The third episode of Heated Rivalry surprised fans by shifting focus away from the main couple, Shane and Ilya. Instead, it told the story of Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud. Arnaud recently shared that this bold storytelling choice made him nervous. He worried fans who were deeply invested in Shane and Ilya’s romance would be upset by the change. The episode, which streamed on December 5, 2025, on HBO Max and Crave, follows Scott’s secret relationship with a smoothie barista named Kip, played by Robbie G.K.
Why Episode 3 Focused on a Different Character
Heated Rivalry is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series. While the show’s first two episodes adapt the second book, which focuses on Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, Episode 3 adapts the first book, Game Changer. That book’s main character is Scott Hunter.
This explains why the show took a week off from Shane and Ilya’s story. Showrunner Jacob Tierney decided to include Scott’s complete love story in one dedicated episode. This move builds out the larger world of the series. Scott is not just a side character. His journey is directly connected to the themes explored by Shane and Ilya.
“I think the left curve of Episode 3 indicates that we’re going to see other angles of this story,” Arnaud told TV Guide.
François Arnaud’s Initial Fear of Fan Reaction
François Arnaud admitted he had a moment of panic before the episode’s release. He knew how strongly viewers had connected with the leads, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, after the steamy first two episodes.
“I guess this week I had a bit of a panic. I was like, ‘Oh my god, these people are so in love with Shane and Ilya. They’re going to hate me for hijacking a whole week of the episodes,’” Arnaud said.
His worry was understandable. The episode features only brief cameos from Shane and Ilya, spending almost its entire runtime on Scott’s fast-paced romance with Kip. Arnaud had to trust that creator Jacob Tierney’s creative plan would work for the audience.
Inside Scott and Kip’s “Sad Rom-Com” Romance
Episode 3, titled “Hunter,” plays out differently from the previous installments. Arnaud described it as a “sad Notting Hill” story, comparing his character to Julia Roberts’ famous movie star. The episode has a classic romantic comedy structure, beginning with a “meet-cute” at Kip’s smoothie shop.
Scott and Kip’s relationship moves very quickly. After one night together, Scott asks Kip to move in with him. However, their romance hits a major obstacle: Scott is a closeted professional athlete who is not ready to be publicly seen with another man. He asks Kip to wait for him, potentially for years, but Kip, who is openly gay, eventually finds this too painful to accept.
“For definitely the first half of the episode, [Scott] feels so emotionally available to this [relationship]… But I think that’s what’s heart-wrenching at the end… because he wants to be ready but he understands he’s not ready. He has to let the person he loves go because he loves him,” Arnaud explained.
Arnaud sees Scott’s story as a cautionary tale within the series. It shows the emotional cost of staying in the closet, a pressure that both Shane and Ilya are also navigating.
How the Actors Built Chemistry Quickly
Arnaud and Robbie G.K. did not have much time to prepare together before filming their intimate scenes. Their first meeting was with the show’s intimacy coordinator, Chala Hunter. They had only done one chemistry test over Zoom before being cast.
Arnaud said he knew immediately that G.K. was right for the role of Kip.
“I texted Jacob right after, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. He’s so open and simple,’… He plays all those rom-com beats but delivers them so that you forget there was ever a line,” Arnaud recalled.
The actors worked to make their characters’ intimate scenes feel different from Shane and Ilya’s. They described the scenes as less about “titillating eroticism” and more about showing vulnerability and a deeper level of emotional connection.
Fan Reactions to the Unexpected Episode
Despite Arnaud’s fears, the response to Episode 3 from viewers has been largely positive. Many fans took to social media to praise the episode’s emotional depth.
One fan on X (formerly Twitter) called the episode “beautiful and perfectly done,” thanking the creators for dedicating a full hour to Scott and Kip’s story. Another wrote, “Episode 3 of heated rivalry made me teary,” while others simply stated they “LOVED IT!”
Some viewers felt the romance felt rushed, given it was contained to a single episode. Other fans defended the pacing, pointing out that the show was originally planned as a six-episode series and that Scott’s story enriches the overall world.
The episode’s ending, where Scott and Kip break up, left many fans heartbroken but invested in their future. The story sets up their relationship to be explored further as the season continues.
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How Scott’s Story Connects to the Larger Season
While Episode 3 feels like a standalone story, Arnaud confirmed that Scott and Kip’s journey is “intimately connected” to Shane and Ilya’s. He teased that all the characters’ stories will converge later in the season.
“What changes the game for Shane and Ilya happens later in the season, and I would say that the emotional climax of the season involves all of these characters,” Arnaud said.
In Rachel Reid’s books, Scott Hunter plays a pivotal role in helping the main couple move forward. His actions later in the narrative reportedly give Shane and Ilya the courage to be more open about their relationship. This suggests that Scott’s heartbreaking decision in Episode 3 will have significant ripple effects.
The actor also addressed a popular fan theory from the first two episodes. Many viewers thought Scott was suspicious of Shane and Ilya’s secret affair. Arnaud clarified that his character was not consciously “clocking” them. Instead, he said Scott might subconsciously sense a “kindred” spirit in Shane but doesn’t dwell on it.
New episodes of Heated Rivalry are released every Friday on HBO Max in the U.S. and Crave in Canada.
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