Directed/Written By:
Jacob Tierney
Original Air Date:
December 5, 2025
Run Time:
48 minutes
Based On:
Game Changer - Chapter 1-13
by Rachel Reid
Season 1 - Episode 3

Hunter

A high-stakes career collides with love when a chance meeting ignites a spark.

HIDDEN DETAILS & EASTER EGGS

Heated Rivalry is the kind of show where you catch something new every single rewatch. This is some of the "WAIT DID YOU SEE THAT" moment, Easter eggs, and small details in this episode:

Small Detail
Timestamp: 07:07

Scott Loses His Smile

Scott/Kip
Scott Hunter
Kip Grady
Subtle Detail
Acting
3
February 12, 2026

A very small detail: Scott seems to lose his smile for a split second after Kip mentions watching the game with his dad the year before, as Scott's parents has passed away when he was 12.

Small Detail
Timestamp: 47:23

No Left Sock, Right Sock

No items found.
3
February 27, 2026

At Straw+berry, Kip asks whether 'left sock, right sock' is one of the superstitious pre-game ritual. And at the end of the episode, Scott wears his right sock on his left foot.

Easter Egg
Timestamp: 10:31

Game Changer Show Wall Art

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3
February 22, 2026

One of the art pieces at Straw+Berry resembles the background decoration of the Game Changer game show by Dropout. The name Game Changers is the book series that the Heated Rivalry TV show is based on.

TV SHOW vs BOOK DIFFERENCES

Jacob Tierney's adaptation is incredibly faithful to Rachel Reid's books - but faithful doesn't mean identical, and there are some changes that made reading the book alongside watching the show that much more interesting.

Changed from Book

Blue Moon Over Brooklyn

In the Game Changer book, Kip’s "Blue Moon Over Brooklyn" smoothie does not contain extra banana, but the show adds it, and also changes the socks Kip gifted to Scott from a blueberry pattern to bananas.

Changed from Book

Scott's Hair Colour

In the Game Changer book, Scott Hunter has blond hair. While in the TV show, he has dark/brunette hair.

CAST LIST
  • François Arnaud as Scott Hunter
  • Robbie G.K. as Christopher "Kip" Grady
  • Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander
  • Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov
  • Kolton Stewart as Carter Vaughn (Scott's teammate and best friend)
  • Bianca Nugara as Maria Villanueva (Kip's co-worker at Straw+Berry and friend)
  • Brandon Ash-Mohammed as Shawn (Kip's friend)
  • Matthew Finlan as Kyle Swift (Bartender at Kingfisher)
  • Nadine Bhabha as Elena Rygg (Kip's best friend)
  • Matt Gordon as George Grady (Kip's father)
MUSIC/NEEDLE DROPS
  • Wolf Parade - I’ll Believe in Anything (Scott running)
  • Alvin Stardust - Never in a Million Years (Scott sees Kip sleeping)
  • Rose Marie Cameron, Carey Parder - Tropicana (Kip blending the smoothie)
  • Margaret Lewis, Grace Tennessee - Lovers Land (Scott leaves the shop)
  • Jared Mees & The Grown Children - Hungry Like a Tiger (Kip watches Scott’s game)
  • Inside Cuts - Dream of You (Scott returns for a smoothie)
  • Night Lunch - Your Body (Elena tells Kip to fix his work schedule)
  • Nate Rose - Half on a Co-sign (Kip tells Scott this smoothie is free)
  • Jeff Cormack - Stay up Late (Scott invites Kip to his game)
  • HNTR, Roshin - No Brake$ (Kip & Elena at Scott’s game)
  • Peter Peter - La Nuit Est Longue (Kip & Scott first time)
  • Alfa Rococo - Lumière (Scott & Kip montage)
  • Peter Peter - Young & Restless I (“It’s ok. It’s not. I know it’s not.”)
  • Night Lunch - Wall of Love (Elena confronts Kip about his secrets)
  • Peter Peter - Young & Restless II (Kip finds Scott's gift)
  • Peter Peter - You Slowly Dissipate (Kip tells Scott he’s going home)
  • Baxter Dury - Lips (Scott’s speech “Hockey is Everything”

List provided by u/SoftSeagulls. Click here for the complete list of song & needle drop in Season 1.