Heated Rivalry

[Clefable]

Anyone watching this on NowTV?

I may have binged

🥵🥵🥵🥵

I’m so scared it’ll be disappointing. The energy and vibe will naturally be different and I’m hoping they are strong enough to go back into the space they created.

I can’t say I know much about the fandom but it does make me sad to hear.

Part of HR’s charm was that for most of us, it came out of nowhere. With new fresh actors. The energy will be different I’m sure. Hopefully as good though.

@Fatrascal27 what kind of things are nasty in the fandom? I saw that a photo of Hudson had popped up from a high school party - a bit stupid but all teenagers do stupid things.
I really like the show but I do find some of the obsession around the actors a bit much. I admire them and think they’re brilliant in the show but I feel some people are so invested on places like Reddit. I haven’t seen anything nasty though.

If you’ve been in a fandom before, it’s the usual stuff. Factions, doxxing, parasocial stuff. Fans digging for dirt, supporting one actor, not the other. Racism. Name calling. Attacking friends and family. Forcing AO3 authors off the internet. Criticising Rachel Reid and the show runners. It’s mainly X based discourse that I try to ignore. However now showing up on threads.

That picture of Hudson is the result of some fans searching for info to use against him. It’s honestly crazy stuff. Only takes a minority to spoil something. Inevitably the actors pull back and understandably give less of themselves to fans.

Hudson currently in the firing line but Francois Arnaud is often on the receiving end.

It is exasperating. The TV show only came out 6 months ago! I just hope it settles down.

Thanks @Fatrascal27

I find it so interesting on a psychological level. Like, genuine question, why do people start developing these parasocial relationships? And doxxing, being mean to friends and family - what exactly is the point? Not expecting an answer but just genuinely I find it weird! I get that they’re two new actors who have been thrust to fame and so we can all kind of impose our own view of them quite easily, they’re kind of fresh arrivals, but more than that I don’t get at all!

Also I’m also nervous for season 2. I think the long game is my favourite RR book but think it will be tricky to adapt.

Hudson currently in the firing line but Francois Arnaud is often on the receiving end.

@Fatrascal27 Who is being mean to Francois Arnaud?! As for Hudson, I'm glad smart phones hadn't been invented when I was young.

I'm not on X or threads so I think I miss the majority craziness.

It was rumoured that he and Connor were an item and that made him a target. people were in his old posts and photos looking for dirt to dish.

As to why people behave like this….wtf knows. Fans have existed for ever but unfortunately the internet has made everything worse!

Yeah Reddit scares me a bit - there are people in HR subreddit getting multiple HR themed tattoos which is a bit intense. I think it's a mixture of obsession but also they get kick from other people complimenting them.

I saw someone on Threads had gone to Hudson’s girlfriend’s tattoo place and got a HR tattoo! That’s just weird.

That's just sooo creeeeepy! And you would think these people are 15, but a lot of them seem to be middle aged!

On the subject of unhinged behaviour from a fandom, has anyone read Esther Is Now Following You? I couldn't put it down. It's not an MM Hockey romance (or any kind of romance) but it's a sort of darkly comic psychological look at how social media and online fandoms can be toxic for both the fan and the subject of their obsession, but also their loved ones. I started reading it around when the pics of Hudson at that high school party came out and found it really thought provoking.

@QueenMabby, do report back on April X - have a wonderful time!

Thank you. Not going to the premiere tonight unfortunately but going to the second showing tomorrow. Will report back!

How was it?

It was great. A bit weird but Connor was amazing!

I bet he was. In the short clips I’ve seen he comes across as us usual enigmatic self.

He’s going to kill us in season 2.

I know…..I’m reading TLG and it’s….a lot. I can’t wait to be put through it though! 😆😆😆 All the angst.

The show came out of nowhere but next series is massively anticipated. I’m not sure I can bear all the discourse around it. I think I’ll go on a social media exile to avoid this and spoilers. I hope it comes out in U.K. as same as in US and Canada. It will come out weekly too so we will have to survive between episodes.

I watched it before it came out in the U.K. and did the weekly watching. It was torturous! The week between eps 4 and 5 were particularly hard.

Francois has made some comment about them filming seasons 2 and 3 together this year. Filming goes from August to December so that would make sense. Does mean that it might be over quicker though. Cast are contracted for 3 seasons and I don’t know if they will be able/willing to contract for a further season to cover Unrivalled if seasons 2 and 3 cover RM and TLG.

Yes I heard that about the seasons. Makes sense given how busy the actors are. I can’t see us getting a season 4. But you never know!

I’m so invested in whether Connor is going to show at the YSL show in Paris on Tuesday (4pm bst), I don’t know what’s happening to me! He was in NYC last night in case anyone else is tracking his travel plans!

I read he saw a play on Broadway. He could definitely be going to YSL but I expect he’ll be starting filming again soon. Busy boy.

i am way too invested in these 2 men. I watched a hockey show in January and have thought about the show, the stars or the actors every day since then. Ridiculous.

I keep seeing people hinting that this weekend there will be a Calvin Klein ad posted with Connor and I'm slowly losing faith the longer today goes on 😭
But theres still a glimmer of hope..

Erm that would break the internet.

im trying to stay away from HR related social media because that fandom continues to eat itself. They are the worst. However I did see people wondering if Connor would be at the YSL show.

I am also continuing my re read of TLG and honestly it’s so sweet. And sad. I can see the actors saying those lines I’m reading and I feel that we will not survive!