Are we here for the story or the sex scene?

From adult romance novels to visual mediums, the spectacle of sex in storytelling has long been a rising trend in pop culture. Sex in the media has cultivated fanbases drawn to tension, emotional conflict, and often the romanticization of power dynamics. If you’ve spent a single moment online recently, you’re probably no stranger to the hot spotlight on the show Heated Rivalry.

Centered on a secretive romance between two rival hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the narrative builds their intimate relations through a decade-long entanglement of competition, emotional repression, and unresolved conflicts. Dominating social media feeds with character lookalike contests, TikTok trends, and sleek edits the show’s cultural impact is undeniable. Highly praised for its unique depiction of self-identity, power, and intimacy within a hypermasculine environment as well as how each contrasting protagonist develops within these themes.

However, public discourse has questioned and criticized the intentions behind the show’s sexually explicit content, highlighting how easy the line between “sex for sex’s sake” and effective storytelling can blur on TV.

Can Sex and Story Sell?

Whether it’s the plot of a romantic, glossy period piece like Bridgerton or a dark, violent fantasy like Game of Thrones, any sexually saturated series is often bound to stir up discourse. Many question whether audiences engage with these stories for their plot or merely to anticipate the next steamy shot. This rhetoric, however, overlooks the significance of connection, intimacy, and character development within these stories and how sex can often display such variables within storytelling.

Some audience reactions on campus reflect this divide. When asked about Heated Rivalry’s frequent usage of sex scenes, one student remarked “It’s too graphic and that ruins the plot.”

Another viewer, or moreover fan, suggests that the show is “the most beautiful love story of all time. They have the purest love for each other and while it might be buried in sex sometimes, it gets there in episode 6.”

A third viewer promptly describes that “In one sentence—the men are attractive and the love is poetic.”

These perspectives may suggest that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. While sex is not the primary appeal, it is both appreciated and notably regarded as a vehicle for emotional payoff. It is undoubtedly being watched for the sexy tropes and hot cast. But it is also being watched for the complex characterizations and the romantic, Romeo and Juliet styled trope that follows a bittersweet love story that battles against the odds.

In an interview with Them, lead actor Connor Storie, who portrays Ilya Rozanov, explained that the show’s sexual content is less about being explicit and more about the emotional and intimate context attached. He notes that “it’s not the sex itself, but what is going on in their life.” Storie emphasizes that the series focuses on “mapping their lives outside of [sex] and then how they show up sexually and romantically because of that.”

Fellow actor Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander, argues that “sex has a huge place in storytelling,” adding that in Heated Rivalry, “the sex scenes [were] being treated as deliberately as the conversation scenes.”

According to these perspectives, sex scenes were to be given as much narrative detail and intention as other supplementary scenes that are centered on dialogue—revealing how sex on TV can be utilized as a compelling storytelling tool rather than a mere additive or spectacle.

Sex For Sex’s Sake

Cultural discomfort also shapes these discussions, as the nuanced queer representation in Heated Rivalry is still relevantly new to mainstream popular culture. Partial to this, society often holds the storytelling of queer sexual narratives to a different standard than the heteronormative depictions of sex and romance. Queer intimacy must be constantly justified rather than being a natural factor of the narrative, alongside factors such as character development and the emotional progression of such lovers.

Within this context, the argument about “sex for sex’s sake” in TV focuses more on audience expectations and pre-conceived notions rather than about the show itself. After decades of rom-coms and love stories centered between straight couples in dominant media culture, it’s no coincidence that queer intimacy becomes frequently scrutinized for its excess, intent, or legitimacy behind the sexual content.

In series such as Game of Thrones, early seasons stage shocking sex scenes that span various genders, sexual identities and even taboo relationships, often depicted in highly graphic scenarios. Many defend these displays, claiming that the series deploys sex as a tool to illustrate the loose moral and cultural standards embedded in the fictional realm of Westeros—particularly the recurrence of sexual violence and taboos like incest, rape, and prostitution.

While the graphic exhibitions of sex may be justified to construct the complex fictional societies, many push back on this perspective. Critics argue that the sexual content is unnecessary to the plot, pointing to the disproportionate volume of female nudity and sexualization in comparison to their male counterparts. This interpretation often draws upon the common usage of fan service, in which franchises rely on the “sexploitation” of characters to prolong audience engagement and visual interest. Circling back to the original question—whether an audience engages with a series for the plot, sex, or a combination of the two—it becomes clear that sex on TV has no confines to single genre or intent. From romantic genres to fantasy epics, the purpose of sex functions differently across narrative structures and the corresponding cultural climate of audiences.

In lieu of determining where sex belongs in storytelling, it may be more critically productive to recognize our ever-evolving cultural norms. While there is no denying that sex can absolutely sell on TV, the issue lies not in its presence but the intent and unequal scrutiny it often receives when we fail to consider the cultural biases that shape our interpretations.

words_karly rae lieblong. photo_ruby tavano & jay moyer. design_jay moy.

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