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How many episodes does ‘Heated Rivalry’ have? HBO show ties ‘Breaking Bad’ in ratings as fans wait for finale

‘Heated Rivalry’ stuns fans as Episode 5 earns a rare perfect IMDb score, putting the queer drama in the same conversation as TV’s all-time greats

The online reaction to ‘Heated Rivalry’ reached a fever pitch this week after the series delivered what many fans are already calling a defining television moment. The queer hockey romance drama has been steadily gaining momentum since its debut, but the release of its fifth episode has pushed the show into rare critical territory. Episode 5, titled 'I’ll Believe in Anything', premiered on December 19 and almost immediately made waves across social media and fan forums. It’s directed by Jacob Tierney, who also serves as the show’s creator, writer, and executive creative force. Within days of its release, the episode climbed to a perfect 10/10 rating on IMDb.

That flawless rating has drawn inevitable comparisons to Breaking Bad’s iconic episode 'Ozymandias', which first aired in September 2013 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest episodes ever produced for television. For over a decade, 'Ozymandias' has stood as a benchmark, holding a perfect IMDb score from hundreds of thousands of viewers. As of now, ‘Heated Rivalry’ Episode 5’s perfect score is based on roughly 11,000 user ratings. It’s a fraction of the total votes behind Breaking Bad’s landmark episode, which sits at approximately 273,000 votes.

As with any IMDb metric, the score remains subject to change as more viewers weigh in, but the early response alone signals a breakout moment for the series. ‘Heated Rivalry’ is a Canadian sports romance drama adapted from Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ novel series, a beloved staple within queer romance literature. The show centers on professional hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, fierce rivals whose on-ice hostility conceals a secret relationship off the ice. What begins as a physical release between competitors gradually evolves into something far more vulnerable, forcing both men to manage identity, fame, and risk in a hyper-masculine sports culture.

As per Poprant, Season 1 of ‘Heated Rivalry’ is intentionally compact, consisting of six episodes total. With Episode 5 now streaming, the series is heading into its finale with the momentum few new shows achieve. Episodes have been released weekly on Fridays, airing on HBO Max in the United States and Crave in Canada. The season finale, titled “The Cottage,” is set to premiere on December 26 and is expected to bring the first chapter of Shane and Ilya’s story to a close. Anticipation for the episode is already running high, particularly given the emotional stakes established in the penultimate installment.

Furthermore, ‘Heated Rivalry’ has already been renewed for a second season. The renewal confirms that the story will continue beyond the initial six-episode arc, giving the creative team room to further explore the characters’ evolving relationship and the pressures surrounding their public and private lives. For now, ‘Heated Rivalry’ Episode 5’s perfect IMDb score stands as a remarkable achievement for a first-season series. Whether the rating holds over time or not, ‘Heated Rivalry’ has already secured its place in the conversation.