Why fandom feels so good: Heated Rivalry’s happiness effect

Heated Rivalry, the Canadian-made, R-rated TV show about two hockey superstars who fall in love, was a breakout hit in late 2025 with more than 10 million viewers per episode. People who love the series, based on the hit books by author Rachel Reid, are finding great joy and delight in a show that seems to depict a  far kinder and more empathetic world than the one we see every day. On today’s episode, The Globe and Mail’s happiness reporter Erin Anderssen joins Garvia to discuss why shared fandom feels so good, why Heated Rivalry has become a warm blanket for so many during stressful times, and why we shouldn’t be embarrassed to lean into the things that delight us. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.