‘Heated Rivalry’ Episode 5 review: “I’ll Believe in Anything”

The kiss heard around the world … or at least on the ice. Crave’s Heated Rivalry ramps up the romantic passion for Episode 5 with some big developments. “I’ll Believe in Anything” is a huge turning point for the freshman season – a push to drive our lovable hockey players closer together.

If the first four episodes brought us sizzling intensity, “I’ll Believe in Anything” delivers on the tears and heart for pure romantic intimacy. And yes, I did tear up – not once, but twice. Heated Rivalry Season 1 Episode 5 did that to me.

You’ve got a friend in me.

Before we get into the romance updates, we need to take a moment to acknowledge the great allyship. “I’ll Believe in Anything” is the height of bestie supremacy. I take back my theory from last episode about Rose; she stepped up as a friend and proved me wrong about her intentions. It’s great that Heated Rivalry doesn’t lean into a blackmail trope once she discovers Shane’s secret. It’s been done to death in the past (i.e., Gossip Girl), and creates a sinister mentality to fear coming out.

Refreshingly, it’s nice to have her as a safe space for Shane and help him acknowledge his sexuality. (Also, kudos to him for taking pride in his sexual preference as a bottom. We love to see it.) He needed someone to talk to who could help him process things and who wouldn’t judge. Hopefully, we get a lot more of Shane and Rose’s friendship. They’ve got great chemistry, and she helps bring out some of his humor about the situation. A lighthearted ease without any of the barriers.

Svetlana’s situationship with Ilya, on the other hand, has the potential to grow into a stronger friendship. Sure, she has feelings for him and a long-standing history of hooking up, but she wants the best for her friend. And based on their interactions, she knows full well that his heart is for someone else. The moment she said “him” is one of the most powerful scenes in their story line, a shift in one chapter closing and another beginning. If you weren’t cheering for that surprise, you missed out.

Speaking the truth.

Shane and Ilya acknowledging their feelings for each other, whether indirectly or not, is a big character development change. The pair have had clandestine hookups for years, but they’ve never explored wanting more. Communicating their wants and feelings is the type of healthy green flag that feels so satisfying; it’s so much better than other toxic TV relationships we’ve seen.

This is where we can give Rose some credit. She pushed Shane to go for what he wanted. And what he wants is Ilya. I’m glad that he spoke to Ilya about his feelings and about approaching the topic. Ilya would’ve never done it on his own, let alone make it a serious discussion. Shane had to be the one to start it first and give Ilya the comfort to speak his truth. Every little tidbit about their families, their wants, and their mindsets was one step closer to establishing a comfort level with one another.

The biggest bridge is when Ilya confesses his inner thoughts and feelings to Shane in Russian. After the death of his father and cutting all ties with his brother, Ilya could’ve easily withdrawn within himself and pushed everyone away. It’s a huge moment for him to speak the words he’s always afraid to say, even if it’s in another language that Shane doesn’t understand. The first instances of “I love you,” and his clarification to the extent of that love brought on all the tears. So beautiful and touching. “I’ll Believe in Anything” delivers a powerful romantic monologue; this is an abundance of romance.

Kiss on the ice.

The second big confession of the night is Scott publicly kissing Kip on the ice. Don’t get me wrong, great job to him and his team for winning the MLH cup. It’s a big moment for his sports career, and a surprising nod to Shane’s mom, Yuna, for being either really great at reading people, or a touch psychic. But it’s all about the kiss. I mean … the kiss!

After the sadness of their breakup, we weren’t sure if the pair would get back together so soon. However, if Scott was going to make a clear declaration to be with Kip, their kissing in front of everyone is a clear statement. This reunion is the second moment that brought on the tears. The longing looks to the stands, the building music of their reunion, and the swell of the momentum during their kiss. Everything during this scene is a perfect combination to emphasize the importance of this moment. Not just for Ilya and Shane, but for Heated Rivalry at large. A job well done to the Heated Rivalry editors!

The offer.

Will Ilya and Shane define things during the summer at the cottage? A summer together is a big moment for the pair; it’s the most time they’ll be spending together uninterrupted. Now that they’ve confessed their feelings, they can experience what it means to be together and have quality time. Will it work? Will it not? Hopefully, it’s the former because we need more of our favorite enemies-to-lovers pair together.

Heated Rivalry is the story of their love, so chances are it will happen. Plus, after Shane’s injury, Ilya is very aware of how deep his concerns and feelings for Shane go. And on the other hand, Shane looks like a lovable puppy when he asked Ilya to come. They’re the full definition of a “Black Cat and Golden Retriever” relationship. It’s only a matter of guessing whether their summer will go off without a hitch or if it’ll be exposed to the world at large.

Overall.

“I’ll Believe in Anything” is the equivalent of a rom-com building to new emotional heights. Both Ilya and Shane receive the love and care they need to express their feelings, to communicate what they truly want. And even our secondary couple (Shane and Kip) found the start of their happy ending. “I’ll Believe in Anything” is a strong episode for the hopeless romantics and an even stronger episode for Heated Rivalry fans to cheer on their favorite characters.

Heated Rivalry airs new episodes on Fridays on Crave and HBO Max.

Justin Carreiro

Justin is a fun-loving geek living in downtown Toronto, Canada. He’s an avid TV buff, movie fan, and gamer. He’s written for publications like Entertainment Weekly’s The Community, Virgin, TV Fanatic, FANDOM, The Young Folks, and his blog, City Boy Geekiness.