Versatile Views
Best friends Jack Knave and Charlie Darling are your co-hosts of a brand new LGBTQ+ podcast, promising top-tier takes and bottomless banter. They will be talking about queer life in London, LGBTQIA+ issues, queer media and pop culture with frequent cheeky anecdotes along the way. 💜💚
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Versatile Views
Cute Confessions at the Cottage: A Heated Rivalry Review (E5&6)
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The fantastic conclusion of Heated Rivalry has left everyone swooning and feeling butterflies for Shane and Ilya. Your co-hosts Jack Knave and Charlie Darling are back (finally) to discuss the show they've grown to love, and how much they each cried at the finale; spoilers - one of them much more than the other.
As Shane and Ilya finally open up to one another, admitting their feelings are too strong to ignore, a plan to visit Shane's lakeside cottage comes to fruition. Cue the cuteness, as the two boys dare to dream of a future together in some of the most tender and lovely scenes of the entire show.
We are the co-hosts of a brand new LGBTQ+ podcast with new episodes released every Wednesday, although right now we're having a short mid-season break. To tide yo over until Season 2 begins, tune in to our Re-Views of various TV shows. And listen to us wherever you find your podcasts! The whole of Season 1 is sat there just waiting to be listened to, so check it out darlings!
I'm Janet Knave and I'm Team Skip.
SPEAKER_01And I'm Charlie Darling and I'm Team Holonov.
SPEAKER_00And this is Versatile Reviews.
SPEAKER_01Again.
SPEAKER_00Every time. Okay, sorry. And this is Versatile Reviews.
SPEAKER_01Where we talk about your favourite TV shows.
SPEAKER_00It's not as easy as you thought, is it?
SPEAKER_01Where we talk about your favourite TV shows. And this week, we're wrapping up. We're wrapping up Pete'd Rivalry. Episodes five and six.
SPEAKER_00A show that we apparently abor.
SPEAKER_01That's a good point. Let's set the record straight.
SPEAKER_00No, let's bend it right up, baby. The record shows that we don't like it, apparently. I would contest that. I would love to objection your honour. We enjoyed the show. I more than enjoyed it. I friggin' loved it. Oh, okay. Great. Did you not? No, I really liked the show. Yeah. I know you did. I saw it.
SPEAKER_01I watched you watch it. I think the issue is. No, no, no, no.
SPEAKER_00What's the issue?
SPEAKER_01I don't love the romance genre of television and film.
SPEAKER_00Irony.
SPEAKER_01Kind of, yeah. It is ironic. I prefer real love in real the real world. Yes. Big fan of that.
SPEAKER_00You're quite the romantic in the real world. Meanwhile, I'm the complete opposite. I wouldn't say complete opposite. Well, I do love love. I love love, but I don't have any love. That's so not true. I have friendship love. Yeah. Yeah. Familial love. But we're talking about romance, the genre. I can't relate to that one. Oh, you can't relate to familial love. I know that. You just said that. Yeah, but you can't say it.
SPEAKER_02Well, yeah, I can, because it's true.
SPEAKER_00No, no, we're just joking. We're just joking. There were aspects of the show that I loved. And we'll get into it. I think what we have to make really, really clear is, and is the reason why we're talking about this is because a very dear friend of the show and one of our avid listeners of the show sent us a 20-minute diatribe, and honestly, it was a delight. I loved hearing it. It was very interesting hearing how someone else perceived us. She had several many good points to make. She had several many thousand good points to make. Yes. But we didn't quite realize that our frustration and cynicism. So yeah, uh Jade did.
SPEAKER_01Bitterness.
SPEAKER_00Hateful nature. It could possibly be misconstrued as not liking a TV show. We like a TV show. I obviously went back and like listened to a couple of clips just to see and hearing it with the lens of you know those tinted glasses that my good friend lent me. I was like, oh, we do sound like we don't like this.
SPEAKER_01So that's why we're clearing the air.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we've got to set the record gay. And also, the other there was one point, and let's just get it out of the way. I was told specifically in the voice note that I should not be nitpicking because this is not the time. Oh, yeah, that's a good point. No, I'm sorry. I will not lower my standards for anything. And that especially applies to media that I feel represents me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the point she was making is that these are tough times in the US specifically for LGBT representation and media and rights and all that stuff that isn't really important to us. Yeah, everyone's rights. So we have this great example of media. And yeah, I see the point. Like we shouldn't be sat here criticizing it.
SPEAKER_00I'm really set in my stance that if I think something's amazing, I don't think that shields it from my critique of it. But overall, very good. Ah, loved it.
SPEAKER_01But we'll do a sort of uh recap at the very end.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01Let's get into episode five. Let's. So we left off episode four with that intense montage scene in the club. We had two old faces at the end of that episode. But did we? No. Because we find out that Shane didn't achieve completion. Well, you're well, you're doing a time skip of yourself right now. Yeah, but it's like the first part of episode five is Rose and Shane talking about how he couldn't get up or whatever it was that didn't work.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we had uh we had an oh no face and an all face. That was like not that funny.
SPEAKER_01I'm trying to think of something funny to add to it, but I can't. Uh I can't. I can't. What is it you can't face? So we're in the bar, the same bar. We're in the same bar? As where they the bar they met in, right? It's the same bar in Montreal. That Rose and Shane met in? Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're back in the same bar.
SPEAKER_00I think it's the same one. I don't think it's the same one. Okay. I'm almost certain it's not the same one.
SPEAKER_01Internet sleuths prove me wrong or Jack wrong.
SPEAKER_00Well, I'll have a look back and maybe edit in if I'm wrong. Charlie was, in fact, correct. My apologies. But no, before we move on to that, we have to remember that we are we've just found out that the East Coast and West Coast are about to battle each other. So Shane and Ilya are about to be on the same team. Oh yeah, fine. And Ilya is still major PMO at Shane. Yes. Because of Rose. PMO? Pissing me off, but he's Oh, okay. He's PO'd.
unknownPO'd.
SPEAKER_01Yes, Ilya is not doing a great job of hiding his emotions here. He's like so jealous.
SPEAKER_00Fumin.
SPEAKER_01Based on what exactly?
SPEAKER_00Well, he's it's his own fault.
SPEAKER_01But like an article in TMZ or something.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's so true. Anyway, serves him right.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00So let's go to the dinner.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, which was just uh Rose having a drink. Okay, well I'm already being so critical.
SPEAKER_00No, but I do okay, no, uh let's be critical. Beautiful conversation. Can I just say why would you invite him to a public place to do that? Wild. I could not believe my eyes.
SPEAKER_01It was a really lovely conversation. It was a stunning conversation. Thank goodness there was no one sat next to them. No, I know. Which again wouldn't happen in London.
SPEAKER_00Empty restaurant. Where's the paps?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Yeah, if she is such an amazing, beautiful movie star. Uh-huh. There should be paps. Absolutely. But no, the conversation between them was really sweet. I was at first I was like, oh, would this conversation really happen? But by the end of that, I was like, yes, I'm on board with it.
SPEAKER_00I think that a version of this conversation would happen, and then a version of the conversation they had outside of the restaurant would happen maybe two weeks later. Sure. Condensed. But we've got to condense it.
SPEAKER_01This is wish fulfillment television. Yes. Yeah, very sweet. I I mean it was mortifying. Yeah. Like basically, you've got someone who you're supposedly dating and everything being like, let's be real, mate. You're gay.
SPEAKER_00I was watching it and it was a bit like too much humor is being injected into this. But then now sitting here talking to you, that is probably exactly how I'd have a tough conversation with you. So yeah, we we always laugh when we're having sad arguments.
SPEAKER_01It's like a yeah, he made it out unscathed from that. He did indeed. Rose is very gracious, very sweet. Yeah, totally on board. We have an ally in Rose. Yes. And can I say Yeah, you may they decide after the end of that conversation that they're gonna be friends. Yeah. Best friends.
SPEAKER_02Let's be friends. Best friends.
SPEAKER_00That made me laugh. I was like, are we really referencing Charlie in the Chocolate Factory?
SPEAKER_01Was that also a Canadian production? And perhaps if I said anything unkind about Rose in the previous episodes, I changed my tune. Now that Rose and Shane are like besties, I'm like hugely on board with her.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I don't know why I've changed my opinion that strongly, but I'm like, great, love her.
