New York’s Hottest Club Is a Heated Rivalry Watch Party

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During the three hours I spent at a marathon viewing of a heated hockey rivalry at a lesbian bar in Bushwick, there was only one moment of silence. It happened when the emcee, Mary Michael, playfully warned the audience about an upcoming monologue. Professional hockey player Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie) began to reveal his feelings for his rival and secret lover, Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams). In a phone call, Ilya confessed in Russian that he felt alone, though he acknowledged he had Svetlana, who loved him, but admitted his feelings for Shane were different. Inside the bar, Boyfriend Co-op, people covered their mouths, some trying to hide their emotions and others openly tearing up.

The event was promoted as being especially for lesbians – the announcement playfully said “Lesbians love a slow burn” – but a few gay men also attended. One man even had a custom T-shirt printed with the full translation of a famous monologue on the back. After the event, people approached him to read the text on his shirt, even though most had likely heard the monologue before. Throughout December, viewers had watched the show when it first aired, and many rewatched it during the quiet days between Christmas and New Year’s. Most attendees seemed to have watched it around three times, but one woman admitted she’d seen even more, counting all the clips and fan videos she’d watched on TikTok.

Since its debut on HBO Max over Thanksgiving weekend, the Canadian series Heated Rivalry – a story about hockey players who go from competitive rivals to secret lovers and, eventually, a full relationship – has been a major topic of conversation both online and in person. A recent watch party hosted by Boyfriend was just one of many events happening in New York City. Bars held parties when the season finale aired after Christmas, and more gatherings are planned, including a meetup in Tompkins Square Park next Saturday and several dance parties at venues throughout the city later this month.

I got to Boyfriend bar a little after 10 p.m. on Saturday and found about a dozen people waiting in line. Despite the line and the rain, people were eager to watch whatever was happening inside, often peering through the foggy windows. While I was waiting, I could hear bursts of screams from inside, similar to the excitement at a baseball game. A group of friends walked by and one of them, surprised, asked if the show was still on.

The bouncer had only been working at Boyfriend for a month, but this event was one of the busiest he’d seen. A person named Gray, waiting to get in, mentioned their entire rugby team was inside. This was their third time seeing the show, though they admitted to skipping around to their favorite parts – mainly scenes with the two main characters. They weren’t as interested in the storyline of Scott Hunter and his boyfriend, Kip Grady, whose relationship influenced the main couple. When I told another audience member that I found Scott and Kip’s story boring, they simply shrugged and said, “Their intimate scenes are better, though.”

I finally walked into the bar just as the fourth episode was ending, and the whole place was practically screaming the lyrics to t.A.T.u.’s “All The Things She Said” – it was playing in the show and everyone was into it. It was funny, actually, because even though they had a projector set up, a lot of people were watching on their phones, synced up to the big screen. I ended up hanging out with one of those groups for a bit, and it was amazing seeing people mouth the dialogue along with the characters. Every song that played turned into this instant singalong, with the energy getting as high as when “Mr. Brightside” comes on at a wedding. People were clustered around tables and couches, surrounded by pizza boxes and White Castle wrappers, totally absorbed in Shane and Ilya’s story. I asked someone why the show resonated so much with lesbians, and she said it was the mix of really explicit scenes with this sweet, slow-burn romance – little glances, shy smiles, that kind of thing. Another person told me they just loved watching these guys figure out what they wanted. Someone else put it perfectly online: it was like watching sports in a bar, except instead of athletes, you’re watching gay people fall in love (and sometimes play sports!).

Almost everyone on screen—except for Ilya’s brother, who everyone disliked—caused someone in the audience to excitedly shout “My Shayla!” People were completely engrossed; one viewer didn’t even react when someone spilled a drink on them while apologizing. The audience reacted emotionally throughout the film, screaming, crying, and even kissing during intimate scenes. One woman at a smaller table urged others to join in, propping her phone up on a cigarette box to record. Taller viewers helped those shorter in stature get a better view of the screen.

Some people watching the show for the first time were curious about all the hype. One viewer commented that the two main characters talk a lot, but they still felt moved during a monologue by Ilya. Another first-time viewer, Emma, admitted she’d only seen part of the first episode before the watch party because she doesn’t have HBO. Her friends had been constantly texting her about it. When asked if she could follow the show with such a lively group, she said she was starting to understand it, but might need to rewatch it on her own later.

The last few minutes of the episode “I’ll Believe in Anything,” especially Ilya’s line about heading to the cottage, aired right at midnight, and the reaction was incredible. The crowd went wild – even more so than during any romantic or suggestive moments earlier in the show. People were kissing, hugging, and even crying, completely forgetting it was almost New Year’s Eve! When the credits rolled, many viewers left the bar, feeling exhausted or satisfied with what they’d witnessed. Outside, couples shared cigarettes and friends excitedly discussed the episode as if it were a completely new experience. One person wearing a Hollander shirt commented that the monologue was the key to everything. Even as the episode ended, people continued to react inside, and passersby stared in amazement. One woman even wondered if she should watch it again before leaving for the night.

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2026-01-13 21:55