Heated Rivalry Ep. 2 | Full Length Reaction

I know I am late to this, but I wanted to say that it is required by ACTRA (Canadian Actors Union) to have an intimacy coordinator on set for any scenes that have nudity or sex. They are there to, not only help choreograph the scene, but also make sure everything is done in a safe and professional manner. Though, this is the first time I have heard an Intimacy Coordinator called out for their work (obviously the did a fantastic job) so I understand the conversation around it.

I subbed for these reactions. I've rewatched this shows so many times, it s embarrassing at this point. I have a soft spot for Ilya and especially after reading the books, it's so hard for me to watch people misunderstand my man's actions and feelings. Not saying you two are hating on him. He can definitely be an asshole at times. I'm gonna copy here one of my favorite comments that explains Ilya's intentions in these first two episodes. "While Shane wears his heart on his sleeve, Ilya’s actions reveal the true depth of his devotion. Ilya’s consistent pursuit speaks volumes about his profound devotion. He orchestrated every encounter—from the gym and the commercial to the initial sexual connection in the shower—demonstrating a persistent desire to be close to Shane. Ilya consistently took the lead, being the one to ask for the hotel room number, initiate the first kiss, and maintain three years of continuous contact before their sexual (intercourse ) relationship even began. We see in episode 1 and the beginning of this episode how patient and understanding he is in regards to Shane's sexual inexperience. He wants to make Shane's first time extremely romantic by consistently checking in, going slow and confirming consent. You can see him get scared as soon as Shane kisses him on the forehead. Ilya are realizes how both of them are getting a little too intimate, which frightens him. He truly believes that between Shane's super closeted nature and his ties to Russia there's no way to have any kind of relationship with a man. I don't think he's trying to be cruel or mean to Snane in this episode: During the figure skating scene in Russia he is often unfairly judged for his behavior. Many misinterpret his actions as cruelty, ignoring that he was desperately trying to maintain safety by setting boundaries. While Shane’s neurodivergence may have made it harder for him to read the room, Ilya’s firm 'not now' "go sit down" and "please go" were a necessary protective measure, not a personal rejection. The tragedy is that Shane pushed until the situation escalated, whereas Ilya showed immediate respect for Shane’s boundaries the moment Shane said 'not now" during the shower scene in episode 1. In the bathroom what is also often misinterpreted as an act of cruelty, actually showcases a nuanced interaction where Ilya's harsh exterior breaks as soon as he realizes Shane is in pain. He says then off the wall jerk thing, but as soon as he sees that it hurt Shane or that Shane is hurting he deliberately softens his voice, makes physical contact and assumes the dominant position to help Shane cope with his out of control emotions. He reassures Shane of his genuine interest in seeing him later that night, passionately kisses him, and wishes him good luck showing Ilya's true affection and concern. In the penthouse a loot of people mistakenly believe that their dom/sub dynamic inherently means that Shane is being manipulated or coerced. This couldn't be farther from the truth. A clear illustration of Shane's enjoyment is seen when Shane asks, Ilya 'Are you going to fuck me?' and Ilya responds, 'We will see" the distinct smile that appears on Shane's face at that moment highlights his genuine enjoyment of their dynamic. For Shane, Ilya's dominance offers a much-needed release, allowing him to finally let go of control in his otherwise highly structured world, while for Ilya, the dynamic provides a sense of order amidst a chaotic environment. It is a mutual beneficial relationship. Ilya would never try and force Shane to do anything he didn't want to do. We've already seen throughout the series how important consent is to Ilya. Ilya has been through so much in his life and boiling him down to a crap person doesn't take into account how and what he actually feels. I definitely didn't get that Ilya was a crap person when I read the books, in fact I got the opposite impression. Besides the books there's also a great side story that the author wrote it's the awards show from Ilya's point of view. He was actually late because he was hiding in the bathroom super nervous about seeing Shane for the first time. He was terrified Shane would see how much he really cared, which is why he acted that way towards Shane. He should not have ghosted Shane for 6 months, but in reality they didn't have an established relationship. There were no rules or guidelines. It was simply supposed to be a situationship where they saw each other a few times a year to hookup."

hiii, im new i subscribed bc of this show i loved your opinions at the end! shane is autistic that’s why you see him a little awkward or with this behaviors that seem special like folding his clothes bf sex hahaha And yeah Ilya had a lot of issues expressing his emotions i think it’s bc of his family and the place he’s from (Russia)! Russia is a very homophobic country, till this day it’s illegal showing, talking, or any demonstration that may like your same gender!

Meesh knees to face is diabolical chill fam😂😂👀

I can’t let it go dawg literally holding her breath fighting for her life to get through them scenes😂😂I’m crying real tears bro

No cause like dawg look genuinely hurt like why is your hands together bro 🙏🏽🙏🏽😂😂Meanwhile meesh is actually engaged and shook all at the same time😂😂I’m on the floor …

Dee face every time is sending me dawg😂😂you would’ve thought twin was on fear factor and they said here eat these worms😂

Something is getting destroyed is diabolical btw😂..I binge watched this whole show cause of y’all and you know what I think y’all met y’all freaky ass match cause they just as unhinged 😂😂This should be a fun one..my popcorn is on standby because watching y’all I might choke on a kernel

You're faces during the reaction cracks me up, because I know mine probably looks the same. I subscribed for your GL content, but I heard a lot of buzz about this show so I'm watching along with you. No way I was going to tackle this show on my own. Also thank you for posting Love Design on the same day because it gives my GL loving heart some balance after watching this.

Oh boy (x2)