The gang at The Produce Stand are joined by Reid Vanier from You Wanted This Podcast and Ghostfacers: A Supernatural Rewatch Podcast to discuss episode 6 of Heated Rivalry: The Cottage.
Ratings:
- Tanya: Fresh
- Victor: Fresh
- Al: Fresh
- Mat: Fresh
- Reid: Fresh
Episode MVP:
- Tanya: “I Love You” Scene
- Victor: Wolf Bird
- Al: Connor Storrie
- Mat: Connor Storrie
- Reid: Connor Storrie
Links:
- Opening Theme: Rightfully Mine by Poised For The Worm
- Closing Theme: Inebriation by Poised For The Worm
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- Join Our Patreon
Al: [00:00:00] That fresh produce stand there, that’s a beauty.
Tanya: What do yous listen to?
Clip: My Favorite Murder podcast. Taggart and Torrance Podcast. The Produce Stand.
Tanya: Ah, fucking sexy.
Al: It’s Tequila Tuesday, and that means we are once again hanging out at The Produce Stand, podcast covering everything in the universe.
I know what you’re thinking. There are a lot of o- other Letterkenny podcasts out there, but this one can say the word lovers without cringing. Except for Matt, actually. I’m Mal, your host, and joining me in the room, as always, is the lovely Tanya. And online, we’ve got Squirrely Matt and the very heated Victor.
And joining us this week, he is a podcaster and comedian from Whitehorse, Yukon, and the co-host of the award-winning podcasts You Wanted This and Ghostfacers: A, uh, Supernatural Rewatch. Please join me in making some noise for Reid. Wondrous.
Clip: Oh my Gawd.
Oh
my God. Oh my God. Yeah, boy.[00:01:00]
Take it. Oh my God. Take,
Reid: take the heat.
Clip: I regret nothing!
Reid: That’s amazing.
Clip: Welcome.
Reid: That, that rocks.
Al: Welcome to the podcast, Reed.
Reid: It’s a vibe, eh? I love it. I
Al: love that. So, I mean, yeah, obviously you’re not familiar with our show, which is fine, it’s, it’s cool. Uh, but imagine we’ve had most of the actors from Letterkenny on, and they’ve all had to sit there listening to that-
after I’ve introduced them, including, uh, Michelle Mylett, who played Katie, including Jay Trevor Wilson, who played, uh, Squirrelly Dan, so. Right. Yeah. And they’ve had
Mat: s- And we, we very quickly learned we had to give them a heads-up. Yeah Like, don’t… Like, it, like, they always try to step over it, and we’re like, “Oh, hold on.
Hold on.” Yeah. “It’s gonna be a very obnoxious soundbite.” We, we’ll cue it up. “We’ll cue you when it’s time.”
Al: Yeah. Yeah.
Reid: Yeah. Amazing.
Al: Welcome to the Produstry, Dan Reed. Uh, uh, thank you so much for joining us. And, and from Yukon, which is [00:02:00] amazing. Like, uh, what are you doing? And you’re wearing a retro Toronto Maple Leaf Börje Salming sweater.
Explain yourself. What are you doing up there?
Reid: How did I get here?
Al: Yes. I
Reid: made a wrong turn.
Al: Uh-huh. Uh… At Albuquerque? Yeah, yeah.
Reid: Yeah. Uh, yeah. And I, I moved to… I’m, I’m from Ontario. Mm-hmm. I’m a, you know, Toronto adjacent, uh, uh, boy. But I, uh, I moved up here about 10 years ago. Uh, and I’m not the only one. Uh, uh, Whitehorse, Yukon is full of Ontario expats.
Interesting. And, uh-
Al: What do you do up there?
Reid: Uh, I work at the university up here. Okay. Uh, but, uh, but we’re ev- we’re everywhere. Mm-hmm. The Yukon is really growing. You know, it’s a, it’s, it’s very small place. We’re very isolated, but, uh, I think it’s become a sort of like a spreading secret about how awesome a place it is.
Mm-hmm. Uh, [00:03:00] there’s, like, we’ve … You wouldn’t think it, but we’ve got, like, an awesome food scene. Really? There’s lots of, like, arts and culture. There’s a ton of sports. You may have heard of Gavin MacKenna. Mm-hmm. Uh, you know, we’ve got a, we’ve got, we’ve got lots going for us, uh, up here in the Yukon. And so- Yeah.
He is your newest export … it is spreading, and more and more people are moving.
Al: Very cool. So what,
Mat: what- Now, when you say more, hold on, when you say more and more, like, what, what are we talking here in terms of population in your area?
Reid: So Whitehorse itself is about 30,000 people. Okay. The whole of the Yukon is- So my neighbor, my neighborhood.
Yeah. The whole of the Yukon is, like, under 50.
Victor: Mm-hmm. Okay. So you couldn’t even fill the SkyDome.
Reid: No, no, no, no.
Tanya: Do you ever have- Man, I love it … like, town meetings, like, where everyone comes?
Al: We’ve been watching a lot of North of North lately, so, so this is where she’s coming from, by the way. Yeah, we
Tanya: do.
Reid: No, we’re- We do.
No, we’re, we’re, we’re not that small in Whitehorse, but you could definitely do that in other places up here.
Mat: Mm-hmm. So there’s [00:04:00] no bell and you guys all go to the city hall and meet?
Reid: No, no, I’m … You know what? I, I keep trying to dispel the rumor that we all know each other up here, and then- It’s
Mat: hard …
Reid: my parents, my parents will run into someone whose, like, nephew is up here, and, and I inevitably know them.
So I’ve, I’ve- … not yet been able to quash that rumor. But-
Al: Reed, we’ve been trying to convince our American listeners that we don’t all know each other up here in Canada, and, and- Yeah, right. Yeah … failing, and failing miserably because every once in a while, like, something comes up, and it’s like, “Oh, I know that person,” and they’re like, “Of course you do,” because you’re all- Yeah
the Canadians know each other. So I can’t imagine. Yeah.
Tanya: Okay. What do you lo- Yeah. I, I have, I have to know, like, okay, so work took you to Yukon, I’m guessing?
