It's the end of Season 1 (wahh). Before we take a short summer break, we’re looking back on our first 6+ months as podcasters and sharing more about what HR has meant to us.

We also get to hear some call-ins from fans about the impact the community has had on them.

To everyone who has listened, supported, or shared your stories with us: thank you so much. We can't wait to be back for S2! :)

We are oh-so-lucky to have the incredible Nina King joining us this week! You may know her from her in-depth Heated Rivalry scene analyses on YouTube. We talked about all the important things like who fell first/harder, why Yuna's arc deserves more attention, and which tiny moment in Episode 6 tells us soooo much about Ilya.

We had the privilege of speaking with Katie, the founder of Rivals For A Reason, this week. What started as a few Heated Rivalry-inspired bracelets has grown into a global fundraising project that has raised nearly $50,000 for charity.

We talk about how the project came to be, the incredible volunteers behind R4AR, and how this fandom continues to show up in extraordinary ways.

Thanks for listening!

This week, we spoke with Farrah, the creator of the "Release the Fleece" campaign. This fan-led petition became one of the catalysts behind fans being able to preorder the official Heated Rivalry Canadian fleece. We talked about the journey leading up to last week's preorder, the incredible community support behind the campaign, and why it was always about more than just a fleece.

This week's episode features best-selling author Xio Axelrod aka "Philly's #1 Loon". We talk about how fandom is community, Heated Rivalry and SKAM parallels, and why Rachel Reid is basically living the dream.

P.S. Xio is hosting LoonCon, a community event and fundraiser, on June 7th in Philly. Get your tickets here!

It's a minisode! We were able to chat with Harrison Browne ahead of his book event last month for Let Us Play. He shared what he learned about himself while writing the book, how to live authentically, and how his life has changed since Heated Rivalry.

This week, we have a BookCon episode with a very special guest. Versha Sharma joins us to debrief the panel she moderated featuring Rachel Reid and Jacob Tierney last weekend. We talk takeaways from the Q&A, and got the opportunity to ask her about being part of this fandom and its impact.

Highlights of the week include meeting Rachel Reid, loon pins from Naomi, and correctly guessing that Jacob is a Libra.

This week, we spoke with Matt Kenny, a former hockey player turned marathon runner, who was inspired by Heated Rivalry to share his story on social media. We talk about the realities of hockey culture, the importance of vulnerability and authenticity, and the impact of sharing his story with the world.

Host HR Highlights of the week cover everything from April 13–14, plus a Hayden (Cal) cameo.

Please note that this episode contains mentions of homophobia, including a brief use of a slur, as well as discussions of mental health and experiences of being closeted.

This week, we are speaking with the hilarious, Kristin Chirico, a comedian, writer, and content creator. We chatted about fandom norms, unintentionally funny moments in the show, and a top-notch fanfic idea where Ilya and Shane go to a comedy show (it's a need).

Highlights of the week include THE Verizon ad, women's hockey, and NASA.

For episode 10, we got to speak with Bradley & Adam of Bradam Reacts. We cover what it's like running a reaction channel, their favorite scenes, and the ways Heated Rivalry has shaped their experience within the queer community.

Highlights of the week include loooots of magazines and fan edits.