Valentine’s Day has got us thinking one thing: let's go back to the cottage. That’s thanks to Canadian hockey romance Heated Rivalry, which stole our hearts with its careful handling of star-crossed lovers, leaving us wanting more. While Jacob Tierney's romantic drama, adapted from Rachel Reid's popular Game Changer novels, might have initially garnered attention for its unabashedly smutty scenes, the series secured its loyal, worldwide fanbase for the longing that underscores the forbidden romance at its center.
Luckily, Heated Rivarly isn’t the only swoon-worthy drama you can indulge in. Here are ten shows and films that share Heated Rivarly’s nuanced approach to pulse-racing romance for your Valentine’s Day watchlist:
The Handmaiden (2016)
Where to watch: Prime Video
Park Chan-wook’s revenge thriller is an erotic odyssey packed full of outrageously sexy moments. Set in 1930s Korea, the film follows pickpocket Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), who goes undercover as a handmaiden to steal from Japanese heiress Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee). The plan seems unfallible, until Sook-hee falls in love. Between layers of deception and emotional whiplash, there are scenes of raw, tender, and carnal desire gorgeously rendered through Chan-wook’s lens.
God's Own Country (2017)
Where to watch: Prime Video
Before Josh O'Connor was a tortured romantic in The History of Sound and Challengers, he was a hopeless yearner in God's Own Country. Francis Lee’s directorial debut sees a Yorkshire sheep farmer’s (O’Connor) life uprooted with the arrival of Romanian farmhand Gheorghe (Alec Secăreanu). The pair are men of few words—the intensity of their emotions instead arises during rousing sex scenes in muddy fields and against prickly hay, as their connection blossoms in the rural countryside.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Where to watch: HBO Max
There’s been so much talk about the female gaze behind Heated Rivalry that we need to go back to the original text. Set in 18th-century Brittany, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an incandescent take on heady lesbian romance. The way Céline Sciamma writes slow-burning desire is impeccable: lust simmers between painter Marianne (Noémie Merlant) and her muse, Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Their forbidden infatuation is captured in an erotic study of the observer becoming observed, where skin becomes a canvas for the lips and fingers to mark.
Bridgerton (2020-)
Where to watch: Netflix
Since its debut in 2020, Bridgerton has become a horny hit across the globe. With an abundance of explicit sex scenes, from hot-and-heavy carriage moments to free-spirited threesomes and outright cunnilungus on the stairs, the show’s intimate dealings have never been reserved for the post-nuptial. And in the pursuit of regency romance, Bridgerton is not just pure smut; there’s plenty to get emotionally invested in, with each social season offering new flirtations to swoon over.
Young Royals (2021-2024)
Where to watch: Netflix
Cited as an inspiration for Heated Rivalry’s more sweetly intimate moments, Swedish teen romance Young Royals embodies the tension between illicit romance and the purity of first love. Set at a prestigious boarding school, the show charts the scandal of Prince Wilhelm of Sweden’s (Edvin Ryding) romance with fellow student Simon (Omar Rudberg). While the pressure of the hockey world bears down on Heated Rivalry’s Shane and Ilya, Wilhelm and Simon contend with the weight of the crown’s expectations that rule over their lives.
Interview with the Vampire (2022-)
Where to watch: Netflix
A very biting take on pining, Interview with the Vampire brings a supernatural bent to an otherwise classic enemies-to-lovers arc. The Gothic horror series follows two vampires, Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid), at each other's throats (and other places) as they navigate the tumultuous and toxic nature of their relationship. It’s hard to look away from these thirsty vampires, whose obsession with each other flits between antagonistic and seductive. If you think Shane and Ilya’s hooking up over several years feels prolonged, try several centuries.
Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022)
Where to watch: Netflix
An adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's notoriously provocative 1928 novel, banned at the time for obscenity and lewdness, Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s historical romance honors its explicit source material—nude romps in the rain and all. Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell have impressive chemistry as a noblewoman and a rugged groundskeeper whose stifling lives are invigorated by a secret tryst.
Fellow Travelers (2023)
Where to watch: Hulu
Fellow Travelers orbits the decades-long, volatile romance between American political staffers Tim (Jonathan Bailey) and Hawkins (Matt Bomer), who first meet during the height of the 1950s McCarthyism. Like Shane and Ilya, this couple’s romance begins with a physical component that gives way to deeper feelings. The period drama’s success undeniably rests on the exquisite chemistry and committed performances (toe sucking and all) of Bailey and Bomer, while doubling as a fascinating political thriller.
Challengers (2024)
Where to watch: Prime Video
Sexual tension reaches palpable heights in Luca Guadagnino’s love triangle tennis drama. Unspoken desire fires back and forth like a ricocheting tennis ball between Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor (in his, yes, third appearance on this list). The bonds between this electric trio are rooted in fierce competition, cemented in a spicy three-way kiss where they’re all battling for control. Even still, in Guadagnino’s world, the hottest scenes simply feature a man carefully placing a tennis ball against the neck of his racket with a smirk.
Olympo (2025)
Where to watch: Netflix
If you’re craving more of the Winter Olympics—along with Heated Rivalry—it’s the perfect time to press play on Olympo. The Spanish drama, from the creators of raunchy teen thriller Elite, follows the intense rivalries and scandals of high-performing athletes. By centering muscular bodies in top physical condition and ambition surging through their veins, the show edges into risqué territory, featuring sweaty limbs and athletic angst alongside the emotional arcs of competitive sports.