Reid: uh, my, my wife’s work. Mm-hmm. Uh, like she w- she was on like a term sort of contract up here, and I came up to visit. And then right after she came home to Ontario, the person she had just [00:05:00] been temping for fully quit, and they offered her the job, and I kind of waved my arms and said we should do it because I was sort of-
I was getting kind of fed up with, uh, you know, the Ontario rat race, uh- Sure … uh, the situation I was in. I love it. Uh, we moved up here, and yeah, n- haven’t, uh, haven’t looked back. Hell
Mat: yeah. Fuck yeah.
Reid: Don’t,
Al: don’t tempt Matt while up here. Don’t tempt Matt with a good time. He’ll, he’ll-
Mat: Oh, it sounds- Watch out
it sounds wonderful. Keep- Ah, yes … talking dirt, keep talking dirt into me, Reed. I’m in.
Al: So-
Tanya: Let’s just screw the po- what we were gonna talk about. Let’s just talk about Yukon and, and your- No, we can’t … and your
Al: life. We, we, we need to get this ball rolling. I mean, maybe-
Tanya: There, there’s a whole podcast right there
we’ll
Al: have Reed back if he, if he’ll- Yeah … if, if he enjoys his visit. Uh, Reed, the reason you’re on- We’re, we’re network, uh, uh, brethren now. You know, we’re both on Sonar Network, and I, and I put out the word. I needed somebody to, to guest for, for this episode, and you put your hand up. I’m like, “Great.” So we’ll have you on.
Michael’s v- vouched for you. I’m like, “All right. He’s not an asshole. Let’s have him on.” I’ve been listening to, [00:06:00] uh, your, your podcast, You Wanted This, and, and loving it, and actually I, I, I, I talk about it on the Discord. I’m so sorry. No, no, it’s been great. It’s been so much fun. You, you and, uh, your, your partner Richard are hilarious.
The other one that you do, I believe you’ve probably gotten in our way of winning our first Canadian Podcast Award with Ghostfacers, uh, which is a, a Supernatural re-watch. Ooh, sorry. I, I just wanna talk about that real, real quick because when you started… W- well, first, when did you start that endeavor?
Reid: Uh, that was like fall 2020.
Al: Okay. ‘
Reid: Cause we’re doing every episode of that show. Yeah,
Al: and there’s 14-
Reid: And
Al: there’s 15 seasons … 15 seasons, yeah.
Reid: Yeah.
Al: And they’re full network seasons- And so we s- we s- … like 20 ep- plus episodes each.
Reid: Season three is short because of the writers’ strike. Right. But otherwise, yeah, they’re all th- like full, kind of 23 episode seasons.
Mm. And so we’re a- we’re actually, we’re like creeping towards the end now. Yeah. Like, we’re into season, uh, 14. I think we’ve got like maybe 30 episodes left. Like, we’re, um-
Al: And what are [00:07:00] you gonna do after that? We’re, we’re approaching the end. Cry or, or are you gonna celebrate?
Reid: We’ll just have to find some other way to avoid our families, I guess.
Right. We’ll…
Mat: That’s amazing. Oh, that’s good.
Al: Well, uh, why don’t we get
Reid: this- I did hear- Oh … I did hear last episode- Mm … that, uh, that someone who shall remain nameless doesn’t like ghosts Yeah. So I apologize-
Tanya: It’s okay. I was, I was doing- … if,
Reid: if me being here brings
Tanya: anything up … uh, no, no. I was doing la, la, la, la, why, why, just in case anything creepy came up that I was like-
Victor: I told you it was a comedy.
I- Like a dramedy comedy. There’s nothing scary about it … no, I’m
Tanya: pretty sure, though, Reed’s thing is different. Yeah,
Victor: that’s different. Yeah, mine,
Reid: yeah, mine’s scarier, I would say, than the show Ghost.
Al: Yeah.
Tanya: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Al: Amazing. Well, why don’t we get this, uh, rig rolling? How are you now? Tonight’s lineup is Tanya, Victor- Oh
myself, Matt, and our guest Reed will have the last word. Tanya. Hi. How have you been? Let’s, let’s get this quick because I think it’s gonna be a l- another ma- marathon [00:08:00] episode.
Tanya: I am doing well. I am just … I’ve been super busy. What did we do on the weekend, even? I don’t even remember. It was … It … Oh, I did nothing on Saturday.
Oh, that’s right. You did nothing. I did do nothing. Yeah. I also had a migraine.
Al: Yes.
Tanya: But I did do nothing. I was, I was hurting, and I was, um, trying to fight it all day, and, um, and then I was out. Um, so yeah, it didn’t work. Um, but on the next day, we made up for that, and we n- uh, like checked a lot of things off the list, which I loved.
I love nothing more than checking off the, um, my box.
Al: Oh, so do I. Yeah, baby. So do I. Raking leaves and winterizing the property- You know what, though? … the day after a gig. It was- Yeah, that’s what I wanted to do … it was
Tanya: so perfect. We, um, we have, uh, the biggest tree on the, on, in the neighborhood. And, um- A weird
Mat: flex
Tanya: we were, we were blowing, we were blowing the leaves. No, no, it was good. We were blowing the leaves into a big pile, and one of the, the, the next-door [00:09:00] neighbor kid came over and said, “Can I jump in the leaves?” And so he jumped, and then there was like this group of children on the other side of the road that were just standing there watching the first child, um, get the approval to go.
And then they were waved over, and oh my God, we had, I don’t know, like five, six kids jumping in the leaves. And oh, it was so, it was, it was a m- magical moment. It was so, so, so sweet. It was
Al: fun to watch. Yeah. Yes. We’ve been in the suburbs long enough that, uh, the size of your front yard tree is a big deal.
Tanya: Yeah. It’s a big deal.
Al: Especially when everyone else’s tree is being cut down ’cause it’s sick or something, and ours is still hanging out, so.
Tanya: Yeah.
Al: But, uh- It’s like
Victor: Matt’s big deck.
Al: Yes.
