SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details about Episode 3 of “ Heated Rivalry ,” now streaming on HBO Max .

When François Arnaud read the script for the third episode of the hit queer sports drama “Heated Rivalry,” he had the same reaction many viewers are having now after watching it. Instead of more sexcapades between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), the episode follows a fast and furious romance between Arnaud’s hockey player character Scott Hunter and a smoothie shop clerk named Kip (Robbie G.K.).

“It completely came out of left field,” Arnaud tells me. “And it’s a real tonal shift.”

Whereas Shane and Ilya’s story revolves around their hookups over many years, Scott and Kip actually start dating. In several scenes, Scott grapples with bein

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