SPEAKER_00Well, because we love an ally.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I guess you know, when she was just being a straight woman, stealing my man.
SPEAKER_01Maybe that's it, we were jealous.
SPEAKER_00But now she's like, you know, wrapping him up for me. Sending him on his merry gay way. True. I can't read my handwriting. Because I was crying the entire episode. No, I know what happens next. We're in Florida.
SPEAKER_01Yes, feeling very flirty in Florida.
SPEAKER_00Feeling very flirty in our Hawaiians and our florals. Yes.
SPEAKER_01I loved that they addressed Shane's dress. Basically. I hired a stylist.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, great. Yeah, well, you need to hire a new one. Sorry! Sorry. I love you, my friend, that sent the 20-minute voice note, but I am not gonna not criticize what was that white blazer.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it wasn't it just didn't suit him. I'm not buying it, it didn't suit him.
SPEAKER_00Very good, very punny, very punny.
SPEAKER_01I think Ilya was looking very sexy at that time.
SPEAKER_00That's what's crazy. I'm like, how are you in that beautiful white blazer and you've got someone in a Hawaiian shirt next to you that is showing you a way better a gorgeous, really lovely conversation.
SPEAKER_01But it's the first time they've really chatted in person since that not altercation, but kind of uh Since Shane got the hell out of there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So things are a little bit awkward, but clearly they're both very happy to see each other. Yes.
SPEAKER_00I love it. It reminds me of me. I can't help myself. I'm such an interrogative what what can we call that? An interrogative An interrogative Ilya. Yeah, that's the only name I can think of.
SPEAKER_01I'm an interrogative Ilya. So true. And it's so interesting because he's always been playing it cool. Like he's the one who's played it the most cool the whole time. And basically from the beginning of episode five onwards, that's gone. And what a relief. Yeah, it is a big relief, but it's it's a big change.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so very quick divertissement. I just want to say what one of the main problems I had with the show was I just did not like watching Ilya treat Shane this way, and I don't care what his reasons were. Yeah, I also don't like the way that Shane ended up treating Ilya at some points, and I don't really care what his reasons were for either. So that was the real big gripe. That's why we were enjoying watching the show. We just wanted to see them, you know, love.
SPEAKER_01No, 1000%. I think that's why. Sort of spoilers, I really enjoyed episodes five and six. Oh my gosh. Because finally they're being kind to each other and letting each other in and letting themselves love each other. Well, look at how much fun they had. Yeah. So Cutton's woman pill. Really cute. They have a really interesting dynamic, they're so different, but I couldn't believe that dynamic between the couple.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was very like dad in the pill with the kids and mum on a sun linger being like, What's my man like?
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's cute. It was cute. And if yeah, we saw a side of Ilya that we haven't really seen before. I mean, not that there aren't many scenes of children. I haven't seen him interact with children yet, but maybe he's like really paternal. I don't know. That's quite attractive.
SPEAKER_00Well, clearly we find out that he really cares for his niece. That's like what he's mainly been another time skeptics, sorry, Huns. But yeah, he really cares for his niece. True. But then we see them on the ice as well, having a having a laugh. Yep. And they get to like show some jovial broad broad.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So something that's alluded to later on is how they have this public feud, essentially. Yeah, I didn't realise it was as bad as it was. Yeah, so that's quite limiting for them in a way. Like they are unable to even show any fondness to each other in public because they've got this persona almost to live up to. So I guess them being on the same team for this one game was a chance for them to be like, oh, actually, we're we are mates, to kind of give a new angle to that relationship.
SPEAKER_00And I think if that happened in real life, people would be all over that.
SPEAKER_01100%.
SPEAKER_00They would love that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I actually, I mean, okay, we are not sports fans. But that do you think that our rivalries akin to this? Like with two star players on opposing teams that everyone in that sport knows about and it's this intense, it's played up in this way in the media.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I think there are rivalries like that in the world, yes. And I think that a lot of people play up to it, and a lot of people it is real. It just depends and it can be both at the same time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, having an antagonistic relationship with someone else in your sport or TV show or something or podcast.
SPEAKER_00Or in your acting class is a great way to get more screen time. And also it's just fun. I love as sparring partner. Yeah. That's how I flirt. How's that going for you? Put the sentence down. And then they're on the beach.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. With the sunset in Florida, the most romantic of places.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, yeah. Well, well, Ilya does look around and I'm like, yep, make sure there's no guns.
SPEAKER_01But that was a really lovely scene. It was so beautifully shot.
SPEAKER_00So nice. Yeah. And one thing that I want to say about this episode is, and I think this is what the whole show was like sort of setting up. We used to see like extremely graphic depictions of what those boys were up to. Now we don't. And it's to show that that's not what's important anymore. That's not the only thing they're doing anymore. Good point.
SPEAKER_03Thank you.
SPEAKER_01So they're on the beach having a wee chat. And then they're little little pinky, pinky strokes. And I was like, oh, this is like building up to something. And Shane's like, what room are you in? I'm going there right now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, Shane asks. It was Shane.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then they go, he goes to the room.
SPEAKER_00He does.
SPEAKER_01And they have a bit of a chat.
SPEAKER_00Before they have the chat though, Ilya hangs up on Alexia.
SPEAKER_01Oh yes.
SPEAKER_00And he hadn't been doing that before.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, pushing back on that brother.
SPEAKER_00The priorities are shifting.
SPEAKER_01Mm-hmm. So they're in the hotel room. And Shane comes in very serious.
SPEAKER_00I know, I was a bit like, okay, what? Yeah, I didn't expect that. You could have said this on the beach. Maybe.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, maybe. Yeah, maybe. Well, he could have. Yes. Yes. Yes.
SPEAKER_01And he's like, Ilya, I've got something to tell you. I'm gay.
SPEAKER_00That was insane.
SPEAKER_01You burst out laughing.
SPEAKER_00I did burst out laughing. Just because that's not what I was expecting him to say. And obviously, Ilya has the exact same reaction.
SPEAKER_01He was like, okay, well We've been you.
SPEAKER_00We've been known. But it starts, it starts a bit of a heart to heart between them. It does. And Shane does something that I would maybe do. What's that? He's like, oh, because I'm boring. And I was like, oh yeah, that has been hurting you. You don't like that. Ilya takes the stang out of it a little bit and is like, are you joking?
SPEAKER_01Let's talk about that point, Shane being boring. Uh-huh. So I've seen some discourse online about Shane. And our dear friend also mentioned it in her little voice note.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Many people interpret Shane's behaviour as being a neurodivergent person, right?
SPEAKER_00And as soon as someone said that, as soon as my friend said that to me, I was like, oh. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So he maybe struggles with some social cues. He takes things very literally. He can't banter in the same way that some people other people can. And he's very aware of it. You know? He's very probably insecure about it. Yeah, of course. Because he's popular. People adore him. He's handsome, he's talented, but he's unable to have this like easy back and forth, the banter that other players have with each other.
SPEAKER_00He's already holding something back and feeling like an outsider about it. And this only adds to that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so Elia calling him boring, it would suck because you think, oh, it's because I'm not funny like the other guys or like the girls he's hanging out with, or whatever it is. Like it definitely makes sense that he would internalize it.
SPEAKER_00Because even Rose says you're secretly one of the funniest people I know. And I almost was like, okay, Rose, you you had me on your side. Let's be a bit careful by what we're saying to everybody at Shane. What do you mean? What do you mean secretly? He's why are we keeping secrets about how funny he is? Oh. Okay. He's obviously very funny.
SPEAKER_01I don't think that it she's keeping it a secret. He's keeping it a secret in a sense. It's like not widely known, is the point.
SPEAKER_00It felt just backhanded to me about how to do it. Maybe you've got a point. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe. Hmm.
SPEAKER_01I don't think you believe that. I don't anyway. Yeah, come on, we've got to get to the end of this episode.
SPEAKER_02We're still in the hotel room.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're having a heart-to-heart. While Ilya starts off kind of laughing at Shane's funny outburst, he ends up sitting on the bed and talking a bit more openly about his situation with his family.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're finally both opening up. They're finally actually telling the truth to each other and not just hiding behind bravav bravavo, bravado, and machismo.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So Ilya gets a bit emotional talking about his father, who is sick.
