Heated Rivalry is a show not defined by its sexual scenes, but certainly marked by them. So, here are the things I have noticed that set its approach to intimacy apart from other shows as an aroace person who experiences neither attraction nor arousal.
The main thing that stands out to me and what most of this analysis will center around is how sex is portrayed in such a respectful manner. It is neither overly chaste nor fetishized, it is simply the depiction of two people who experience attraction for each other expressing that attraction. It is in no way treated as taboo or something to be even remotely ashamed of. It is not even treated as something particularly special that should “only be done between committed couples.” It treats sex as what it is, an act between consenting Individuals of mutual pleasure and enjoyment. Sure, sex can have an emotional component, but it does not have to, and the show does not treat sex lacking such a component as any less meaningful or powerful, and it certainly does not demonize it.
(Just a note, emotion and attraction are not the same thing. Take Shane’s attempts at intercourse with Rose: there is an emotional component in that they do likely love each other, just not romantically, but it is missing a two-way attraction. Conversely, at the beginning of Shane and Ilya’s relationship, they lacked the emotional component, but there was strong attraction.)
Another thing I noticed is that the show does not shy away from movement, either of the camera or of the actors. A lot of other shows known for their intimate scenes (Ex. Bridgerton) tend to both keep the camera fairly locked in place (usually on the actors faces) and keep the actors fairly still, with all action being implied through vocalization and facial expression. In Heated Rivalry however, while the camera does give plenty of time to their faces, it also wider shots showing their position, which the show does not hesitate to change. Many different positions are taken in these scenes, and none of them are treated as strange or less correct than standard missionary. This is coupled with much more overt movement from the actors, all of which creates a much more realistic depiction of sex, adding to the idea that sex is not something to shy away from, but to embrace as a part of many people’s lives.
Narratively, the sex is written into the story in such a cohesive way, that to remove it would fundamentally alter the plot being shown. Again, take Bridgerton: most of its stories could be reworked to exclude the sex scenes while still telling essentially the same thing. There is nothing wrong with this, not every story needs to have sex as a central element or to have it at all, but the way in which sex is written into Heated Rivalry is truly special. It examines the way the sex, while not requiring an emotional connection, can build one. It does not act as if a prior relationship is necessary for such an act to be performed and enjoyed, and most importantly, it does not act as if a romantic relationship that originated as a purely sexual one is any less real or devoted than a relationship in which sex was a much later step. This, again, circles back to the idea that for many people sex is just a part of life that, like most things, can become something bigger, but doesn’t necessarily have to.
beyond how the show actually portrays intimacy on the screen, it is also unique in how it depicts its effects on the characters. For both Shane and Ilya, sex is something which empowers them. For Shane, who has spent a good portion of his life heavily repressed, sex with Ilya is a release. It is a way to express without fear a part of himself a part of himself that he usually has to keep deeply buried. In many ways, it is freedom from himself and the expectations foisted upon him . For Ilya, sex is freedom of another sort: freedom not from expectations, but from the treatment he receives, primarily from his family. Sex is a way for him to provide for his partner, to make another person feel good without the backlash he experiences when supporting his father and brother. For both of them, sex is a place where they can exist as they are without criticism or rejection, and the show knows this and uses this to emotionally would the characters in scenes like Vegas and the tuna-meltdown.
I may add to this more later, but these are just the thoughts I have now regarding intimacy in Heated Rivalry as a person who exists completely separate from such experiences.
baratheonpilled
origamiaround
izzy806
gummygunk
dailybridgerton
titsay
vaporwave