Tanya: And I had my yoga tonight, and, and as I was like laying there in my meditative state, um, I heard a loon, and I thought- … and I thought- Yeah
“Oh my God.” You mean
Al: a wolf
Tanya: bird. I m- a wolf, uh, that is exactly what came to my … I’m like, “Oh my God, it’s a wolf bird.” I’m like, and then- You
Al: heard a loon at Holland Landing?
Tanya: No, it’s on the meditation. Is there even any water near
Al: you? Oh.
Tanya: Guys, it’s the meditation. Oh, okay. The, the, the l- Are you
Al: sure
Tanya: it wasn’t the [00:10:00] train?
Shut up. It’s the meditation. Oh, I’m getting excited. It’s the meditation, um, um, that we were listening to, and it had wolf birds. It’s the opening to Weekends
Al: by The Tragically
Tanya: Hip. Yes. And so I- immediately took me to this episode, so there you go.
Mat: All right. So there was no loons?
Tanya: Nope.
Mat: No. Victor.
Victor: Oh my God. I feel like we just did this a couple of days ago.
A week
Mat: ago.
Victor: Yeah. Uh, it feels shorter. Um, but let’s see. I, I sp- I spent Saturday in Oakville. Uh, met up with some friends who are all over the place, so we decided Oakville would be a good meeting place. And, uh-
Al: Did you go to Stoneys? You should go
Victor: to Stoneys … uh, we were… Like, it was on a lake shore, uh, part, so it looks just like the beaches- Mm
except way west of us. Right. But it’s basically like a mirror copy of the beaches. Mm-hmm. It’s the same, like, exactly the same. Um, so anyway, it was nice. It was like a lo- nice little character street, and we went to a nice restaurant, had, uh, some ice cream. Uh, [00:11:00] I found Dippin’ Dots, which is my favorite ice cream.
Um- I’ve never had Dippin’ Dots … so I don’t know if you guys know what that is. Yeah. It’s like the- The frozen one … flash frozen.
Reid: Awful.
Victor: Yeah, yeah. It’s awful. It’s the best stuff ever. Fucking
Reid: awful.
Victor: You don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway, so I did that, and, uh, I could- Save the
Al: energy for the review later, guys.
All right.
Victor: Y- yeah. And, uh, just- Yeah … nonstop playing- Fucking abomination … my, my new guitar and stuff like that. So, um, that’s about it.
Al: Very good. All right. Mm. Yeah, I had a show Saturday night. Uh, that’s an- Very good … she’s home with her migraine. I was out partying and, uh, having a good time- … but then the next day she put me to work, so that sucked.
Yep. Uh, in terms of what I watched, I, I watched Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. Have you seen that? Ugh. Yeah. Matt, you didn’t enjoy it too much?
Mat: No, it wasn’t, that wasn’t very good.
Al: Is
Victor: that the fourth one?
Al: It’s the last, the latest one.
Mat: Any, anything- Okay … past the originals- Mm-hmm … really hasn’t been great.
Al: No. It, it had its moments, but, uh, it was- Yeah … pretty unbelievable where, you know, a 70-plus-year-old Indiana Jones is, like, jumping from-
Victor: Did, did they de-age him?
Al: No. Uh, [00:12:00] well, I’m sure they did. I’m su- apparently he did a, a bunch of stuff like on- They
Reid: absolutely de-aged
Al: him in that movie. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, apparently he did some of the horse riding, uh, part, like, when he’s going through New York City.
I don’t know. But, uh, anyway, uh, but it, the, the, the opening scene was a, a throwback to original Indiana Jones ’cause they de-age him, right? So he looks like young Indiana Jones and, and is, uh, an un- outrageous act- action sequence that you would expect from an Indiana Jones movie. But, uh, other than that, it was…
What?
Tanya: What is de-age?
Al: uh, d- designated hitter. Did, did they sub him out- Oh … with a, with a stunt double? Yes, they did, ’cause he’s- … like 90 years old.
Tanya: What does this word mean?
Al: Anyway, uh- Keep on talking … other than that, uh, Matt, I don’t know if you were gonna bring this up, but I just wanna pour one out for, uh, Eric Bauza.
I’m sure- Mm … I don’t know if you were gonna bring it up, but I met the guy, and it’s such a sad story. The voice of most, uh, Looney Tune characters, uh, [00:13:00] and I think, uh, in his mid, early 40s.
Tanya: What?
Mat: 46.
Al: Yeah, yeah, or mid-40s.
Clip: Oh.
Al: Un- unbelievable.
Mat: 47?
Al: And- 46 … founder of, uh, your favorite brand- Yeah, Ret- … Retro Kid.
Mat: Retro Kid, yeah, alongside Steve Gaskin.
Al: Oh,
Mat: man. Yeah. It’s, uh, yeah, it was just-
Al: Shocking …
Mat: shocking news.
Al: Yeah. Died in his sleep- Yeah, very sad … apparently, yeah.
Tanya: Oh my gosh.
Al: But, uh, anyway, wanted to bring that up, ’cause, uh, I know that Matt, the, it, that Retro Kid anyway is near and dear to your heart. But I remember I, I spoke to him at a Fan Expo, and I was even trying to get him on the podcast.
And, uh, uh, I told Trevor Risk, and, and Risk was like, “Oh, if you get him on, I wanna come on, too,” ’cause he was so- … so excited to talk to the voice of- Yeah … Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig and Daffy Duck and all those, all those amazing characters. He, and, uh- How…
Tanya: I’m sorry. How is Bugs Bunny only 46?
Al: No, he’s… No- Uh, uh-
this is the guy who does the voices or did the voices now. Mel Blanc did them originally.
Tanya: Oh, okay.
Al: But the, this is- I was like- … and this guy’s from Mississauga- … Bugs is not that old … Ontario. Like, he’s a Canadian. From Scarborough. Or, or Scarborough. Scarborough. Scarborough, yeah. Scarborough. Wrong side of Toronto.[00:14:00]
Oh. Uh, anyway, uh, so-
Tanya: This just happened this week?
