'Queer As Folk' Creator Gives 'Heated Rivalry' High Praise In Heartwarming Instagram Post—And He's Exactly Right

Queer hockey romance and part-time drama Heated Rivalry arrived in the UK back on January 10, and since then, critics have had a lot to say about it, from the most excited to the most blatantly critical.

Adapted from Rachel Reid's seven-part Game Changer book series and starring Jacob Tierney, the show addresses competition and rivalry, love and passion, self-expression, self-doubt, and legacy on and off the ice.

Queer as Folk creator and former Doctor Who writer Russell T. Davies chimed in over the weekend in a lengthy Instagram post, and he was more than happy to sing the show's praises.

Here is what Russell T. Davies had to say about Heated Rivalry:

"LOVED THIS. Absolutely excellent!"

"Yes, gay, okay, hooray, but never mind the sex. This is a love story, a great big classic love story."

"And it’s a really classy production, great acting, direction, lighting, music, design (the real scandal is the property porn, oh those apartments!). And so many gorgeous details. Too many pillows on the bed."

"The camera’s gay gaze (that’s so rarely done right). Men watching TV with their hands down their pants. And the killer line being delivered in Russian, by Svetlana, about Jane. Wonderful."

"And it’s such bold storytelling: the wild swing of Episode Three, the rabble-rousing joy of Episode Five, the sheer patience of Episode Six."

"Sometimes there’s a fabulous lack of drama; traditional confrontations have all the steam taken out of them, replaced by proper, adult conversation."

"A gorgeous show, and in an age when GLAAD reports LGBTQ+ representation falling under a hostile regime, Canada surges ahead into a bold new world."

"Magnificent!"

You can see the Instagram post here:

Fellow Instagrammers were appreciative of Davies' praise and agreed with his review.

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

@russelltdavies63/Instagram

Books like the Game Changer series and shows like Heated Rivalry might not be everyone's cup of tea, and through a sports lens might not be everyone's favorite way of exploring themes of rivalry, love, and self-expression, but it's more important than ever before to have works like this that are representative for the multi-faceted and multi-passionate LGBTQ+ crowd.