SPEAKER_00And then we see a beautiful bit of acting from Hudson twice in a row. When he gets onto Ilya's lap and hugs him and takes, you know, takes care of him and caresses him. And then we don't see the sexy time as we as we discuss. Yeah, we just skip over it. And it cuts to Hudson slash Shane at the hotel room door saying goodbye to Ilya, who is lying on the bed. And Hudson turns around and smiles directly down the camera. And that was like blinded by the be like such good acting. Just continue like stellar, interstellar acting.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean he's just he's got charm and in buckets. Kerez mass. So handsome. Yeah, of course. It's that's like a fatality.
SPEAKER_00It's not even handsomeness though. Like he is so handsome to me, and he looks handsome in that shot, but it is like it feels so real when he turns around and it's just like a literal piece of the sun has smacked me in the face. That's so sweet. But it well and then what happens?
SPEAKER_01Go on. I actually didn't I don't know what happened. I've got a note, but I don't I haven't got the context for the note.
SPEAKER_00Well it was two weeks later, uh-huh, and they're playing another game.
SPEAKER_01Oh, then I missed a few things.
SPEAKER_00Well, um they're playing another game and they're now playing against each other, and Shane is like um texting Ilya, and Ilya says, Come over, and then he says no as he proceeds to go there.
SPEAKER_01But their little text exchange was fun. I loved it. Because Shane says it's a really bad idea, and Ilya responds, everything we do is a bad idea. And I'm just a bit like, well, maybe that gets me going.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, maybe.
SPEAKER_01We cut to Ilya amping up his team before the game, then coming back into the locker room afterwards, right? Yeah, boom. Oh yeah, he vanishes. Because well, I love this bit because he celebrating with his teammates about he won he oh my god, not one. He like got some pucks in the goal. I don't know.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, because he was like, everyone you know, one thousand pounds for every goal that you hit. 1,000 Canadian dollars. No, but he's in Boston. 1,000 American dollars for every hockey puck that you hit. Why is he Indian? Doing that, that's not NDN. And then he comes in and he's like, No, we all agreed. I have lost the accent, haven't I? No, we all agreed. I get a thousand dollars from everyone for every gold that I get.
SPEAKER_01Anyway, they're all like laughing, cheering, and then his phone rings, he turns around, answers it, and then all the sound stops. Yeah. That was amazing. And then it fades to black. Because he just got some bad news.
SPEAKER_00He got some bad news, baby. He got some bad news about his daddy. So now he's in Russia.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, but so he vanishes, everyone's a bit concerned, and Shane is calling him, texting him, and like, where are you, baby?
SPEAKER_00He rushed to Russia.
SPEAKER_01I love I just okay, the way Russia is portrayed in this show, it's never not funny to me. It's so stereotypical. It's propaganda. So it's like Il is in a room with these like very dated curtains all of a sudden like. He's always drinking vodka. Yeah, like there are modern hotels in Russia. Like I'm sure when you say he's in a hotel in Russia, or maybe his apartment, it's probably quite nice. And then yeah, the first thing you see is a That might be his apartment. Yeah, I guess it could be. Who knows? Bottle of vodka on the table, and then snowy shot, snow, cold, grey, and then he's drinking stray vodka. I'm like, okay, I think we're in Russia. Guys, are we where are we again? We're in Russia.
SPEAKER_00Someone tell Putin!
SPEAKER_01There's a gay man there. Get him.
SPEAKER_00And then we have a really cute scene where Ilya finds out that Shane wears glasses. More sexy times than so, but we don't see it again because it's not the most important thing anymore.
SPEAKER_01And then we have a kind of the wake. Ilya's father's wake.
SPEAKER_00Ilya decides to break. Free. Ariana. This is the part when.
SPEAKER_01Ilya breaks free. Love that. Yeah. Um, I love this scene. It was great. Me too. There was a couple of amazing things that happen. Essentially, they're having the meal, and then Ilya catches eyes with his brother, who has sat far down the table from him.
SPEAKER_00Alexier, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Ilya leaves the room, Alexei joins him, Alexier joins him. Finally, Ilya's had it. Officially.
SPEAKER_02I've had it officially!
SPEAKER_01But what I thought was crazy is that Alexier would essentially lay hands on his professional athlete brother.
SPEAKER_00This is what I just could not understand. And I think Alexei must know about Ilya and maybe Sasha or something. I don't know. Yeah, he calls him a Fsler. Yeah, he calls him we can say it, but we're not gonna. Not in these dark times. And then Svetlana walks in. Fitzlana.
SPEAKER_01She came in just at the right moment. She did. And then when Alexier, like so Ilya's really holding back, he's like, okay, my brother's peeing me off royally over here. And then Svetlana comes in and Alexier's name. Alexier. Alexier is like, oh, this whore, blah blah blah blah. And when you could not believe it. You can't call a woman that beautiful a whore.
SPEAKER_00And also, like, why? Why is he you well, we should not be calling any women who are whores unless they want to be called a whore. But why was Alexier calling her that? She isn't, clearly. I don't know. He's so presumptuous.
SPEAKER_01He just he's an asshole. He is awful, awful. Through and through.
SPEAKER_00Ugh.
SPEAKER_01Awful. Awful man.
SPEAKER_00Awful. Awful man. And can I just quickly say he was like, and I've been looking after my father. And I'm like, you have not been. What are you talking about? We saw so many scenes where you weren't. I need to calm down. Because these are fictional people. But he wasn't looking after the father. So I just don't really understand what was going on. He's just a villain.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he was insecure, he's a villain. And he insults the beautiful Svetlana. And then Ilio is like, if you want to step too far, mate. You disrespect my girl. Disrespect my girl. I'm gonna punch you in the face. You come into my house.
SPEAKER_03Didn't I tell you not to come to my house?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Touch my Svetlana.
SPEAKER_03Nobody touches my chop.
SPEAKER_01Gives him a little smack around the face. Loved it. And then puts him in his place. Oh absolutely. Which is outside. He'd love to see it.
SPEAKER_00Well, it puts him in his place. Yes, literally. He puts him in Ilya's place and then says, My niece will be getting a trust, and I never want to hear from you again. And that was just, you know, snaps for Ilya.
SPEAKER_01We we can do that.
SPEAKER_00And then we get maybe one of my favourite scenes from the episode.
SPEAKER_01I think one of my favourite scenes of the entire show. Really?
SPEAKER_00So sweet him in the alleyway.
SPEAKER_01The phone call with Shane. Gosh, gut wrenching. He calls Shane, which is in it in and of itself adorable.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because he's really started to call Shane. This is like the third or fourth time he's called Shane.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's so I think there's a bit of a shift because Svetlana alludes to Jane. Oh my gosh, I was gagged. Being male. So Svetlana, Svetlana knows what's going on. She's a babe. She's too smart. She's not gonna, she knows what's going on.
SPEAKER_00She's so clever. Yeah. The smartest, most gorgeous whore I ever saw.
SPEAKER_01And then Ilya's like, oh, I guess she's right.
SPEAKER_00I am Oh no, I want to talk to him. Because she says, I love you, and not in that way. And he's like, I love you too. And she's like, Yep, and I hope you're happy with Jane. He is very lucky. And that's when I was like, Oh, pronouns are pronouning. That's why pronouns are good. Yeah. They are.
SPEAKER_01They are. They then are. So yeah, he calls Shane and he's having a tough time, bless him. I mean, yeah. He's having a tough time.
SPEAKER_00He's having a tough time. And this is where Shane's sort of neurodivergence comes in handy, because he's like, maybe if you say it to me in your words, that will help.
SPEAKER_01And to my surprise, it does. Yeah. But then we get we get to understand his little monologue.
SPEAKER_00Oh god, it was gorgeous.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was like everything you'd want. And I I like to think that Shane understood the gist of it. I think he did. I mean you would you would. I mean, it's difficult to know when you have got the subtitles. Yeah. Because we do know what he's saying. But I think if we hadn't had the subtitles, we could have gleaned he's angry at his family, he's angry at the injustice, he's fed up, he's tired, and he loves Shane.
SPEAKER_00He loves Shane.
SPEAKER_01And he says, I love you. And Shane's just adorable, so sweet.
SPEAKER_00And he's having a little bit too much fun because cut to the next game, they're playing against one another.
SPEAKER_01Cut to the feeling. Yeah, he's gonna he's doing googly eyes, Ilya, in the game where they're against each other, which well, it goes a bit awry.
