“Heated Rivalry.” Photo: HBO Max
In a stunning upset for television history, the penultimate episode of Heated Rivalry (Season 1, Episode 5: “I’ll Believe In Anything”) has officially tied with Breaking Bad’s legendary “Ozymandias” as the highest-rated TV episode of all time on IMDb.
As of late December 2025, the episode holds a perfect 10/10 score with over 30,000 ratings—a feat previously achieved only by the Walter White saga in 2013.
Directed by Jacob Tierney, the 55-minute masterpiece is being hailed as the “emotional culmination” of the entire series. Critics and fans have pointed to several key sequences that propelled the score:
The Russian Monologue: Connor Storrie (Ilya) delivered a gut-wrenching, five-page monologue in Russian while grieving his father’s death. Because Shane (Hudson Williams) doesn’t understand the language, the scene became a masterclass in intimacy without verbal communication.
The “Hole vs. Peg” Honesty: Fans of the novel celebrated the inclusion of the book’s most iconic, blunt line during Shane’s amicable breakup with his girlfriend, Rose (Sophie Nélisse).
The All-Star Game Pivot: The episode successfully translated the high-stakes Tampa Bay All-Star weekend from the page to the screen, balancing the fast-paced hockey action with the leads finally “laying themselves bare.”
The Scott & Kip Payoff: A massive emotional win for side characters Scott and Kip, including a public kiss that has since gone viral, triggered cheering crowds in sports bars across North America.
Fan Loyalty: The 10/10 rating reflects a “perfect storm” of a dedicated book fandom and a new mainstream audience, resulting in a nearly 400% increase in viewership this month alone.
