I was thrilled to hear discussion about Heated Rivalry! I watch a LOT of TV and I enjoy a variety of genres from both network and streaming. I heard about Heated Rivalry a couple weeks after it started and as others have said, the first two episodes were a lot to handle with the sex scenes and time jumps. It kept me intrigued though and I fell HARD for it and the last two episodes (5&6) are among my most favorite I’ve ever seen. What the director Jacob Tierney and the crew and cast were able to do in Canada with such a small budget and timeline is incredible. The cinematography. The acting. The storytelling. The chemistry. Unreal. This even got my out of a long reading slump and I read Game Changer (Kip & Scott’s story from the show), Heated Rivary (Shane & Ilya), and The Long Game, which is the plot of Season 2. I cannot WAIT. The show stayed true to the books and elevated them so well. Heated Rivalry brought me so much joy (I love a good happy cry) in December and it spilled over into January when everything else in the world was so heavy.
To add to the heat conversation, this might be why I love Outlander so much. The storytelling in the show just kept getting better and better, but Claire and Jamie have also always had real chemistry. They ooze heat. (And I still need to watch Heated Rivalry, but I need to make sure my teenagers aren't in the house at the same time.)
Might be too personal, but I would love to know Sarah‘s approach to talking with her boys about porn. My boys are only six and four but I’m so stressed about this.
Talk about it early and often. Mainly I emphasized it's not REAL and that was before AI so it literally might not be real. Also I stole a line from a NY times piece where a sex educator tells boys if you want to be a lazy lover with no repeat customers watch a lot of porn!
Re: the smut discussion - I'm a younger millennial, prime time for the sexual freedom / sex positivity wave. This was a clear reaction to exclusionary, harmful sexual scripts. I think this example is a great illustration of a theme I'm seeing and feeling everywhere right now: "let's throw out this script that isn't serving SO MANY people, now you get to choose your own adventure". This is framed as empowerment, as liberty, as progress. And in many ways and for many people, it is! But also having no reliable / acceptable scripts for anything anymore (sexuality, marriage, having children, your career, etc) is exhausting. Making everything an individual decision is a lot. There are places in my life where I'm looking for scripts, but scripts without shame. Scripts that we have and hold for reasons, but also carry with a lot of compassion and space. Tricky tricky!
Yeah, I talk to young adults and none fo them want to go back to the days were the males always did the asking and paid for the date, etc,, but they say they wished in a world with just "dating" where there was a bit of a script to follow and didn't have to worry every second about what the next minute would bring.
The fact that OpenAI was even trying to get an erotic chatbot off the ground is a glaring indication to me that they know that their LLMs aren’t financially viable long term. If you need to make money quick off of a technology, what do you turn to? Sex.
Heated Rivalry take by my friend/colleague on LitHub that addresses some of the ideas about what it means for queer romance and romance writ large (with a little politics at the end).
There's been a steady increase in all sexy-ish materials over time so there can't be a renaissance. It's an increasingly flooded market that's continually becoming more mainstream. I don't think "sex positive" is in all directions; it's mostly focused on pushing everyone further to one end of the spectrum (especially women). The hypersexual end. Not a fan. Feels like just a new kind of shame from even more people. 😕
I haven't read Christine Emba's book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, but I have heard her interviewed a number of times, and she states that consent is not enough. People, especially women, need to have more voice and connection. The idea that a lot of extreme stuff that people see in porn is normal is killing off pleasurable sex and relationships.
Interesting. God forbid we admit men and women are biologically different beyond their physical attributes! Thankfully I'm also attracted to women so I'll have a slightly better chance 🙃
The commodification of sex has boiled down a moment of human connection to be as cheap and easy as possible... meanwhile, the loneliness epidemic rages on and our opting in to these services is seen as consent.
Emily Gregory’s astonishing victory confirms that gerrymandering isn’t a foolproof strategy for the GOP. The newly drawn Texas maps could end up failing spectacularly.
When "Heated Rivalry" came out I had no desire to like it and was so annoyed that it was popular. My girlfriend ended up forcing me to watch it (read: I wanted to hang out with her and she was already watching TV) and I fell in love with it.
