane and Ilya fall into an on-again, off-again cycle of sexting—intimate, recklessness, and the heated rivalry of competition beyond the friendly. During the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, everything shifts. After the Russian team’s disappointing performance, Ilya begins ignoring Shane’s messages altogether.
A conversation with Scott Hunter and Carter Vaughn—who remarks on the quiet courage of openly gay figure skaters competing in conservative Russia—forces Shane to confront the pressure Ilya is living under. When Shane tries to offer support in person, it’s met with coldness— which confuses Shane, who’s clearly in love.
THOUGHTS
Episode two largely delivers more of the same—stolen moments of intimacy between game days—but the character work begins to deepen, offering a clearer view of who these men are outside of the time they spend together. Rozanov’s family issues come into sharper focus, particularly a brother who seems to view him less as family and more as a paycheck, while Hollander’s home life appears warm, loving, and unwaveringly supportive.
The sex scenes are undeniably hotter this time around, but so is the emotional undercurrent—at least from Hollander’s side. The closing elevator scene lands especially hard, one that any gay man who’s ever dated someone living a double life will recognize instantly. I loved the glimpse into the life of Rozanov. Though he was still an asshole – you understood him a bit better.
It was a good episode and the perfect morsel to wet the whistle before episode three offered a game-changing feel to the entire series.
There will be more Heated Rivalry soon so…
Stay Tuned!
Life In Cartoon Motion 