Al: Yeah, it just happened, like a couple of days ago. Couple nights ago. Gosh. Shocking, shocking news. Anyway, uh, Matt.
Mat: Uh, yeah, I mean, obviously, that, that was pretty big news for the, uh, Canadian landscape and the Toronto boy and all that. And again, yeah, Retro Kid.
I actually sent a message to Steve Gaskin just sending my best. I’ve met him a few times as well. Uh, yeah, love the br- I’m actually wearing a Retro Kid right now.
Mm-hmm.
Some, uh, yeah. So, uh, aside from that, it’s been, uh, fucking crazy, man. Um, it was my little guy’s birthday on the weekend. We celebrated that at The Bubble, which is like a giant indoor inflatable park.
Um, I had to go in with the kids. You
Al: had
Mat: to, right? Um, yeah. Well, I was. No, I wa- I, no, no, I actually did. We had to have, uh, chaperones in there with the children. Um, I, I can’t do it. It’s like about five minutes in I was sitting in the corner hyperventilating- … ’cause it’s just exhausting.
Tanya: Oh my God,
Mat: yes. Um, yeah.
Tanya: It-
Mat: I’m still tired … it’s so overwhelming … it’s, now it’s three days. [00:15:00] Yeah. It’s just ti- just y- y- y- bouncing is not as- It, it’s more of an exercise than you’d think it would be, let’s put it that way. So did that. Um, yeah, it was a busy fucking weekend. Every- That’s why Tigger
Al: was so fit. But anyway, go on.
Mat: Oh, my…
I like it. Uh, no, it’s just been crazy, man. One thing after another. We had that. My, my eldest started hockey, uh, this weekend. That’s awesome. So good for him. He’s, he’s almost 16, but he first time hitting the ice in an actual game was this Sunday, and, uh, he- I saw the
Al: video you posted. He didn’t look out of place.
He looked all right.
Mat: No, no, he did pretty good, I think. Um, he’s, he’s definitely… He’s got, he’s got to find his legs, but he got that first game jitters out. It’s just house league, which is obviously where you start. Mm-hmm. I’m super excited for him. He’s so pumped. Um, just, just proud to be there and watch him.
Because it’s so many people, and I, and I get it, saying, you know, good on him for at his age starting. Mm-hmm. ‘Cause that’s something usually you’d start much earlier. For sure. And to have the, the cojones to get out there and hit the ice and just figure it out, um, big [00:16:00] on him. A- and yeah, just very proud of him to watch him get out there.
So week after week we’re gonna go, and I’m gonna watch his game evolve. ‘Cause he’s got the shot, um, he’s spent probably hundreds of hours in our garage just firing pucks at the wall. Um, and now he wanted to start playing a couple years ago, but I said, “Your, your foot, your feet aren’t there yet, um, and I don’t want you to look like a complete idiot.”
So I made sure that he hit the, uh, get on the ice as much as he could the last couple years. So now he can skate, and, uh, now he’s ready to start learning the game itself, so. Very
cool.
Um, w- it was really fun. It was really fun. Um, aside from that, not a whole lot. Busy as fuck at work. Got a big event coming up this week, so my entire, um, week has just been dialed in on this one activity.
I’ve pretty much been canceling all my meetings and shit aside from that. And, uh, yeah, just, just tired, but excited to be here, and, uh, diving is… Oh, the only thing I will say, I’ve started watching, um, a movie today actually. I’m only 20 minutes in, and I am [00:17:00] wildly intrigued by this. The Invite. Has anyone seen this?
No. I’ve been dying to see it. I’m only 20, I’m only 20 minutes in with Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Edward Norton- Oh, I’ve seen it … um, and, uh, Penelope Cruz. Oh, wow. Oh.
Al: Quite the
Mat: cast. I like it. It’s
Victor: good. It’s a
Mat: good one. There’s a lot going on, and I am very overwhelmed and stressed 20 minutes in- … but I’m for it.
Nice. So, um, we’ll, we’ll see where this goes, but yeah. Yes. I’m looking for some good movies.
Victor: I endorse that one.
Al: All right.
Mat: There you go. Cool.
Al: Um, before I move on to Reed, Victor, I tried the Shoresy game on Steam the other day, and I’ve realized this about myself. I’m, I’m… My video game days are way behind me.
I, I suck at it so bad. It was fun.
Victor: Did you, did you put it, did you put it on easy mode?
Al: Yeah, easy mode, story mode, and I couldn’t fucking win a game to save my life. It was-
Victor: Oh,
Al: well, that’s, that’s, that’s discouraging … I don’t know if maybe it’s just a crappy controller that I’m using, but no, it was, it was…
Anyway, it was fun, though. It was, it was, it was, uh… I see what, uh-
Victor: Were you holding the controller upside down?
Al: Possibly. Sometimes that happens. Possibly. All
Victor: right.
Al: Possibly. Anyway, Reed, how have you been? What have you been up to? [00:18:00]
Reid: Oh, boy. Uh, I just finished a three-week run of a play that I was in- Oh, nice … up here in Whitehorse, uh, which was fun, but time-consuming.
Al: Mm.
Reid: Uh, so it’s nice to have, uh, nice to have some evenings back. Uh, you know, my, my kid’s, uh, in hockey as well, and so freeing up some time to be at the rink- Mm-hmm … is good. My wife also plays, so we’re, like, frequently just camped at the arena. Uh, and yeah, what else? God, I don’t know. I’m bra- I’m bracing for the long dark of, uh, of Yukon winter.
Right,
Al: right.
Reid: Uh, getting ready for that. But, uh, yeah, no, I’m other- otherwise-
Tanya: The-
Reid: I’ve been so consumed with, uh, being in a play- Okay, explain. The long- … I haven’t had time for anything else. Well, he’s up there, so in the winter,
Al: the, the nights-
Tanya: The long dark. How long does the long dark happen for? When does it start and when does it end?
Now I need to know.
Reid: Well, uh, we’re, we’re starting to get into it now, I would say, but we, we [00:19:00] lose something like eight or nine minutes of sunlight a day until the shortest day. And then on the shortest day, in Whitehorse, we get about four-ish hours of sunlight.