I have a hard time with the fact that queer media featuring gay men and gay sex has the potential to go mainstream (especially among straight women) in a way that media with sapphic sex simply does not. I am so happy that this queer show is popular and can not wait for more. And I am frustrated that as a queer woman who came out later in life, the two pieces of media that feel the most like my love story are Heated Rivalry and David/Patrick in Schitt's Creek. I am sad that if Heated Rivalry had featured two women, it would have probably been a niche thing my gf and our queer friends were excited about, rather than the whole world. I am hopeful that this can be a moment where more queer mainstream media keeps moving forward with storylines representing even more people.
So glad you found your love!! Patrick and David 😭😭😭 simply the best!!!
School spirits on Paramount+ features some great queer relationships and they're teenagers from different time periods so there's a bit of commentary on how comfortable each one is with being out. Also on paramount+ any of the newer star trek series feature loving queer relationships.
Regarding the Meta rulings this week and future lawsuits, I’m already getting ads on Instagram to join class action lawsuits if harmed by Meta. Wild to see the ads on the offending parties own platform! But I’m very hopeful this will be the beginning of positive change around social media and maybe help us put the brakes on AI a bit.
The finale for Love Story on FX was last night, and I was very into those two characters! I hear it's not very accurate, but the actors were beautiful and have great chemistry. I enjoyed it 😄
I’m gonna have to save this episode and play it when I’m low. What a breath of fresh air indeed. Thank you for the honest conversation and willingness to hold on to hope
“‘Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.”
I was thrilled to hear discussion about Heated Rivalry! I watch a LOT of TV and I enjoy a variety of genres from both network and streaming. I heard about Heated Rivalry a couple weeks after it started and as others have said, the first two episodes were a lot to handle with the sex scenes and time jumps. It kept me intrigued though and I fell HARD for it and the last two episodes (5&6) are among my most favorite I’ve ever seen. What the director Jacob Tierney and the crew and cast were able to do in Canada with such a small budget and timeline is incredible. The cinematography. The acting. The storytelling. The chemistry. Unreal. This even got my out of a long reading slump and I read Game Changer (Kip & Scott’s story from the show), Heated Rivary (Shane & Ilya), and The Long Game, which is the plot of Season 2. I cannot WAIT. The show stayed true to the books and elevated them so well. Heated Rivalry brought me so much joy (I love a good happy cry) in December and it spilled over into January when everything else in the world was so heavy.
To add to the heat conversation, this might be why I love Outlander so much. The storytelling in the show just kept getting better and better, but Claire and Jamie have also always had real chemistry. They ooze heat. (And I still need to watch Heated Rivalry, but I need to make sure my teenagers aren't in the house at the same time.)
This episode was a total breath of fresh air. Thank you, PP!
Might be too personal, but I would love to know Sarah‘s approach to talking with her boys about porn. My boys are only six and four but I’m so stressed about this.
Talk about it early and often. Mainly I emphasized it's not REAL and that was before AI so it literally might not be real. Also I stole a line from a NY times piece where a sex educator tells boys if you want to be a lazy lover with no repeat customers watch a lot of porn!
Re: the smut discussion - I'm a younger millennial, prime time for the sexual freedom / sex positivity wave. This was a clear reaction to exclusionary, harmful sexual scripts. I think this example is a great illustration of a theme I'm seeing and feeling everywhere right now: "let's throw out this script that isn't serving SO MANY people, now you get to choose your own adventure". This is framed as empowerment, as liberty, as progress. And in many ways and for many people, it is! But also having no reliable / acceptable scripts for anything anymore (sexuality, marriage, having children, your career, etc) is exhausting. Making everything an individual decision is a lot. There are places in my life where I'm looking for scripts, but scripts without shame. Scripts that we have and hold for reasons, but also carry with a lot of compassion and space. Tricky tricky!
ok this is good I like the idea of "scripts" v. standards which is the word I've been using but this is better!
Yeah, I talk to young adults and none fo them want to go back to the days were the males always did the asking and paid for the date, etc,, but they say they wished in a world with just "dating" where there was a bit of a script to follow and didn't have to worry every second about what the next minute would bring.
