HBO may be sitting comfortably at the top of the Emmy race, but even its biggest nomination morning came with one unavoidable question: what happens when one of your buzziest shows cannot compete at all? The network dominated this year’s Emmy nominations with 122 total nods, led by The Pitt with 25 nominations and Hacks with 24. It was another reminder that HBO still knows how to win awards season, even in an era where Netflix, Apple TV and other streamers are spending aggressively to catch up.
Still, fans could not ignore the absence of Heated Rivalry, the breakout queer hockey romance that became one of the year’s most talked-about shows. Despite streaming on HBO Max in the U.S., the series is not eligible for the Primetime Emmys because it is a Canadian production from Bell Media and originally airs on Crave. Emmy rules restrict eligibility for foreign productions unless they qualify as U.S. co-productions.
HBO chief Casey Bloys acknowledged the situation but did not seem frustrated by it. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said Heated Rivalry is “a proudly Canadian show” and added, “I’m just proud to have season two.”
That response makes sense. Awards are nice, but owning the conversation is sometimes just as valuable. Heated Rivalrymay not have Emmy nominations, but it has exactly what most platforms are desperate for: passionate fans, cultural momentum and a second season people are already waiting for.
There was one indirect Emmy victory for the show. Connor Storrie, who stars as Ilya Rozanov, earned a nomination for hosting Saturday Night Live, giving fans at least one reason to celebrate on nomination morning.
Meanwhile, HBO’s overall performance remains hard to dismiss. The Pitt and Hacks did not just show up, they overwhelmed their categories. Even with misses for shows like Industry and I Love LA, the network’s awards machine is clearly still functioning at a level most competitors envy.
Bloys also addressed the uncertainty surrounding HBO’s future amid the possible Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition by David Ellison’s Paramount, arguing that corporate changes have not stopped the network before. Given HBO’s track record through multiple mergers, he may have a point.
The bigger takeaway is simple: HBO is still the standard. Even when one of its hottest shows is locked out of the Emmys, the network still walks away looking like television’s safest awards bet.