Tanya: Four. That’s it. Wow.
Reid: Wow.
Tanya: Wow. Lot of vitamin D for you guys, eh?
Like, get on- Oh,
Reid: yeah,
Tanya: yeah … get on with the…
Reid: Yeah, I don’t know if, I don’t know if you guys have heard of this or not. It’s a bit of like a, a legend up here, but there was a, a, a… I’m not making this up. There was a public health campaign, uh, in the Yukon years ago that was, uh, how do you get your D? And it, it, uh- It went mod- it went modestly viral.
It, like, uh, it got kind of picked up in the States- I love it. I love it … and stuff like that. Very good. Nice. But, uh, yeah.
Tanya: Nice.
Al: That’s incredible. But Tanya, Tanya’s motto is, “Distracted by the D,” so that’s, uh, yeah.
Tanya: I am. I am.
Al: Love it. Amazing. All right. Well, let’s get this rig rolling, shall we?
Clip: Previously on Letterkenny.
Al: Last week, we recapped and reviewed episode five of Heated Rivalry, I’ll Believe in [00:20:00] Anything. And believe it or not, that episode was a unicorn, getting a fresh rating from all of our panelists, including our guests Gord and Tom. This week, we tackle season one finale of Heated Rivalry, The Cottage. Tanya, have you done your homework?
Yeah. Victor, have you done your homework?
Victor: Konichna.
Al: I’ve done my homework. Matt, have you done your homework?
Clip: Hell yeah. Fuck yeah.
Al: And Reed, have you done your homework?
Clip: Yes.
Al: All right. Well, don’t bore us, get to the chorus. Let me, uh, share my screen, and we’ll get this thing started. Uh, where’s my share button?
There it is. With sound.
All right. We open with Scott Hunter accepting his MVP award at the league’s end of season awards show. Uh, this takes place a few weeks after his very public declaration of love for Kip at the end of the previous episode.
Clip: A few weeks ago, I achieved my lifelong [00:21:00] dream, winning the cup. For those of you who’ve done that know how it feels.
I don’t even think I have the words to describe it But something else happened that night, something you may have noticed got a lot more attention than the Admiral’s William Cup.
So it’s, it’s been an interesting month.
In case you missed it somehow, I came out as gay in a ridiculously public way. And I’ve always been a private person. I’ve never really shared anything about my private life. But from what I’ve seen over the past few weeks, it’s, it’s maybe important that I do a bit. Fans have been sending me messages, and a lot of young fans, telling me how much it meant [00:22:00] to them for me to come out And look, I, I love hockey.
I’m so grateful that I get to do this for a living. But I also know what it feels like to not fit in
When I was a teenager, I, I realized that I may be that thing that hockey players like to throw around as an insult. The kind of language that I heard on the ice and in the locker room every day was a constant reminder that I was different When, when you have a secret that you work as hard as I did to protect, it’s, um exhausting.
It’s a nonstop effort, and it’s also really, really lonely.
Thankfully, I found the person who [00:23:00] changes everything, and he gave me the confidence and strength and the need to be honest about who I am
Fear is a powerful thing But then, uh, I found the one thing that is more powerful. So I share this honor with my teammates and my coaches,
but I also share it with you, Kip
You have made me better in every conceivable way. I love you Thank you
Al: And we cut to July at Ottawa International Airport, where Shane picks up Ilya.
Ilya climbs into Shane’s decidedly unexciting SUV. Shane points out that it’s practical and good on snow. Uh, the two begin to drive to Shane’s cottage, and then we get the title screen. All right, so that’s the cold open. Tanya, we’ll start with… We’ll discuss it, [00:24:00] start with, starting with you. What did you think of that, uh, cold open?
Tanya: Um, I think it was perfect. Um, I love that we started with Scott Hunter, ’cause really that is what is, um, stepping us off from last episode to, in, into this one. And, um, he is so perfectly, um, sp- well-spoken. Mm-hmm. Um, and I love, again, and the timing and how he takes his breaks, how he chooses his words. I love the cutaway to the bar.
I w- I was kinda confused why Kip wasn’t there- I know … in the audience. That
Al: was the point I was gonna make, yeah. Why,
Tanya: why, yeah. Um, but I love that Kip was with his friends- Mm … and that we got to see that, you know, same bar where he, you know, struggled with the, the, um, you know, hiding who his boyfriend was- Mm
to not only, um, coming out but being celebrated, um, publicly. [00:25:00] And, um, and, and good on, uh, Scott for, for addressing him and, um, giving him that, that, um, thanks.
Mat: Yeah.
Tanya: Yeah.
Mat: Victor?
Victor: Yeah, that was, uh, really well done. Uh, I was gonna br- bring up that point, actually, like what, why was, uh, Kip in the bar and not at the awards ceremony like the other families- Mm
would have been? So that was- And wives and
Al: girlfriends and
Victor: so on … that, that’s a bit of… Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was a bit of a head-scratcher for me, that one. Mm-hmm. Um, maybe he needs to be eased in. Too much too quick to whatever, but- Yeah, maybe … um, yeah. But this l- this… It was an interesting speech because it was a kind of a speech that you would just, you know, some, some elements of it anyway, like that you would hear any other player say, and then at the end saying, “I love you” f- to the partner who helped them through and all that kinda stuff.
Um, but there was so much more to this, obviously, so. Um, but the one thing that kind of t- kind of kept it from being storybook is, is [00:26:00] that when he started talking about, um, you know, the kinda language that is being used in the sport, not when he was young, but, like, it’s just that’s part of the sport.
Clip: Yeah, yeah.
Victor: And, and, and how difficult it is for him and anybody else in his situation, and so it’s, it is very much part of the culture, but he’s, he stood up against it- Mm … um, in, in spite of it, right? So, so it’s, it’s kind of a… It’s, it’s a nice moment, but it’s the one that kind of reminds you of the real world at the same time, so.
Yeah. Um, yeah, so it’s, it’s, it… It was really well done. Uh- Mm … but it’s, uh, it’s, it’s a little bit meta that way- Sure … for real, for the real world.
