The third episode of HBO Max’s hit series Heated Rivalry, titled “Hunter”, did something unexpected. After two episodes centered on the secret romance between rival hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the show pivoted completely. Instead of following the main couple, Episode 3 tells the love story of another character from the show’s universe: Scott Hunter, a closeted professional hockey player, and his whirlwind romance with a smoothie barista named Kip Grady. This focus on a different couple might surprise viewers, but it serves a crucial purpose in the larger narrative.
The episode acts as a key piece of world-building, adapting the first book in Rachel Reid‘s popular Game Changers romance series, which the show is based on. While Heated Rivalry is the title of the second book and the main show, the story of Scott and Kip from the first book, Game Changer, is vital context. Their journey directly impacts the emotional path of the central characters, Shane and Ilya.
Introducing a New Romance: Scott Hunter and Kip Grady
Heated Rivalry Episode 3 introduces a different kind of love story. Scott Hunter is the captain of the New York Admirals, a successful but intensely private athlete who is deeply closeted. His life changes when he meets Kip Grady, an out-and-proud college graduate working at a juice bar called Straw+berry. Their connection is immediate and intense, moving at a breakneck speed that contrasts with Shane and Ilya’s slow-burn, secretive affair.
The episode shows their charming “meet-cute” and follows their relationship as Scott, who has lost his parents, quickly falls for Kip’s openness. He confesses his love and even asks Kip to move in shortly after they meet. However, their romance hits a major wall: Scott’s terror about his sexuality being exposed to the public and his hockey team. He insists their relationship remain a total secret, forcing Kip, who is already openly gay, back into a closeted life.
François Arnaud, who plays Scott, explained his character’s dilemma: “For definitely the first half of the episode, he feels so emotionally available to this [relationship]… he doesn’t understand the toll that it will take on Kip to do that.”
Arnaud described the relationship as a “cautionary tale” for what can happen when someone lives inauthentically for too long, noting that Scott’s fear is “making him sick, it’s killing him, and making him a bad player”.
How Scott’s Story Fills a Gap for Shane and Ilya
The shift to Scott and Kip in Episode 3 is a strategic creative choice. The first two episodes of Heated Rivalry are charged with physical passion between Shane and Ilya, but the characters themselves are emotionally guarded and rarely express their deeper feelings in words. They are two closeted athletes in a high-pressure world, unable to confess their fears or desires to anyone, even each other.
Scott and Kip’s story solves a narrative problem. They are a couple that talks openly about their feelings, hopes, and fears. Their relationship showcases the emotional intimacy and domestic comfort that is currently missing from Shane and Ilya’s secret hookups. By showing Scott and Kip’s struggles with secrecy, the episode gives voice to the internal conflict that Shane and Ilya are experiencing but cannot articulate.
In essence, Scott’s journey shows the painful cost of staying in the closet, a reality Shane and Ilya are also grappling with. It provides a clear emotional contrast and sets a benchmark for the kind of open, committed relationship that seems impossible for the main characters at this point in the story.
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The Actors Behind the New Characters
The episode is led by François Arnaud, a Canadian actor best known for his role as Cesare Borgia on Showtime’s The Borgias. Arnaud, who came out as bisexual in 2020, brings a layered intensity to the role of Scott Hunter. He is joined by Robbie G.K., who plays the charming and emotionally available Kip Grady. Robbie G.K. is known for roles in series like The Next Step and Utopia Falls.
The chemistry between the actors was established quickly. Arnaud shared that after a Zoom chemistry read with Robbie G.K., the casting was confirmed: “I thought Robbie was just so open, available, able to sustain eye contact, and charming… I just believed it all”.
A Story with Fanfiction Roots
For eagle-eyed fans, there’s an extra layer of history to Scott and Kip’s story. Author Rachel Reid has confirmed that Game Changer, the novel their episode is based on, began its life as fanfiction posted online. While Reid has not specified the exact fandom, many fans believe the story originated as “Stucky” fanfiction, imagining a romance between Marvel’s Steve Rogers (Captain America) and Bucky Barnes. Reid has said posting the story online gave her the confidence to eventually publish it as an original novel.
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
Devoting an entire episode to a different couple is a bold move in a short, six-episode season. However, it is an investment in the larger story. In Rachel Reid’s book series, Scott Hunter is not a minor character. He plays a pivotal role in Shane and Ilya’s eventual relationship development.
Without giving away major spoilers, Scott’s personal journey toward living openly becomes a powerful catalyst and example for the main couple later in the narrative. Episode 3 lays the essential groundwork for this, ensuring that when Scott’s path crosses meaningfully with Shane and Ilya’s again, viewers will understand his motivations and the weight of his actions.
Heated Rivalry releases new episodes weekly on HBO Max every Friday. Episode 4, titled “Rose,” is scheduled to arrive on December 12.
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