How Heated Rivalry Changed Me

Last Christmas Eve, my niece pulled me aside and said, “There’s something you need to see.” She was right. I watched Heated Rivalry on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and that began my journey into 2026. Since then, I have rewatched it over 22 times, or what fans lovingly call “Reheated,” and I still never get bored.

Every time I think I might do something else while it is on, I am pulled right back in. The show always asks for my full attention. The first time, I was struck by the acting, direction, lighting, music, cinematography, and writing. But by the second or third watch, while all of the magnificent elements of the show remained, something deeper had started to happen.

I began feeling things I had not felt in a long time. I kept thinking about the show, the characters, and the emotions in their story, but also about my own life. I was up and down emotionally for a while, and honestly, a little wrecked. But it did not feel bad. It felt like something inside me was opening.

That is how I describe it now: the show broke me open.

How It Sparked My Art

Once I realized how deeply I was responding to Heated Rivalry, I wanted to stay in that world a little longer. As a mixed media artist, the answer was obvious: I started creating.

The first pieces I made were directly inspired by the show and the feelings it gave me. One featured two loons facing each other in a heart shape, with layered texture and printed lines from the story. I called it Brave Enough to Love because it felt like Shane and Ilya finally seeing each other clearly and loving each other bravely.

Brave Enough to Love (NFS)

Mixed media collage on canvas, 9 x 12 in.

Inspired by Heated Rivalry.

The second piece felt more energetic and playful. I used the team colors, gold accents, favorite lines from the show and the books, loons, textures, and jersey numbers to make something that felt alive. I called it Overtime — A Heated Tribute.

Overtime — A Heated Tribute (NFS)

Mixed media collage on canvas, 11 x 14 in.

Inspired by Heated Rivalry.

The final piece entitled, A Heated Unraveling,I ended up changing a bit from the original so as to avoid using the copyrighted lines. I kept the same meaning and this ended up revealing a deeper truth and is the most personal of the three.

A Heated Unraveling

Mixed media collage on canvas,  12 x 12 in.

Inspired by Heated Rivalry

From there, I moved into something I had never tried before: I created three digital pieces by building and refining my original vision in Kittl. I pictured in my mind loon images inspired by the characters, including one with a Russian Orthodox cross and one with freckles, and imagined them at sunrise on the lake near the cottage. I also made a logo for the fictional inclusive summer hockey camp from the books, with rainbow colors, hockey sticks, and teal for mental health awareness. Each piece came from the same place: wanting to stay immersed in the feelings that the show unearthed within me while creating something to express that outwardly.

How It Changed My Life

The show did not just change my art. It changed how I think about myself.

It made me braver. It pushed me to take my art more seriously and to step into that identity more fully instead of shrinking it to fit into other boxes. It reminded me that I am an artist, and that this calling has been with me for a long time.

It also made me think differently about movement and health. Watching those characters train and work so hard made me want to find something physical that felt good and sustainable. That is how I found dance fitness again. I started going to classes, and now I go at least three times a week. I love it. It gives me energy, a community, and something to look forward to.

Then there were the fans. Heated Rivalry created this whole ripple effect, and I started connecting with other people who felt the same way. Through Threads and Discord, and through local events and dance nights, I met people who understood the obsession. I have made new friends, and that has been such a gift.

I even got my first tattoo at 57 years old: “Yes, it’s scary but you’re brave.” I never thought I would get a tattoo, but the minute I knew what I wanted, I knew. It’s a line from the series and one that I am inspired by every single day. And now I already want more.

The Best Problem I’ve Ever Had

So yes, I have a problem. I think about Heated Rivalry a lot. I rewatch it constantly. I create because of it. I dance because of it. I have made friends because of it. I have changed because of it.

And honestly? I don’t ever want that problem to ever go away.