Al: I don’t know how much of this is the same as what- written in the book or, or Tierney, you know, taking a bit of, uh, artistic license. I feel like he’s writing, he’s writing his, his speech t- directly to the NHL, and in light of what’s- Yeah
been going on lately with him, uh, speaking out still about how the culture hasn’t changed in the NHL, uh, [00:27:00] I feel like this, I’m wondering how much of this was his words as opposed to what was written in the book. And, um- Mm … I, I don’t know, Reed, if you’ve read any of the books. Uh, we haven’t, so.
Reid: No, I, I, I haven’t, so I- Yeah
I, I can’t make the, the comparison. I’m, I’m not sure.
Al: Mm-hmm. So it’ll be interesting to hear from anyone who, you know, who comments about, uh, whether that speech was verbatim or whether it’s very different in the book.
Tanya: Do we know, was Tierney like a hockey player? Does he have that kind
Al: of- Well, he was born and raised in Canada.
He was brought up in the, in the c- hockey culture. He directed both Letterkenny and Shoresy. Like, this, he- I wonder if he himself,
Tanya: yeah …
Al: he’s pr- prepared, prepared for this- Right, right … on his entire career anyway. Um, Matt
Mat: Yeah, I mean, you guys have touched on all, on all the big points. I, I, I agree right out of the gate I was like, “Why isn’t Kip there?”
But I, who knows, there could be 1,000 reasons. I don’t wanna overthink that.
Al: Yeah.
Mat: Um, you
Al: know, I don’t- They make a point of it s- saying it’s a couple of weeks after it happened. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe there’s a media storm and he didn’t wanna be in the middle of it. There’s also, right? Yep. Yeah.
Mat: Yeah, yeah. [00:28:00] We can make any kind of theory.
Sure. But it, it didn’t, it, it was fine. I just have to assume because of the, how happy they both looked that there was probably some personal reasoning, so I, I moved on from that. Um, I, I think they addressed it really well in the- in this topic. I like that the timeline didn’t, like, they could have done it where it’s, like, the very next day.
Mm. Newsstands are hitting, blah, blah, blah. All, all this shit and address it. I like to have the little bit of time go by and, and almost felt they addressed the whole topic with grace. Like, let him tell his side of it. Uh, let him be the person who addresses the topic at hand, um, and not through the perspective of anyone else, which I think was a good move in this.
And again, I don’t know what’s true to the stories- Yeah … um, or anything, but, um, I like that perspective and, and I think I, I talked a bit about that in the, in the last one as well, how it was a kind of on his terms and that’s, that’s important on this one. So no, I thought it was really great. His speech was really impactful.
Um, and also [00:29:00] hard agree that this is absolutely a well-written take and, and I’ve called it, what is it, a shot at the entire, um, hockey league out there. Like, so it’s, it’s, it’s very real. This kind of, these kind of feelings, these kind of fears, um, apprehensions, whatever you wanna call them, it’s, that’s no joke.
And, um, it’s unfortunate, but talks like this and, um, are, are very important and, um, I thought they handled this very well.
Uh,
Victor: and, and by the way- Oh, yep … just one, one more thing on that. Like, it’s, it’s, it’s a shot at the league, but the reality is that it’s not, the culture is not just within the game- Mm Yeah
but it’s around the game as well. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So what’s the biggest- It’s,
Al: it’s a shot at the culture, not specifically
Victor: the league. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. I mean, like, what’s the biggest, uh, uh, thing that, you know, the idiots say about Matthews is they make fun of his man purse and his masculinity and all that kind of stuff.
I mean- Yep … that’s, it, it’s like w- who needs that?
Clip: Yeah.
Victor: W- why is that out [00:30:00] there? And that’s, you know, so the NHL has a responsibility to take that out of the game, and hopefully that will influence, uh, the f- the, I don’t even wanna call them fans, but- Yeah … you know what I mean? Like-
Al: Sure …
Victor: influence, you know, get those, get that kind of douchebaggery out of it.
But it’s, so it’s, it’s not just the, the what’s in the game, but the culture around the game,
Al: for sure. When, when Stromboli was on h- Hockey Night in Canada, the, the, the, the biggest, uh, criticism wasn’t his hockey knowledge or anything. That was, it was how tight his pants were, you know? Exactly. And, uh, it was, it’s just ridiculous.
Uh, Reid, what did you think of the, that, uh, cold open?
Reid: Yeah, I mean, I, I l- I don’t, I don’t, I don’t wanna double up too much on all the, the stuff that’s been said. I think I … To me, what I think stands out is Um, it, structurally, like this speech, like has to take a… It has to kind of like pull its punches a little bit.
Mm. [00:31:00] Like, A, in the world at the hockey awards, we’re not gonna go full tirade-
Clip: Mm … on
Reid: the culture, right?
Clip: Mm-hmm.
Reid: And al- uh, and but also, B, as a show, it’s, it’s not about Scott Hunter, right? Mm-hmm. And, and so the show has to kind of walk this tightrope of addressing these things and speaking to them and doing them in a good…
Like a, an interesting way and a powerful way, but it also has to be… It can’t become the Scott Hunter show. Yeah. Like, we have to be able to flip.
Clip: Yeah.
Reid: And, you know, we’re definitely springboarding off- Mm … the end of last episode and this for, you know, uh, for what the guys are going through. B- but I, w- what, for me, what I think it does is it m- it makes the speech, while good, it’s a very, like…
It’s sh- it’s shaved [00:32:00] off the edges. Right. You know what I mean? It’s
Al: held back a
Reid: bit. This is not like- Yeah … this isn’t like at the Oscars when someone goes up and is like, “But I’ve got a thing that…” You know what I mean? Yeah.
Mat: It’s like publicist-ready.
Reid: It, it’s a- Yeah. Totally. And it, and it’s totally fine.
Like, that’s not a criticism of the moment, but I think you can see some of the wheels turning, where it’s like anything more than this, the show becomes about Scott Hunter.
Al: Mm.
