Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams at the premiere of “Heated Rivalry” at TIFF
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Emmy nominations are out and one series that captured widespread attention and acclaim is notably absent from the list.
Heated Rivalry, the highly successful gay hockey drama that chronicles the slow-burn romance between the haughty Russian-born Ilya (Storrie) and the reserved Canadian Shane, is ineligible for the Primetime Emmys because it is a fully financed Canadian production.
The Television Academy requires a series to be co-produced both creatively and financially with a partner based in the U.S. in order to qualify. Heated Rivalry was created by Bell Media for Crave, its wholly owned and operated streaming service that exclusively operates in Canada.
HBO Max, the exclusive streaming home for the hockey drama, acquired the distribution rights after the show had completed production, and therefore the Television Academy does not consider it a U.S. co-production. The hit show is instead eligible for the International Emmy Awards.
The drama, adapted from the Rachel Reid novel of the same name by Canadian filmmaker Jacob Tierney, who wrote and directed the series, debuted on HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia in November 2025. It shattered previous records for the streamer, surging upward of 10.6 million views in the U.S. and becoming the platform’s top acquired scripted series of all time.
The series has officially been renewed, with Storrie and Williams set to return for a second season scheduled to premiere in spring 2027 on HBO Max in the States and Crave in Canada. Season 2 is expected to follow The Long Game, the sequel novel penned by Reid. The second season is being produced by Crave and Accent Aigu Entertainment.
Medical drama The Pitt leads this year’s Emmy nominations with 25, followed by Hacks, which wrapped with its fifth and final season this year. Mariska Hargitay is set to host the 2026 Emmys, airing live on NBC and Peacock on Monday, September 14.
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