SPEAKER_00It does go a bit awry. So, first of all, he goes over to Ilya and he's like, Right, you're coming to my house, then I 1999 come in the front door. True. And then he goes back to his teammate and he's like, I was just giving him my condolences. Liar! You were asking him to smash in your booty hole.
SPEAKER_01That's the thing about gays. We're always lying. You can't trust us. What were you talking about with that guy over there? Oh, just you know.
SPEAKER_00No, nothing. Just asking him to, yeah. But then we have Shane getting the puck. Yes. And then he runs right out of luck. Takes a little tumble on the ice, he can't. It doesn't take a tumble. Not that you did. Oh your mouth. Story for the Patreon. Attic a hard fall. Oh, she fell. Whoa.
SPEAKER_01She fell. She fell from grace, baby.
SPEAKER_00She fell hard.
SPEAKER_01She fell hard, bitch.
SPEAKER_00It was worse than pharomone. Yeah, it was. It was dire. Deeper down. Bags were hurled onto the floor at it anyway. No, he looks back, he's like, hey, I've got the puck.
SPEAKER_01Little grin at Ilya.
SPEAKER_00It was googly eyes. It was googly eyes.
SPEAKER_01And then bam.
SPEAKER_03Bam! Bam.
SPEAKER_00Concussion.
SPEAKER_01Shane is lying prone on the ice, and the way Ilya was concerned, I was like, uh. That was tough to watch. I was like so sweet. He was like, get up.
SPEAKER_00And then he was like, you know, skating towards, skating away, skating to that was tough.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was well done. It was. It was really good. It was really, really sweet.
SPEAKER_02Ilya. That was so funny to me. Chain on morphine.
SPEAKER_01And it was like, shh, shut up. Shut up.
SPEAKER_00Shut up. You've seen that, right?
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_00I'll insert the clip. Shh, shut up. Shh shut up. And then the nurse walks in, and it was I laughed my little bitty off when she was like, Rosenov, trying to suffocate Hollander in his sleep. He's a good idea. But no.
SPEAKER_01That was good. That'll be a banter.
SPEAKER_00So good. Then we have a cute call with Rose. We're gonna skip over that.
SPEAKER_01So Shane is with his parents, he's you know, all patched up. Um he's not playing ice hockey for a little bit. No. Ilya comes up in conversation in some way. Oh, because he visited Shane in the hospital and Shane's mum is like And they're watching the game. Yeah. And Shane's mum is like, it was nice of him to visit you, or something like that. And Shane's like, What? You said you hated him.
SPEAKER_00She's like, Well, I hate him less. That was so funny. That's good. And then she was like, Nat Scott Hunter, it's his year. Gosh, that mum, she really she's got it all all worked out. Mumager. Mama Joe.
SPEAKER_01This little finale scene of episode five. So good. We have the culmination of episode three, basically. Episode three now makes sense.
SPEAKER_00Episode three always had a point, and it didn't even need this little bit to round it off to have had a point. But this just gives it a lot of context, more context. Well, let's talk about it. No. No? Because I'm gonna burst into tears!
SPEAKER_01Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00No, go on, let's talk about it.
SPEAKER_01No, just that so at the end of episode three, Kip has his birthday and Scott doesn't go, he sort of walks away, and I was left thinking, well that that was it.
SPEAKER_00It's over.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Clearly stuff has happened off screen because it's a championship game or something. Something important. Scott is the captain, right? Yeah. Because Shane's out of action. And Kip's in the audience. With Elena.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, with Elena, I would have liked a little bit more context as to why that was the case. Yeah, we could have had a couple more scenes, would have been nice. Just a scene. Just to bridge that gap. Just yeah, just to understand. Again, too many time skips. But I don't know if we're gonna get like a special episode of them or a series of them. Might have a spin-off. No, I didn't. One can hope.
SPEAKER_01Scott leads a team to victory. After he holds aloft the trophy, all the family of the team come onto the ice and he's like, Yeah, like oh, oh, and you're all hugging your family.
SPEAKER_00Because as we know, he's an orphan.
unknownSorry.
SPEAKER_00And nobody loves him. It's not funny, but it just it you kind of almost he his character had to be an orphan in order to like really show how alone he actually is. True.
SPEAKER_01And then he looks up into the stands, he catches Kippy's eye, and he's like, get it on you.
SPEAKER_00I was a mess. I was crying my eyes out. I had to hide behind my notebook because Charlie was sat over there farting and burping because he didn't even get a chest.
SPEAKER_01That's not quite true. No, that's not I guess I'm a bit more stoic than you. I didn't really know that, but yeah, while Jack was blubbering.
SPEAKER_00Have you ever seen me cry? I don't think you when. Like you've laughed cried. Oh, yeah. That's different. That's different kind of crying. No, I think I did shed a couple of tears over there last November. No, it's December. It was, it was December.
SPEAKER_01All these crises.
SPEAKER_00No, it was just a couple of tears. Sorry. Yeah, you actually don't have a heart. You are the tin man. Charlie, not so darling.
SPEAKER_01Scott invites Kip down to the ice. He does. And actually, it was a it was a great montage. Oh, it was so good. We know what's about to happen. I mean, I've seen actually I was spoiled of this kiss. I knew this kiss was coming.
SPEAKER_00Oh, so did I. I knew this kiss was coming, and I was still moved. Oh, absolutely. I was moved! I was moved. To fire it. Big gassy over here. That's better. Keep going down to the ice. Actually, sorry, we missed something. Oh. We forgot to mention that in his fugue state, Shane invites Ilya to come to the cottage. Yes. And Shane says no.
SPEAKER_01No, he says maybe. Ilya says no. Ilya says maybe.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yes. This is the context we're watching it. They're messaging each other. They're obviously both bummed that they're not playing in the finals.
SPEAKER_01They've got their eyes glued to the screen. And obviously, the cameras in the rink are focused on the team captain who then starts beckoning someone down from the stands.
SPEAKER_00The announcers are like, what is he doing?
SPEAKER_01Is he looking at the fans? Is he what's happening? This is one lucky fan, guys. He's being pulled down. And both of them, Shane and Ilya, text each other what's going on.
SPEAKER_00Like literally. I would be doing the same though.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, because they there's a glimmer of maybe. Maybe this is actually about to happen.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because they both fancy Hunter, actually. They both allude to him being hot. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And 100,000 years old. Yes. Kip comes down to the ice. Oh my gosh. And they embrace and they have a smooch. To rapturous applause. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_00And just like it was so well edited. Yeah. Because it's cut into Shane, it's cut into Ilya, it's cut into Scott and Kip. It's it's cut into Shane. It's cut into Ilya, it's cut into Scott and Cap.
SPEAKER_01It was beautiful, yeah. I genuinely was blubbering. I loved the looks of shock on everyone's faces, like Shane's parents as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was amazing.
SPEAKER_01And then Ilya calls Shane. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_00Again.
SPEAKER_02Such a chatty cathy. Get off the phone, Ilya.
SPEAKER_01No, stay on, Column. And Shane's like, heady, what's up? It's a surprise. What's the curling? George. George class. And Ilya just said, doesn't he just go in straight and he goes in straight away and says it? I can't do the accent, you haven't do it.
SPEAKER_02I'm coming to the cottage.
SPEAKER_01And then the episode finishes on Shane's face, and it's like the joy radiating out of him. Little puppy has been given a treat.
SPEAKER_00He's like.
SPEAKER_01So freaking cute.
SPEAKER_00So stunning.
SPEAKER_01We're in business.
SPEAKER_00Just this song choice was perfect as well. Just everything. It was tremendous.
SPEAKER_01So tell me about that song, because you mentioned something.
SPEAKER_00Well, the song specifically references sunshine in the lyrics. And what does Elena say to Scott?
SPEAKER_01You deserve sunshine.
SPEAKER_00Precisely. So it was almost like it was leading up to that song. Talking about sunshine.
SPEAKER_01I wonder if that line was in the book. Oh well, we might read it.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Get excited for that. We might do it. No, we're gonna. Okay, we'll do it. Now we're on episode six, the finale. The finale.
SPEAKER_00So the episode starts with Scott giving a speech. Oh yeah. That was I got moved to get and I was like, that was quite gorgeous actually.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I thought it was a great way to start that episode. Yeah. And we have Kip in the bar with his cool friends. Although his social standing has increased because now he's dating publicly a sports star.
