‘Heated Rivalry’ season 1 finale review: “The Cottage”

Forget about winter, we’re ready for a trip to the cottage. Bags packed, sunglasses on. “The Cottage” is the fateful episode of Crave’s Heated Rivalry we’ve all been waiting for.

The episode that brings Shane and Ilya together to express their love and define their relationship. “The Cottage” is a beautifully structured and well-written episode, serving as an exceptional Season 1 finale to complete this chapter for Heated Rivalry.

A little trip away.

One aspect of “The Cottage” that stands out is how it focuses solely on the summer trip. Whereas Heated Rivalry Season 1 bounced around different years or memories, “The Cottage” focuses on a 2-week period. The shorter time period brings us deeper into Ilya and Shane’s relationship. Heated Rivalry makes it clear that it doesn’t need weaving plots or time jumps – this moment is strong and impactful enough to carry the story. And arguably, I agree with that approach.

Starting “The Cottage” with Scott winning the MVP award framed the episode on a positive high note. Coming off the heels of “I’ll Believe in Anything,” Scott’s iconic kiss with Kip was what pushed Shane and Ilya to take this summer getaway, where all the fear and uncertainty they had before can fade away, thanks to the help of Scott and Kip.

So, in essence, what Ilya and Shane did, said, and felt during their time at the cottage is extremely important to their journey. This wasn’t just another clandestine hookup, but their chance to explore being together. Scott and Kip opened the door, and “The Cottage” was where Ilya and Shane would walk through.

Three little words.

Shane and Ilya’s willingness to open up emotionally is the biggest green flag. “The Cottage” is all about healthy communication. We love to see it – most TV couples have trouble saying what they want, let alone communicating.

Ilya revealing the truth about his mother’s suicide is the moment when he truly let down his walls. Sure, he had his love confession in Russian, but this was a vulnerable statement about himself and his life; something that Shane never knew. This moment builds an emotional bridge between them. We need to give Ilya lots of kudos here; “The Cottage” shows huge growth for him. It’s a far cry from the closed-off competitor that Shane met before the MLH draft.

And even just as importantly, the pair communicated a plan of action for their future together. Telling each other “I love you” is a huge emotional step. I love how they defined their feelings for one another, but to then have them ideate on how they could be together is a beautifully impactful scene. Words mean so much, but when there’s action behind them, those words are even more powerful. Heated Rivalry does an amazing job of building their romantic foundation and the steps towards a stronger relationship.

A big confession.

Who else predicted that his parent(s) would catch them in the act? The conflict wrote itself. It was only a matter of time before Shane’s parents found out the truth. At least on the bright side, David only walked in on them kissing. Could you imagine if it were one of the hookups? Shane’s dad wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“The Cottage” has a beautiful coming-out scene for Shane. If you strip away the professional athlete aspect of it, Shane, speaking with his parents, feels grounded and relatable. The awkwardness, the emotion, and more importantly, the uncomfortable feeling of “being seen” for the first time. Sure, Shane and Ilya have a slightly different situation, especially due to their history and Shane’s dad finding them, but the core feeling is there. We have a moment of a person telling the truth of who he is to his parents, and having his boyfriend beside him as support.

Big business, big hearts.

Once again, Yuna arrives at the scene as an all-star. As Shane’s momager, it’s understandable why she was caught up in the emotion of it all. She spent all this time with her son and his career … and yet, she failed to notice his personal side. I love that she apologized to him for the part she played in his not coming out. Every decision has multiple sides to it, and while Shane’s parents would’ve been lovely, there was still an aspect that would’ve added pressure and fear (i.e., Shane’s career).

It’s great that Yuna and David, even though surprised, still quickly created a safe space for their son and welcomed his boyfriend with open arms. That’s how you do it for someone who is emotionally afraid to come out. Yuna immediately jumping into career mode for sponsorship opportunities … that’s all Yuna. A momager is going to manage any opportunity. Be careful, Ilya. Your in-laws are about to skyrocket your career, too.

Overall.

“The Cottage” is a touching and emotionally enriching season finale to cap off Heated Rivalry Season 1. The sexual and sensual passion ignited between Ilya and Shane, giving the pair their chance of being together. But equally as important, their strong communication pushed the couple further, giving them a beautiful, strong step forward.

Between the pair defining their relationship to Shane coming out to his parents, “The Cottage” structures itself with great dialogue, captivating character moments, and a fitting end for a sensational first season.

Heated Rivalry Season 1 is available to stream on Crave and HBO Max.