Great art takes time and patience, and I’m more than willing to give Heated Rivalry all of that as we wait for Season 2. However, I would not be opposed to a little bonus episode to hold us over while we wait for the next part of this book-to-screen adaptation. It seems like that might be a possibility, too. So, as we wait for updates about the future of this series, let's talk about two ideas I have based on the books for this bonus episode.
What’s Been Said About A Bonus Episode Of Heated Rivalry
As the 2026 TV schedule carries on, many of us, myself included, are still at the cottage. The Heated Rivalry fever is very much still going on, and following the Season 2 renewal of the hockey romance, fans are fervent for more. More is on the way too, and we might get an episode sooner than expected as Justin Stockman, the vice president of content development and programming at Bell Media (which produces the show), told The Toronto Star:
We’re going to see what’s feasible. If (Jacob) can find a way to make the source material work in a way that gets us something sooner or something special, I’m sure he will. I would love to have this back for the holidays next year, but that likely is not going to happen. We can’t rush the process. We won’t be able to repeat the magic if we push him.
Now, notably, this is not confirmed. Stockman simply said conversations about one have “come up.” As of right now, no decisions have been made. However, my hopes are certainly up, and as someone who has watched Heated Rivalry more than once with my HBO Max subscription and read all six books, I have a couple of ideas for this potential bonus episode.
Two Moments From The Books I’d Love To See Turned Into Bonus Episodes
Alright, before we get into this, here’s your warning: spoilers for the books Heated Rivalry and The Long Game are ahead!
If this bonus episode of the sexually explicit HBO and Crave show came to fruition, I think there are two logical roads they could take. One has to do with a bonus chapter in Heated Rivalry that would be a lovely standalone episode. The other would kickstart Season 2 in a very productive way. So, let’s break it down.
The Bonus Chapter From Heated Rivalry: At the end of Shane and Ilya’s first book, there’s a bonus chapter called “My Dinner with Hayden.” In it, the boys host a dinner party for Shane’s teammate Hayden and his wife, Jackie. Hayden has recently learned that Shane and Ilya are a couple, and the dinner is awkward as they discuss the guys’ relationship and why they kept it a secret for so long.
Overall, it serves as a nice bridge between Heated Rivalry and The Long Game as Shane and Ilya settle into their lives as a couple while also grappling with the issue that their relationship is (for the most part) still a secret. Plus, it helps us get to know Hayden, who will be very important moving forward. Oh, and features everything you want in a Heated Rivalry story: Ilya’s sass, cute moments between the couple, and a spicy scene that would be great in the show.
The Camp In The Long Game: While I think the dinner is the better way to go, I also think the first few chapters of The Long Game (which will be the focus of Season 2) would make for a good bonus episode.
The majority of this sequel book takes place during the hockey season. However, the novel actually begins a few months earlier, during one of the camps Shane and Ilya set up through their new foundation. So, I think it’d make sense to turn this section of the book, which also features characters from Reid’s other novels, like Ryan Price, into a little prologue of sorts. That way, we can still get the camp (which is a lovely way to ease into this story), and then the season can focus fully on what happens during the hockey season and beyond.
So, Jacob Tierney, if you're reading and seriously considering this bonus episode, I have a few ideas. But if not, that’s OK too, because there’s no doubt in my mind that whatever we see on our screen next from the Heated Rivalry team will be excellent.