The fact that OpenAI was even trying to get an erotic chatbot off the ground is a glaring indication to me that they know that their LLMs aren’t financially viable long term. If you need to make money quick off of a technology, what do you turn to? Sex.
The two things the internet is used the most for: porn and genealogy!
Heated Rivalry take by my friend/colleague on LitHub that addresses some of the ideas about what it means for queer romance and romance writ large (with a little politics at the end).
https://lithub.com/why-heated-rivalry-is-the-perfect-adaptation-of-the-romance-novels-strict-conventions/
There's been a steady increase in all sexy-ish materials over time so there can't be a renaissance. It's an increasingly flooded market that's continually becoming more mainstream. I don't think "sex positive" is in all directions; it's mostly focused on pushing everyone further to one end of the spectrum (especially women). The hypersexual end. Not a fan. Feels like just a new kind of shame from even more people. 😕
I haven't read Christine Emba's book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, but I have heard her interviewed a number of times, and she states that consent is not enough. People, especially women, need to have more voice and connection. The idea that a lot of extreme stuff that people see in porn is normal is killing off pleasurable sex and relationships.
Interesting. God forbid we admit men and women are biologically different beyond their physical attributes! Thankfully I'm also attracted to women so I'll have a slightly better chance 🙃
The commodification of sex has boiled down a moment of human connection to be as cheap and easy as possible... meanwhile, the loneliness epidemic rages on and our opting in to these services is seen as consent.
Emily Gregory’s astonishing victory confirms that gerrymandering isn’t a foolproof strategy for the GOP. The newly drawn Texas maps could end up failing spectacularly.
This episode is the pep talk that I needed! Thank you.
When "Heated Rivalry" came out I had no desire to like it and was so annoyed that it was popular. My girlfriend ended up forcing me to watch it (read: I wanted to hang out with her and she was already watching TV) and I fell in love with it.
I have a hard time with the fact that queer media featuring gay men and gay sex has the potential to go mainstream (especially among straight women) in a way that media with sapphic sex simply does not. I am so happy that this queer show is popular and can not wait for more. And I am frustrated that as a queer woman who came out later in life, the two pieces of media that feel the most like my love story are Heated Rivalry and David/Patrick in Schitt's Creek. I am sad that if Heated Rivalry had featured two women, it would have probably been a niche thing my gf and our queer friends were excited about, rather than the whole world. I am hopeful that this can be a moment where more queer mainstream media keeps moving forward with storylines representing even more people.
See I think people are more accepting of sapphic sex! The L-Word comes immediately to mind...
Ah yes. I was 8 when that show started airing so I missed that cultural moment 😂
So glad you found your love!! Patrick and David 😭😭😭 simply the best!!!
School spirits on Paramount+ features some great queer relationships and they're teenagers from different time periods so there's a bit of commentary on how comfortable each one is with being out. Also on paramount+ any of the newer star trek series feature loving queer relationships.
Oh! And Tig Notaro's "One Mississippi" on Prime!
Outside politics today: 😳🫣😶🌫️
Regarding the Meta rulings this week and future lawsuits, I’m already getting ads on Instagram to join class action lawsuits if harmed by Meta. Wild to see the ads on the offending parties own platform! But I’m very hopeful this will be the beginning of positive change around social media and maybe help us put the brakes on AI a bit.
Asking for a friend 🙃… name some of your favorite movies or TV shows that have “the heat.” One that comes to mind for me is Normal People.
I second Scandal and will add Bull Durham, The Notebook, and Daenerys and Khal Drogo
Bridgerton season 1 and 2. And 4. And Queen Charlotte.
Scandal…Fitz and Olivia
The finale for Love Story on FX was last night, and I was very into those two characters! I hear it's not very accurate, but the actors were beautiful and have great chemistry. I enjoyed it 😄
I’m gonna have to save this episode and play it when I’m low. What a breath of fresh air indeed. Thank you for the honest conversation and willingness to hold on to hope
Again, I turn to Tolkien:
“‘Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.”