SPEAKER_00I don't know, that kind of annoys me because I'm like, all of y'all are way cooler than this. Why is he cool just because he's dating a friggin' faggy hockey player?
SPEAKER_01I found Scott's speech to be very relatable. Oh? Yeah, absolutely. He was saying how he you know had this secret and knew he was different from people, and it was very lonely for a long time. Gosh, yeah. Yeah, it was so well written and delivered. And as I have learned, Francois Arnaud is himself bisexual. Yes. So he's a queer person, and I'm sure he has come out. If I know he's bisexual, he's come out at some point. Because we haven't met. Breaking news on versatile views. So it felt really authentic as well. Yeah, I it was brilliant. Yeah, I concur. Oh, but I have one comment. Oh, go for it. He says about Kip, you make me better in every conceivable way. What? I question that.
SPEAKER_00I don't like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, like, love is great. Love having love in one's life. But to say that I don't know, people say it. It's a thing people say in like romantic films and things. But I don't know. It's weird.
SPEAKER_00You make me better in every way. No. Hmm. Not every way. Well, how about you make yourself better and Exactly? How about you try and be better and not rely on someone else to make you better?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think it could have worded it better. You make me want to be better. Yes. In every conceivable way. Stunning. I can't say that word, but you get the gist. What what can't you say? Conceivable.
SPEAKER_00Oh, you said it. I'm mumbling. Can't wait to see what the captions on the claw cap come up with there. So now we're in the car. Yep. We see Ilya get in the car, and I loved this car ride. Me too. I thought it just really encapsulated how it feels to finally be alone with someone, knowing you're gonna be alone with them for a while, and you can just really let everything go. Hang out. And we see Ilya, he's scared. He says, I'm really, really nervous. And I think what he's scared for, I believe, this fictional character's thought process is that I'm finally gonna show you who I am. And that's really scary.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he says he's terrified. And Shane as well. He's like kind of like, yeah, me too. Uh yeah, I got the groceries. Yeah, it's because it's a bit awkward, they're both very tentative. I guess they both can't quite believe they're doing it.
SPEAKER_00They haven't seen each other in a while either, I think.
SPEAKER_01The song that plays in this scene, I loved it. I'm gonna look it up. I think it's French.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I love it. I loved having French Canadian. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. I loved having there's been a few French songs and specifically French Canadian, I think, songs in the series, and I really liked it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it was really, really cute. And then you get to the cottage and they have a lot of fun banter.
SPEAKER_00Why is it called a cottage?
SPEAKER_01We're in England, we're from Britain. That ain't a cottage.
SPEAKER_00That isn't even that's nowhere even adjacent to cottage like. No. Lodge, maybe? A stretch? Uh I just think we need to call things what they are. He has a mansion made of glass in the countryside. Yeah. Okay, it's not a mansion. No, it's not.
SPEAKER_01It's like, you know, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's a feat of architecture in the countryside next to a lake.
SPEAKER_01For sure. So it's not a cottage. Yeah, I don't know why he calls it that. And that's what, as of consequence, everyone's been calling it on social media. Like, can't wait to see you in the cottage. What cottage? There was no cottage. Thatch roof. An agar in the stone-tiled kitchen?
SPEAKER_00Where? Climbing ivy. Yeah. Oh, an agar. Yeah, I need an agar. What do you call it? An agar? An agar, yeah. Alright. It's an agar.
unknownI don't think.
SPEAKER_00However, I have something to say about the quote unquote cottage. Jack.
SPEAKER_01I insist that you say it.
SPEAKER_00No, but I was gonna. I wasn't asking, I wasn't asking if I could. That's the difference between you and I. I was gonna say, I think the reason why they had this quote unquote cottage made of glass is it was like a perfect metaphor or analogy for them like finally being able to be seen. Yes. They don't have to hide. No longer hiding, at least. All the light is shining in. And yes, they're maybe hiding from the world, but they're not hiding from each other, and they're not hiding from the sun.
SPEAKER_01You know? True, because they had a lot of sort of nighttime rendezvous. Oh yeah. Never in the daytime. True, true, true. Yeah, and it's like really driven home by when they're sort of finally getting a bit hot and heavy in the bedroom, and Shane's like, oh, just let me close these blinds. Maybe it's like, don't you dare. Don't you friggin' dare. Which I think is very hot.
SPEAKER_00Well, oh, I agree. And well, but it's good. It's a greenhouse, it's gonna be hot. That's what we're gonna call it. The greenhouse, the glass house. Maybe it also sort of gives us a full circle moment from back in episode one when Shane was like, What the hell are you doing? People can see us.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Although Shane has made the point several many times. I hate it.
SPEAKER_00Can we just I hate that expression? I said it earlier. I nearly shat my pants. I nearly did a jobby.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Shane says many times that no one's gonna see us.
SPEAKER_00No one's gonna see us. It's very remote. Yeah, no one's gonna see us. Sure, Jan. Sure Shan.
SPEAKER_01So I was wondering, so they okay, they they get it on, blah blah blah, and then they're now they're by the fire pit having a little chat. Yeah, what were you wondering? They're there for two weeks, right? Yeah, and it seemed like they were having a lot of comfortable silences. Yeah. You know, it's it's a show where there's only a finite amount of time. Every conversation they have is so meaningful. So I kind of wanted to see a bit more of the normal chat they would have because you can't be having these deep and meaningfuls every time.
SPEAKER_00And then there was just like a ton of silence in between as well. And I know that's true to life, but I did turn to you partly through the episode, and I was like, this is so boring.
SPEAKER_01I didn't find it boring actually. I I was loving it, but I just wanted to see a bit more of the sort of playful day-to-day chat. I wanted to talk about what they want for breakfast and that kind of stuff. Just like because I don't I can't even imagine how that would be between.
SPEAKER_00Like more than just like a j a dark joke at a funeral, you know.
SPEAKER_01Like there's a couple of scenes like playing a bit of football together, like in the lake. Sat each other with water. Give me a kiss. It's so cute.
SPEAKER_00No, there was some cute, but there was just not enough of uh any episode, I think, for me. I don't know. I I just felt it was quite heavy after like the beautiful finale of episode five. Maybe I was just emotionally maybe I was emotionally exhausted and I just needed like a little bit more light.
SPEAKER_01Can I just mention on the point of them kicking a football around a garden? Uh-huh. I'm still waiting, and obviously this show is not the one. Still waiting for this representation of gays who are bad at sport.
SPEAKER_00Oh my well Well, well I think we have that in gay films, no?
SPEAKER_01Not enough.
SPEAKER_00I know. I was a bit like why he's playing football. That did just annoy me. I don't know why. I was watching that thinking, stop. No, but it makes sense.
SPEAKER_01They are sports, they're athletes.
SPEAKER_02I don't know, man.
SPEAKER_01They must, I mean, because they're training all the time, probably sitting around while they're like, oh, it's so nice to be at this lake house. They probably get so you know, they want to be working out every day and all this kind of thing.
SPEAKER_00The thing is, when I was doing ballet, I wasn't allowed to do any sports. Like, specifically, I was also like especially not allowed to do uh horse riding because it uses the wrong muscles in the legs. I wasn't allowed to do ice skating because it uses the wrong muscles, like you're using different muscles to move from ballet, so you're training the wrong muscles. And I wasn't allowed to do any sort of extreme sport because I would get injured. So I don't know if they're allowed to play football.
SPEAKER_01But maybe that's the thing. They were they're hidden away, they can break the rules a little bit. Yeah, but they were kind of like teenagers at camp. They're like the way they behaved was so childlike in some ways, apart from like the sex.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean it was nice. It was yeah, I liked those moments. I just didn't like the sport.
SPEAKER_01Fair. Uh I loved when they had a scene they're about to play presumably PlayStation, or maybe it was an Xbox.
SPEAKER_00I said they're gaming.
SPEAKER_01And I loved how they were like, you know, bantering about which team they're gonna play as in the ice hockey game, and then Ilya's like, I'm on the fucking box.
SPEAKER_00I'm on the cover.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was great. That's like a dream of mine.
SPEAKER_00I would love to say that. My gosh, I hope like I get a bet part in some random uh video game just being like, you imbecile. Why? Why Australian? No, that was supposed to be English.
SPEAKER_01Oh.
SPEAKER_00But like, you know, um, what did they say in Nino Cuni?
SPEAKER_02Flipping egg!