Reid: Yeah. And we can’t let that happen, right? So he’s gotta pull back just a little bit, you know?
Al: Yeah. Well put. All right. Coming out of the title screen, Shane and Ilya continue their drive to the cottage.
There’s some awkwardness at first, and they don’t say much to each other. It’s a two-hour drive, so Shane finally breaks the silence to ask Ilya if he’s hungry. Ilya says he’s okay. Shane follows up with some small talk about the cottage and how relaxing it is. Ilya asks if that’s what they’re gonna b- be doing, relaxing.
Uh, Shane hopes so. He says he’d like to relax with Ilya for once. Ilya thanks Shane for inviting him. Uh, Shane’s glad Ilya’s there. Ilya is too, but admits he’s a lit- also a little terrified. Uh, Shane assures him that the cottage [00:33:00] is super private. He even told his parents he’s attending a silent meditation treat.
Ilya finds this amusing and takes Shane’s hand as they contin- continue their drive. Uh, they arrive at Shane’s beautiful secluded lakeside, lakeside cottage. Shane gives Ilya the grand tour, although Ilya seems considerably more interested in the owner than the real estate. The two quickly find themselves making out on the couch.
Shane warns Ilya that it’s been a lo- a while for him, so he may not last long. Uh, Ilya admits the same, but they have, uh, the next two weeks together. So Shane keys in on Ilya’s comment. He’s surprised that Ilya hasn’t been with anyone in, uh, else in months either. Uh, Ilya insists it’s no big deal, but clearly it is for both of them.
Uh, Shane then proposes something radical. For the next two weeks, they should be completely honest about what they’re thinking and feeling. Ilya agrees, although he’d prefer they get back to the physical stuff. The two t- t- the two make their way into the bedroom, and we cut to the boys enjoying some much-needed domestic bliss.
Uh, they’re, they’re eating- … burgers, teasing each other, and learning what it’s like to [00:34:00] spend time together with- without the, the constant pressure of having to leave. Uh, during one of their conversations, Ilya asks Shane to tell him about his parents, and Shane gets his… get… tells him about his mom, he, who he gets his looks from, and his, and the boringness of his father.
Uh, Ilya discr- discovers that Shane has never told his parents he’s gay, and Shane thinks they’d be fine with it, but he’s not sure how they’d react to him being with Ilya. Uh, Ilya thinks it would be fine to tell them he’s gay without giving them a list of all the guys he was fucking. Uh, later that evening, the two sit outside be- uh, beside a bonfire.
Ilya asks, “So we just sit here and look at it?” Do they not have- Do they not have bonfires in Russia, Victor? That’s a
Victor: good one. Uh, yeah. You have to, to burn all, all the, uh, religious literature.
Al: Okay. So…
Tanya: There’s a purpose to the burns.
Al: Um, anyway, uh, Rose texts Shane to t- to check in. Ilya acts jealous. Just then, a strange animal noise startles Ilya.
Shane explains that it’s a loon, which Ilya hilariously interprets as some kind of terrifying [00:35:00] Canadian wolf bird. Uh- When Shane responds with his own-
Tanya: Oh, you should have so clipped that.
Al: When Shane responds with his own loon call, Ilya accuses him of being fluent in f- wolf bird too. It’s an amusing, cute moment between the two of them.
Later on, the conversation takes a much more serious turn. Shane asks Ilya if he’s spoken to his brother lately. He hasn’t.
Clip: I’m sorry about your family. Even if they suck, you must miss them
My mother didn’t suck.
She was great
How did she die?
By accident
She accidentally swallowed a whole bottle of pills
How old were you?
Twelve.
I found [00:36:00] her
I don’t want you to think she was weak
I don’t
She wasn’t She was so funny and beautiful
She was so sick And my dad was so hard on her and Motherfucker.
Al: Uh, Shane asks him if he’d like to go inside. Ilya says, no, he’s content just being there with Shane, staring at the fire. All right, uh, let’s talk about, uh, up until now. Victor, what do, what do you think so far?
Victor: Uh, yeah. All of it is great. Uh, I, I found it amusing that, uh, uh, Shane, uh, gave that stipulation about being honest, but then when he started…
when Ilya started asking about the [00:37:00] parents and why he didn’t wanna tell them that he’s gay and/or come out to them, uh, suddenly that was off the … He didn’t wanna talk about that. So he kind of broke his own rule on that one. Mm. Uh, even though things progressed later. But at that point, um, I felt like, uh, it’s like, “What happened to your, uh, uh, you know, to your, uh, rules?”
Um, overall it was really good. Obviously, the, uh, wolf, uh, wolf bird was… I think it had happened already by that point.
Clip: Yeah, it did. Yeah.
Victor: Yeah.
Clip: It was hilarious.
Victor: Yeah, yeah. So, so that was, uh, probably my favorite scene.
Clip: Mm-hmm.
Victor: Um, uh, and yeah, it was just really good. Very wholesome, very nice. Um, it, it was the kind of…
It was kind of op- Like, we k- I think we knew the whole time that he hadn’t come out to his parents, but we didn’t really make a big deal about it. Uh, I don’t think we spent too much time talking about it, ’cause we kind of saw his parents as almost c- cut- cardboard cutouts- Mm … um, the way that they had been presented to us to that point.
Um, and [00:38:00] obviously we kind of get to, uh, unpack some layers on this one. But it’s, it’s, it’s interesting that, uh, all the way to this point, that Shane never felt comfortable and, uh, you know, we, we’re gonna… We’ll talk more about that later on. But, um, that, that was kind of… That, that’s what kind of stood out for me, is that, yeah, wait a second.
He n- he, he’s… It’s like, what, why haven’t we made a big, big, you know, a bigger deal out of that to kind of say, “Wait,” you know, “What the hell is going on in, in Shane’s family life that he’s, he, that he hasn’t been able to come out to his parents, who probably know anyway?”
Clip: Yeah.
Victor: Um, so s- but, but you know. So lots of thoughts, lots of emotions.
It’s, uh, so far very w- uh, very well done.
