Heated Rivalry: Critical Narrative of Masculinity on TV- Part 2

In the first part, I mentioned that Heated Rivalry is not just a series which has queer narratives and queer characters, but also it is full with deliberate narrative language which provides a reading by the lens of critical masculinity. This approachment is felt the creating of women characters in this series too. So, let's read the Heated Rivalry's women by the view of critical masculinity in part 2.

Breaking the Stereotypes of Narratives of Women (mostly heterosexual)

The dominant male gaze in television narratives of masculinity confines the male character to a fixed and unchanging social category. Along with the male narrative, women are also created as products of the heterosexual, male gaze. In other words, the dominant heterosexual male narrative excludes many identities and sexual orientations, including women identity.

I can say this with a very superficial explanation: while male characters are at the center, women characters are reduced to supporting men. They are essentially characters who "fill in the gaps." Queer characters are mostly shown as supporters of women: one-dimensional characters with whom the viewer cannot emotionally connect...

Heated Rivalry disrupts, even overturns, this equation by centering queer understanding and characters. In doing so, it invites women characters into this "new" narrative. What is excluded here (yes, there is another excluded group) is the toxic male narrative!

In the series, we see the women characters as a famous and successful actress, an entrepreneur, an idealist and a good brand manager, a best friend, and a major supporter. Svetlana is Ilya's childhood friend who is always by his side. Although she doesn't play ice hockey, she analyzes all the teams and players in the league like a coach, even knowing who will win the championship. She helps Ilya both with "Jane" and with ice hockey (unlike Ilya's father, for that matter). She explains to Ilya why he can still succeed in the league after losing the Sochi Olympics. And she is right; Ilya and his team become champions that year.

Source: EnVi Media Svetlana

Rose is the person who helped Shane can discover himself, perhaps even admit to himself who the person he values ​​most is. She is sincere and avoids clichés when she says she wants to remain close friends with Shane.

Until episode 6, Yuna appears as a successful business and brand manager. She is Shane's biggest supporter on his career journey. From episode 6 onwards, we see her responding to Shane's "unexpected" confession with warm support. We also find her apologizing for all the behaviors that required Shane to hide. Their hugs melt our hearts.

Similarly, Kip's friend Elena is uncomfortable with Kip keeping his love a secret, just like Kip is. Elena expresses this during a dance with Scott, saying their love needs the sunshine.

Rose

The women characters are supportive, understanding, and wise, and extremely protective when it comes to friendship. At this point, I want to refer to an article I came across on British Vogue. The article emphasizes (writer Daisy Jones) that the women characters in the series are portrayed in not a one-dimensional way. I totally agree with this! These women characters aren't just supporting roles; they're characters who change the course of the series. If Rose hadn't had that polite and sometimes humorous breakup (staying friends) conversation with Shane, could Shane have been clear about his sexual orientation?

Also, since the series premiered, there's been a constant debate about: "Why do heterosexual women love/watch this series so much?" The answer is usually that they're tired of the dominant male narrative. I think this is true, but it's also incomplete! One of the reasons it's more loved by heterosexual women is the way the women characters are portrayed and depicted in the series. I think the audience can connect with the woman characters, if not directly, then through their roles in the series, and everyone can suddenly become a supporter of Ilya and Shane.

In every way, we're watching an exciting, warm, emotional, and of course very hot show. I hope the second season is at least as hot, cliché-free, and "queer" as the first, or even surpasses it ;)