SPEAKER_01Okay, a reference that no one's gonna get. Yeah, but then they actually don't play a game because No, they don't. Shane's friend Hayden calls.
SPEAKER_00Is that his name? I think it's Hayden, yeah. Every single time I heard his name, it just my ears would not hear it. It was like, oh Hayden. Straight friend. Yeah, I was like with lots of children. Every child. I I think he has a third daughter by the end of it.
SPEAKER_01No, no. In that aquarium episode. Remember they were at the aquarium?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they had two children.
SPEAKER_01I mean he has like four children at that point.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, he's got a fourth child now.
SPEAKER_01So not the fourth daughter, I think. Just been born.
SPEAKER_00Wait, this is the fifth one? Three children at the aquarium. No, who cares? No. Oh, okay, okay, okay. We care. Beep boob. Four. Yeah. Because three plus one is four. Come on, what happens after the game? Blowjob. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, representation! Very blowjobby show.
SPEAKER_01I can relate. Not to that specifically exact situation.
SPEAKER_00I can relate to it. Really. Yeah, because that was the annoying one being like get off the phone. Get your little mouse out. Let me whisper to it. Oh my god, my mum's gonna hear this. But I was it, I was doing it to him when he was on the phone. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's what I had assumed. Yeah. So they're having some playful bantery moments as well. To be fair, there is some levity here. Yeah, like one levity. One modicum, one unit of levity was delivered.
SPEAKER_00Leviton. Then they start having more heavy chats.
SPEAKER_01Yes, we had got heavy chats. So they're like playing footsie on the sofa, looking at their phones in the evening, really cute.
SPEAKER_00They are, they're holding feet. They are, they hold feet at the end of the scene. But then I saw that uh Shane had socks on and I was like, does Hudson not like feet? I wonder if Hudson doesn't like feet because he's got socks on.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I wouldn't want to do that.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna make you.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna make you.
SPEAKER_01I'm not touching your feet. No way! I don't like feet.
SPEAKER_02I know you do.
SPEAKER_01No, I don't.
SPEAKER_02I know you do. What? What do you know? I've been watching you. You're always looking at my feet. I'm joking.
SPEAKER_01You're thinking how monstrous they are.
SPEAKER_00Okay, come on. What's what how come they're they're holding feet and they're my monstrous?
SPEAKER_02I mean they are, they are, but I suffered through years of intense dance tread.
SPEAKER_00Fucking yeah, it's of intense dance trending. You sound like no, what the fuck? And it's just going through every accent! No, you sound like James's mum. James? I threw those filthy things away!
SPEAKER_03I threw those filthy things away.
SPEAKER_00That's the accent you're channeling for some reason.
SPEAKER_02My beautiful bottle cats.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so they're holding feet. And Ilya's musing how he could maybe stay long term in the states slash Canada. Oh yeah. Because he doesn't want to go back to Russia anymore. Russia's dead to him.
SPEAKER_00He's he already said he never wants to go back to Russia. He said N Russian, N Russia on the phone to Shin. Can I just say? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Russia is basically one of the antagonists of this show.
SPEAKER_00That is so true. Like Russia is it's portrayed.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's an op of the love story. Which is like, I guess it makes sense. It does. It actually does make sense. And I have met Russian gay people who You're not a Russian who have left Russia, like for that reason, of course, as you would. Well, it makes sense. And they live in London because it's a great place to be. Um yeah, so Ilya's musing about that, and he thinks, oh, I could marry Svetlana, she would do it.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, I forgot this conversation.
SPEAKER_01And Shane's eyes are glistening with tears. He's like, You can't marry her. Yeah. And what he doesn't say, but what you're clearly thinking is you're gonna marry. Which he will.
SPEAKER_00So that's fine. But Ilya's being a bit No, Ilya Ilya immediately recedes. He rescends that idea.
SPEAKER_01That's what I was gonna say. Okay, sorry. Because based on Ilya's previous behaviour, you could think he's being a bit antagonistic, a bit like he's like teasing Shane. He's like, Oh, I'm gonna marry Svetlana, you can't do anything about it. But he's not, he's just being a bit oblivious because he sees Shane getting upset and he's like, Oh, no, no, that's not what I meant.
SPEAKER_00No, he's like, he's saying, I'm gonna marry her for you. And Shane's like, no, don't do that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Zonzo it. I was thinking he was gonna say something along the lines of that's not fair to Svetlana, but he doesn't say that. And that's also T, actually. I mean it's Svetlana's free w will to do it, but it isn't really fair because while she says I love you, Ilya, but like not in that way, it's still she does love him.
SPEAKER_00Well, I don't know. But I also just don't think it's fair. I don't think it's fair. I take marriage super seriously, and I don't even care about getting married myself. I take it really seriously. So, and I think straight people maybe should. I don't think you should get married to divorce. I think you should get married to be married forever. So that is such a controversial take. Is it? Apparently it is. Oh. 50% of divorces end in a marriage. Like an idiot. 50% of marriages end in divorce, or whatever the statistic is.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say, I don't know if that's quite correct.
SPEAKER_00Did you know though, that every single divorce they they've been married?
SPEAKER_01Anyway, this sets off Shane, he gets like hyper focused on problem solving, which actually I hadn't really fully appreciated is like that's his personality type. Yes. He is a problem solver just like his mother. Yes. Which is like made apparent later in later conversation in the episode.
SPEAKER_00Yes! Oh my gosh, yes! So I'm just realizing that!
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so Ilya like rocks off to sleep, cuddling Shane, he's all happy, even though he's like dropped all these like bombshells and like ruined Shane's life.
SPEAKER_00And then Shane's like, wake up. I have solved all our problems in the most convoluted way possible. Gay people, we dare to do it. I don't think this was good gay representation. I'm not opening up a charity.
SPEAKER_01But we're not rich and successful people in the public eye. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Oh my god. Oh, I did the fingers crossed. Emoji.
SPEAKER_02I'm just being quiet down.
SPEAKER_00Shh I just did a shish emoji. So I I was just being funny when I said emoji, and then you reacted, and then I made the joke not funny as much anymore.
unknownKim!
SPEAKER_01Shane's dreaming and scheming. He is very cute.
SPEAKER_00Was cute, but I was like, girl.
SPEAKER_01No, actually, it was extremely cute because he prods prods and pokes. He probed probes Ilya awake and is like, hey, I've got this great idea. And then Ilya's like, You're kind of talking shit, but go on. And then he says something on the lines of like, Oh, so you want to be with me for a long time? Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And Shane's like, Of course I do. He's like, I could not imagine not being with you now. And then Ilya like crumbles, and he's the one going.
SPEAKER_02My world's turn up sad um.
SPEAKER_00You don't know that song? You're gonna love additional love that song. I'm never playing that song for you. I was rid because I hate some of those notes, and those are hard notes. Some of them.
unknownI'm gonna kill you.
SPEAKER_01And Ilya's the one to do it first. Well, yes. Well, at least in English. Well, he was the first to say it in Russian. Yeah, yeah, he said. But he's the first to say it in English.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh. While crying. That's how I told.
SPEAKER_03Really?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I cried when I said it.
SPEAKER_01Not so sweet. I know. You're such a sweetie. You're such a cutie patootie.
SPEAKER_00That was like, I love you!
SPEAKER_01In the Albert Square.
SPEAKER_00Not in Albert Square, in bed. Uh, cry my eyes out. Yeah. Those are the days. So they've had that chat. It's very beautiful, very lovely. And then you wake up in the morning and you have some more pillow talk. Shane's had some ideas. Shane's had some more ideas?
SPEAKER_01About the charity itself.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. Yes. Is that next? That is next. That's exactly what happens. Thank you. Okay, great. I knew there was a reason why I didn't do this by myself. J friggin' K. JK, don't hate me. Or, you know, maybe have some emotion. I don't know.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_00Well, go on. Ideas.
SPEAKER_01Shane has some more ideas about the charity they can set up together. And he says, Well, why don't we do something that can uh contribute money to mental health charities and sort of suicide prevention.
SPEAKER_00What was your mother's name? Oh yeah. Iliana. Irina. Is it Irina? I think so. I heard Ileana, sorry. My bay. Well, I'll gotta check just in case. No, no, no. I think you're right. And if I'm wrong, I'll look really fucking stupid. No, but then if I'm wrong, I'll look really freaking stupid.
