Heated Rivalry Season 1, Episode 3, “Hunter” Spoilers Ahead
Big feelings are rarely embraced with open arms. It’s more often than not they’re seen as too much, too soon, or worst of all, used against you. Because of this, those of us who generally have big feelings aren’t always comfortable sharing them because we’re used to tamping them down, we’re used to reading the room and trying to gauge whether it’s a safe space or not, and generally, it takes a bit of time. But sometimes the magnitude of big feelings can’t be contained, and that’s the beauty we see in Heated Rivalry Season 1, Episode 3, “Hunter” through Scott Hunter and Kip Grady.
The episode may have been confusing for viewers who haven’t read the books, but everything is aligning as it should be. Their story’s significance in Ilya and Shane’s journey matters, and more than that, this episode continues to deliver a type of vulnerability that’s still rare on TV. It’s necessary, always.
Scott and Kip’s Relationship Is a Gorgeous Reflection of Connecting Through Shared Vulnerability and Big Feelings
If you look around in the space you’re in, someone’s very likely holding themselves back in some way. They’re shielding parts of themselves because they know how it’ll be received. And how the episode navigates the process of Scott quietly and quickly growing to care for Kip is a brilliant showcase of vulnerability that’s made better by the performances. François Arnaud is a charming actor—there’s no denying that—but the fears he harbors in his eyes are like a lighthouse. There, in the distance, flashing subtly for anyone who’s looking. A boy who just wants to love and be loved. One blueberry banana smoothie after another. Scott knows how to flirt, and he knows how to read signals, and he knows with certainty that what he’s feeling in secret for Kip is something that’s returned. Kip doesn’t know this quite yet, and how we get to it at the midway point is precious in every way.
Siri, play “Everything Is Romantic.” Every blueberry banana smoothie is a step toward their eventual collision—a delicious sprint toward giddy kisses and questions full of yearning that end in an emphatic yes. It starts as one night, but it’s so much more than that right off the bat, and content like this continues to be vastly important for how we can truly improve the quality of TV and film. Of storytelling and art in general. Vulnerability and openness are the key. Real feelings. Raw declarations.
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The episode ends in a brief heartbreak, yes, but it’s not because they’ve burned themselves to the ground, but rather they’re burning higher and higher into a wildfire that has to be contained because the world of hockey isn’t ready. It all has to happen behind closed doors because Scott’s fears are as big as his feelings. The openness is coming, though. Soon.
Grief is cataclysmic on its own; pair it with how bigoted the world can be, and multiply it with the belief that too many people are depending on you. That you’re too intense. Too much. And it’s all explosive inside. It’s all understandable, and it’s going to matter so much when we also look at Shane and Ilya’s story down the line.
But the reason Heated Rivalry Season 1, Episode 3, “Hunter” shines is because of the sincerity. Because it’s a love letter to people with big feelings and the ones who carry a treasure chest around to keep those feelings safe. That’s why every beat of Scott and Kip’s story becomes even more sacred when Scott says, “Is it okay? Can I be too intense?” Because he knows this can be the very thing that pushes Kip away, but it’s also imperative that he says it aloud because he can’t hold it anymore. His feelings are overwhelming—they’re everything. Kip isn’t just a man he’s hooked up with, he’s someone worthy of risking it all for. And it feels like it can be too soon for people who understandably need to take time, but for them, it isn’t. It’s right.
And how Heated Rivalry is painting a picture of the various ways people allow themselves to be vulnerable through two different romantic relationships is no small feat. It’s huge. It’s a big, big deal. It’s a beautiful thing because the people who often feel intensely don’t get the chance to bare it all. They can’t sit in front of the person they’re interested in and ask them to stay, holding nothing back with their desires. Yet, Scott’s point of view and Kip’s full acceptance of it reveal that it’s possible. Someone somewhere will understand it all, even if they have to walk away for a little while when the secrecy is too hard. They’ll come back. They’ll stay again.
But also, this is where their love continues to be so incredible because Heated Rivalry Season 1, Episode 3, “Hunter,” doesn’t just make a point to show us that they come from different worlds based on their careers, but it allows us to understand that while Kip is surrounded by people who love and accept him as he is, Scott’s identity is fully veiled. He doesn’t have a dad whose arms he can run into when everything hurts. His team doesn’t fully know him. His group of friends isn’t the same as Kip’s. So, when Scott and Kip officially become public, what they’ll both gain is insurmountable.
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This is how Scott will finally see that he and his big feelings are welcomed. They’re treasured and adored. They’re taken care of, in the same way that he picks up Kip and reveres him like he’s the most sacred gift he’s ever gotten. Intensity isn’t a bad thing when it’s vulnerable and sincere. Intensity is precious when it’s welcomed by someone who loves you. Intensity isn’t a bad thing, and it doesn’t equate to someone being too much. It’s all about the right person and the right time, and the fact that we’re seeing this with deeply vulnerable and achingly adorable moments is a beautiful thing. Both Arnaud and Robbie G.K. are captivating throughout, ensuring that every beat feels authentic and evocative on all fronts.
What are your thoughts on Scott and Kip’s arc in Heated Rivalry Season 1, Episode 3, “Hunter?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Crave | Screenshot via HBO Max.