It is evident that short form creators were paying close attention when Heated Rivalry became a hit, as gay athlete love stories are evolving into a distinct genre of their own. You can sense that more of these are on the way. This installment dives immediately into the aftermath, resuming Donovan and Kaden's relationship just after everything went public at the end of the first series.
The show opens with things going well for the pair, bolstered by Donovan receiving his NFL draft call. Rather than celebrating, however, Donovan is prepared to abandon the opportunity because going professional would require him to hide his true self, something he refuses to do at the expense of Kaden. After his mother pulls Kaden aside to tell him he needs to stop getting in his own way, Kaden makes the heartbreaking decision to invent a fake relationship and push Donovan away so the man can pursue his dream. Three years later, Kaden is nearing the end of his degree and interning at an NFL agency that is currently eyeing Donovan for a contract. When Donovan walks in, he asks for Kaden by name to be his assigned contact for the entire negotiation. While revenge is the intended plan, it falls apart every single time he is in the same room as Kaden. Kaden continues to build walls, driven by his singular focus on protecting Donovan's career. This results in over an hour of charged, love you hate you energy. During this time, Donovan quietly informs the agency that he is gay, secures an NDA, and maintains a fake girlfriend for appearances, even as both men slowly stop fighting their feelings. Kaden attempts to retreat one last time, but Donovan refuses to let him. Following a game, Donovan goes public with his feelings, and the NFL does not even flinch.
I actually appreciated that the revenge angle never devolved into something ugly. Rather than trying to hurt Kaden, Donovan simply couldn't be near him without his feelings taking control, which made their dynamic feel more like aggressive flirting than anything else. It was enjoyable to watch them stumble back toward one another through all that tension, miscommunication, and loaded glances; there is a real sweetness in seeing two people who keep choosing each other even when they are trying not to. Their relationship also feels more mature here than it did in the first series, which is a nice touch. However, the will they won't they dynamic drags on much longer than necessary. While the banter is fun initially, it just keeps going until it runs out of steam before they finally commit to anything. The actors carry the material well, though, and the return of the water boy costume was a clever little nod to prevent the title from feeling totally disconnected. This sequel contains everything you would want: sacrifice, loyalty, growing up, and second chances. (5/10)
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