SPEAKER_01I was right. You are right. Shane asks Ilya what his mother's name was. Yeah. Because Ilya previously mentions that his mother died of a overdose. She took her own life when he was 12 years old.
SPEAKER_00Sad stuff. It was sad stuff, and he really like stecks up for her and he says, My dad was horrible to her. She had a really hard time and she was not weak. She was really brave. Yeah, which is definitely true, really beautiful.
SPEAKER_01Shane asks what her name was. Ilya tells him, Why are you asking? Shane says, Well, we could set up a foundation like in her name. Oh beautiful. Yeah. And share money with mental health charities and suicide prevention charities and stuff. And then Ilya's like, She would have loved you. Just like I love you.
SPEAKER_00Very powerful stuff, actually.
SPEAKER_01Very powerful, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And he like super whispers it as well. It's like really a beautiful moment. Yeah. So things are all great. The end. Give me a cuce. I love that. Yeah, they're having a wee swim, having a couple of, you know, smoochy smoochies. Smoochy smoochies. And then they decide, well, there's a little bit of you know foreshadowing that we just didn't need. He was like, I could have had my phone in my pocket. And he's like, You left your phone on the table.
SPEAKER_01And it's been ringing all morning.
SPEAKER_00Girl, we didn't need that bit of context.
SPEAKER_01Oh, but I love that because Shane was like, I my phone could have been in there. And it was like, I noticed what you were doing. Like, I I was watching you.
SPEAKER_00You are perceived.
SPEAKER_01I perceive you. That's what how I interpreted that. I thought it was really sweet. It's like, oh no, it wasn't because I know your phone, I know where your phone is.
SPEAKER_00Which is just a really sweet thing. That is, you are correct. Okay. You can have it.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Anyway. Then they go up to the house with every friggin' window in the world.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and then basically like make out like bam the glass.
SPEAKER_00Like I saw it coming from a million males away though, because I just went, oh. And you sort of looked at me like, and then you looked back at the TV and you saw it. It just pans over to the to the day. To daddy hollenov. And then crazy scenes. I just saw something really fucking scary in the mirror out there. I think it's all guys. I just think that really fucking scary in the mirror. Get that far exit door. I'm off.
SPEAKER_03Get that far exit door. I'm off.
SPEAKER_00I cannot believe I I it was actually the liberty I needed.
SPEAKER_01It was unintentionally hilarious. Yeah. Like tires spinning, dirt flying, like get me out of here. And Shane is like, well, this is my these gays are trying to kill me.
SPEAKER_02They're trying to murder me. These gays, they're trying to murder me.
SPEAKER_01And then Shane's like, well, this is my nightmare made reality. Yeah, and Ilya says, Wake up. Okay, so at this at this juncture, I was like, okay, Shane, this is Jane Jane. Jane. This is Shane's nightmare. Bless him. I really felt for him in that moment because I can I can't relate, but like it would have been my nightmare in the world. No, absolutely. And I was like, is Ilya gonna be supportive? I wasn't sure.
SPEAKER_00It was kind of crazy because Ilya was like, oh well. Build a bridge.
SPEAKER_01He's like, my parents are dead. So I don't really see what the fuss is about.
SPEAKER_00I don't like my brother anymore.
SPEAKER_01But no, he was so sweet. He was. He was basically like, okay, you've got to face this and I will face it with you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he was like, Do you wanna cut do you want me to come with you? And Shane's like, yeah. And then kneels on the ground, and I was like, Well, where are we going with this?
SPEAKER_01No, but that was very sweet as well.
SPEAKER_00No, that was gorgeous, but I thought we were about to get a not so gorgeous comment from Ilya.
SPEAKER_01Oh, okay. But we did we didn't. Not like a gratuity blowjob.
SPEAKER_00Yes, but so you know.
SPEAKER_01But he held back.
SPEAKER_00Growth, but not in the pants.
SPEAKER_01So they drive over to Shane's parents' place.
SPEAKER_00Mummy and Daddy's. And we get the most neurodivergent coming out ever. It was wild. It was so funny. But it was great. I loved it. But at the same time, I don't know. The whole thing was so funny. I mad respect for Shane's dad.
SPEAKER_01Why? Because he didn't tell the mum. True. He must have just come in looking like he's seen a ghost and be like, just sit down and be like, this is fine. That is true. He only had like, you know, 14 seconds to say it. So. But yeah, because when Shane's car pulls up, you have a shot from inside the house, and his mum stands up and she has a look on her face. Yeah, they're both sitting on the couch, like not doing it. I don't know. Yeah, so I was like, oh, maybe his dad did tell his mum, but then she says, What's going on?
SPEAKER_00Wait, can we actually just really quickly rewind for a second? Because again, more levity, Ilya wears his Boston Raiders top. Yeah. Is that what they're called? The Raiders? Rangers? Boston Rangers? Oh no. For God's sake, Jack. Why do you bring up these things that aren't important?
SPEAKER_02I'm sorry. Beep bop boob.
SPEAKER_01Raiders. So I didn't get it right at all. Well, you did say raiders, then you were like, no, it's rangers. Oh no, no, it's the raiders. And the tiniest shorts that ever shorted. I know, like for a man who was in the closet, those were some teeny tiny booty shorts. Like a three-inch seam. Even I don't own any of those.
SPEAKER_00I have a pair. They don't get worn. Things are slipping out all over the place. I'm like, okay. Anyway, so they walk in the house.
SPEAKER_01And Shane's like, hi, I'm gay. And his dad's like, hi, gay, I'm dad.
SPEAKER_00And his mum's like, it's this gay you speak of. And then he's like, and I'm lover. He's lover.
SPEAKER_01We are lovers. I can't do the Russian words.
SPEAKER_00That was so funny.
SPEAKER_01So good. And Conor Story is doing that thing where he turns his face into like the picture of innocence. Terubix. Yeah, I loved it. I love seeing that. I just love looking at his face.
SPEAKER_00And then they have like a lovely dinner. It's a bit tense.
SPEAKER_01It is because as you say, Shane does take after his mother. His mom is in solution mode.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01And Shane gets a bit overwhelmed by him.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah. More neurodivergence. I mean, it's so apparent now that people have said it. I would feel the same though. I would be like, actually, can we just have four minutes for me to sort of like be happy that my parents are okay with this? And you know, I have a boyfriend now, apparently. And just give me four seconds before we speak to Reebok and Rolex.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and she's like, I think I'm gonna love it. It's like mum, are you stupid? There's a reason there were no out players until like a a week ago. Yeah, true. I mean, it wasn't a week ago, it was way before that, but yeah. I just I really enjoyed all of this this part. I was expecting when it comes to coming out scenes in TV shows, we've seen many of them, and it can feel a bit awkward and unenjoyable to watch, but I did enjoy this very much. I think because Ilya was there, like a fish out of water, like he's meeting the parents for the first time as well. Yeah. And they're just going fully in.
SPEAKER_00And this is an only child multi-ethnic family. So that is tough stuff for the only child as well, usually. And what we see what we hear from real life and what we see represented on the screen as well, usually it is just tough stuff.
SPEAKER_01And with all the expectations he has from his parents, like his father is a former hockey player as well. We did we learn his episode.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, of course, yeah.
SPEAKER_01For some college, yeah. And his mum is obviously very driven, so and loves hockey too. Yeah, adores hockey more than probably he does. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well, Ilya says that's where you get it from.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Ilya's very charming in this in this scene. He does a good job. There is a scene of Shane and his mum having a wee chat outside.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's nice.
SPEAKER_01That almost got me. Oh, really? Yeah. Because to have your mum say, you know, I'm really proud of you, you have nothing to be sorry about, and I'm so I'm sorry for making you feel like you couldn't tell me. That's what we as gay people dream of having as a coming out conversation. And well, okay, I didn't have that, but I love seeing it.
SPEAKER_00I had it. It was great. And and I'm really grateful for it. Like I always have a tremendous amount of gratitude for my family for not caring about me being gay. I just wish they liked me as a person.
SPEAKER_01But maybe if you worked on your personality more one day. You've got some growth to uh to achieve.
SPEAKER_00And then they ride off into the sunset. They do, oh my gosh, yeah, for friggin' forty-five minutes. Well, it's the credits. No, I know, I know. Sorry, I won't be critical.
SPEAKER_01They ride off into the sunset and it is very beautiful. It's lovely. They're like playing playfully in the front seat, like arms around each other, like making faces at each other.
SPEAKER_00And then they crash. Well, come on, they were not looking at the road. But and there were also there was no cars in the road, so they're fine.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And so they go back to enjoy the rest of their summer in Canada with the parents coming around for dinner later.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yes, that's. Five. I'm sorry, I just was oh gosh, one last negative Nancy note. I was just like, what time of day is this taking place? The sun's been setting for hours. It's been setting for freaking half a day by this point. And it's not 5 pm, and they're coming over tonight.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and it's summer.
SPEAKER_02Summer in Canadian.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. No, but they were valid points. You were kind of losing it at the end of that. But you were right to do so. But that's it. It's finished. I mean, but it isn't finished. No, it's not like finished. There are more books. There are more books. There's a season two. Oh no, you can win that one.
SPEAKER_02I was like, oh gosh, please don't notice. There are more burks. That's a hard word to pronounce. Oh, okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Yes, there are more bricks. And there has been, I think season two has been Greenlit. I mean they'd be nuts not to. They would be insane not to. The only problem that I have is how many episodes are they gonna do? I really enjoyed quite a short series and quite short episodes. But they weren't that short. 45 minutes is like Episode five was an hour.
SPEAKER_01It was 50 minutes on Night TV because it was sped up. I thought episode five was an hour and episode six was fifty minutes. Really?
SPEAKER_00I didn't notice. Well, great pacing. Although, actually, no, I struggled with the pacing a bit. Never mind, I'm not gonna be negative, Nancy. No, you're allowed to have critiques.
SPEAKER_01Thoughts and feelings, sister friend. I really enjoyed it. I think it was excellent representation in many ways. Yes. The actors did a good job. Um, especially Hudson, like really a standout.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01There was some beautiful cinematography.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, stunning. Great soundtrack, good editing. Love the supporting characters as well. Yes, really good casting in general.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, across the board. The sex scenes, very good. Yes. Overall.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And they served a purpose. We've now seen there was a point to all of it, and the point was that's all they used to do. And now they have moved on and they've realized they would need more. They need more from each other.
SPEAKER_01I think that's such an interesting device to have such as I mentioned in one of their first episodes, I've never seen such what's the word? Flagrant. Well, I used the word flagrant, but I meant prominent? No, like gratuitous. I guess that is a yeah. I'd never seen such gratuitous gay sex scenes in any TV show. And even some films. So it's very stark that they then have an absence of sex scenes in the later episodes to really drive home the point of, as you just may as I shifting. That was brilliant. I think it's so clever.
SPEAKER_00Fabulous contrast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Any other things to add on that? Well, I loved the show. I loved it so so much. And I just need to refute a couple of points that were brought up just to set the record gay on a couple of things. We were told that we were missing the forest for the trees with nitpicking it. We've already said we don't think things that we love should be shielded from critique. Then also, I'm just really grateful for being made aware of the fact that Shane's character is canonically neurodivergent. That is how Hudson chose to portray him. And Rachel Reed, the author, also has made the point that he is neurodivergent, but he doesn't know it. He hasn't been like diagnosed. Yeah, he doesn't know it. So that helped with parsing some of what was going on. I think it is a great point that this is wish fulfilment television and it's specifically representing gay men. So we did not need the women characters to be as fully fleshed out because the show isn't about them. Yeah, true, they're not the focus, I suppose. I think what the greater media landscape has been trying to say is we do need better representation of women in general, but we don't necessarily need it in this story.
SPEAKER_01But also very good representation of straight male characters. Yeah. There's very little aggression actually shown in this. And when there is, it's like eye roll. Yeah, it's like shown to be juvenile or kind of oafish, you know. And then some of the more prominent male side characters who are straight, they're very fatherly. You know, there's Hayden has like got older kids, he's like obsessed with having children with his wife who he adores. And then obviously Kip's father is lovely. Soft masculinity for the women. Hmm. So that's good. That's um representation we don't often see.
SPEAKER_00We need all types of representation because men are not a monolith, just as women aren't.
SPEAKER_01Well, we need all types of representation. It's currently so skewed towards like really masculine men doing masculine things, and I'm I'm tired of it.
SPEAKER_00I'm so bored of it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It was extremely well acted. I have to say, I do think Hudson blows almost everyone out of the water.
SPEAKER_01Based on what I've seen, he's the one who's achieved this like stratospheric popularity from the show. Like, but we love both of them, Connor and Hudson, but people seem to be like really frothing at the mouth for Hudson.
SPEAKER_00I think he was waiting for this moment and he's playing it extremely well. And I'm proud of him for it. Oh yeah. Proud of both of them. Yeah, and I do think Connor is doing a really, really good job in general. I do think he acts well. I would just really like to see him do something in his own accent.
SPEAKER_01I do think that limits him a little. There it was a barrier to it. It's one last point I wanted to make is this show is so popular. There's so much discourse about it online. Everyone's talking about it, like we are not the first people to be doing reviews of it. So much of the discourse is led by women. Yes. And not a criticism at all. It's just fascinating to me. No, I agree. Um, and as we talked about, you know, it's written by a woman and most of the audience are women. And I understand why women are interested in attracted to this.
SPEAKER_00I don't know if most of the audience are women.
SPEAKER_01I do. I've seen the statistics. Oh, you have?
SPEAKER_00Okay, well, okay, if you've done your research, then absolutely. For once. No, okay. Interesting. Yeah. But certainly the discourse is really driven by women.
SPEAKER_01I mean, the other thing is, as we've talked about many times, when it comes to queer culture, things cannot be wildly successful on the backs of queer interests.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it cannot just be gay people driving it forward.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you have to have straight people. Because we're still the minority.
SPEAKER_00We are gay, queer people are still the minority.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so we are so glad that straight women have enjoyed this show and are like lifting it up. And it's great representation. Like we're happy to have it as representing us. And so it's all in all positive.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think the show has done a really, really good job in general of a a lot of things. Cinematography, soundtrack, lighting, editing, casting, acting, direction. It could possibly have better pacing.
SPEAKER_01But yeah, I think it comes down to the fact that it's an adaptation of several books. Yes. And we've also got other stories from other books kind of partially weaved into the story. Like it's a bit complicated, I think. That's what leads to some pacing issues, perhaps. So I can definitely understand slash forgive that.
SPEAKER_00I mean, the thing is, this this production was made on a shoestring.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And it's incredible to see what they managed to do with that. And I just I almost think that it succeeded because of its limitations. Yeah, because it had to be creative. They had to be create, they had to actually be creative.
SPEAKER_01You can't just be distracted by big CGI effects or you know, really glamorous set dressing or outfits or whatever it is. Like that's actually a back seat. That stuff isn't important. So you're you're forced to focus on the actual material. And make thoughtful, considered choices throughout. Hmm. To amplify different themes and comments and yeah, I think very successful.
SPEAKER_00Honestly, well done to everyone involved. I was moved. I was moved. I know you said I'm heartless. It's hard when I'm like sat on the couch, like actually tears. Wailing. To be fair, I wasn't making much noise except when I was laughing because I was embarrassed that you were sat there like a stone. Completely temperate. But my eye, my ears, ears?
SPEAKER_01My ears weld up.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh. From the corner of your ear.
SPEAKER_01No, my eyes weld up, but I just I just hold back the tears. I am sleeping deprived.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm sleep deprived, so that may have had something to do. No, I would have cried. I would have cried even still. Very emotional. Well, that's a wrap on Heathed Rivalry season one. The TV series. Oh, what do you mean by that? Well, we love to read. Oh, okay, Matilda. You like to read?
SPEAKER_02Oh yes, I love to read.
SPEAKER_01So we're gonna check out the books as well.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm. I can't wait. But until then, what did you think of those views?
SPEAKER_01What did you make of those takes? Let us know down below. We've got one extra special little episode coming your way. Just a little mid-season treat. But then after that, we're taking a little break to recoup.
SPEAKER_00Honeys, I am it's me. It's me. Hi, I'm the problem. It's me. I need to go to bed.
SPEAKER_01I also need a rest. Yeah. Yeah, it's been full on. Um so we're gonna take rest to come back bigger and better, bolder, bottomer, topper versus Taylor. So watch out for season two. We'll be posting on our socials about it. Can't wait. But until then, have a good one. But just one Blazemanilly.