Al: Mm-hmm. I’m loving the scenes at the cottage. Uh, Tierney’s really good at establishing mood. Uh, he did it really well in Victor’s favorite Letterkenny episode, The Sleepover.
Victor: That’s right.
Al: And, and he’s doing it here masterfully. [00:39:00] And if you notice- Much
Victor: better here, by
Al: the way.
One, one of the things I noticed, uh, like after the second or third viewing, like getting my notes prepared for this, and it’s s- so unlike Tierney, the entire time minus one little moment where there’s, later on that happened when they’re s- looking at the sunset, zero music while they’re at the cottage.
Mm-hmm. The whole soundtrack is just birds, loons, water, fire. It’s, it’s… Like, there’s no music. Uh, it’s, it’s really… And it… But it’s really effective in setting the mood. Mm-hmm. That relaxation, that intimacy that they’re, they’re g- they’re, they’re sharing all those- discussions that they’re having. There’s nothing there to make you feel any way.
You’re feeling however you’re feeling from just their acting, from their- the- the dialogue and from what’s going on. So I- I really love that. Matt?
Victor: Oh, uh- Yeah … sorry, Matt, before you go, one thing that stood out to me that both Linda and I were kind of giggling about is the cottage itself and all… Just nothing.
There’s no [00:40:00] walls, it’s just windows. Yeah, yeah. Uh, and it’s like, wait, like if- if one of those, uh, you know, paparazzi’s followed you and hiding in the bushes- Yeah … I mean, there- there’s a lot of windows on that cottage. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, even the bears are getting some good, you know, peeping Tom action there.
We- So, um,
Al: I don’t know … that cottage is available on Airbnb, actually. Uh, we- we- the- I remember that … Miriam, uh, suggested that we record this episode from the cottage. I’m like, “Oh, man- Yeah … we don’t have that kind of budget.” Uh, Matt.
Mat: Yeah. Um, I- I’m loving this. I think you- you- you called it right away, the- the ambiance, the lack of sound because I think what they’ve painted here is one of the most genuine Canadian moments you could possibly have, and I’m sure this happens other places, too.
But when- when he made the comment about the fire and, “What do we do, just stare at it?” Yeah. Yeah. I was… I- I- I felt two things. One, instant anger- … ’cause I’m like, “Ilya, what the fuck?” But then it was [00:41:00] immediately followed with delight because I’m like, “Oh, w- wait, he’s gonna get it.”
Clip: Mm-hmm.
Mat: He’s go- he’s gonna, he’s gonna come around and he’s gonna get it because I know, and I…
and many people f- share this, sitting like that, and that’s the reason there’s no music. The soundtrack is natural, and it is one of the most serene things you can ever experience, and you don’t want a lot of talking. You just wanna take it all in. So that i- it was just beautiful to me. Um, I always say it’s one of my favorite things in the world, just sitting by, sitting by a fire.
I can stare at one for hours and hours and hours- Mm-hmm … and just get lost and mesmerized in that moment. And, um, so I’m so glad that they’re doing this, especially for someone like Ily- Ilya coming from Russia, experiencing the Canadian wilderness in this manner. Um, it’s perfect. It’s absolutely perfect, and I’m [00:42:00] excited for him in this moment-
after I was done being mad at him.
Al: Uh, Reed, what do you think?
Reid: Uh, yeah. I, I mean, what’s, what’s great about this episode in general, but specifically this whole section, is how quiet it is. Like, so much of the rest of the season is the… It’s like-
Mat: Yeah …
Reid: the fast pace of, like, travel and career and of, like, the actual game itself.
Yeah. And, and, you know, stripping all of that away and just them actually spending time with each other- Yeah … it, it’s giving them an opportunity to catch up to what Scott, Hunter, and Kip got to do because they isolated themselves- Right … in a way in Hunter’s apartment, right? Yeah. Like, um, and there’s something that I r- there’s something that I appreciate about this show, [00:43:00] which is the kind of, the complexity of- Being…
B- because these guys are in hockey and they’re surrounded by the culture and stuff like that, they, they’re so, like, emotionally stunted with each other. And what this, what this whole cottage sequence lets them do is take a little bit of time to decompress, and then finally say the things. Yeah. Yeah. You know?
Like, we’re not there yet where everything comes out, but, like, it… They’re, they’re finally able to do it. Like, they’ve never had the time or the ability before, ’cause they’ve been under such pressure. So I love that about this. I mean, I, I mean, to Victor’s point about the windows, I mean, practically he’s…
You’re right. It, it, it’s maybe not that secret. But what I love is what, you know, what Tierney’s doing with it, right? Like, uh, like, Ilya not letting him put the blinds down- Right … and stuff like that. Yeah. It’s like, “We, we don’t have to here.” And [00:44:00] that’s the key to the whole, the whole sequence. Like, they get to live a little slice of what their life could be-
Al: Mm-hmm
Reid: if, if they felt empowered enough to live it that way, right?
Al: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Tam?
Tanya: Um, I, I love the car sequence. Like, the car scene leading to the cottage- … and how Ilya even said, you know, that he was terrified. I, I love that he, he called that out, because this is not something that they are able to do or they feel that they can do.
And, you know, even Shane asking, like, “Did anyone recognize you?” And I don’t think so. And- Yeah … you know, Shane’s always going through the checkboxes in his mind and trying to figure out, you know, um, and making sure everything is, is, is done-
Al: By the book,
Tanya: or… Yeah … the best way it can be done Or as carefully
Al: as
Tanya: possible.
As… Yeah.
Al: It’s very measured, yeah.
Tanya: Um, but I loved that they showed that [00:45:00] awkwardness for, for the first little bit in the car, because they, they, they want this, but at the same time it’s like if… It’s uncomfortable, because that’s not- Yeah, they don’t know how to,
Al: how to do it yet.
Tanya: Yeah … Yeah. Yeah. That’s not the relationship and their foundation.
Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, the, the… Once they get into the, the cottage and, um… Uh, I, uh… Everything that you guys were saying about the, um, sounds of, of being at the cottage, you know, it makes me take that nice deep breath, and, uh, you almost can smell the, the air. And, um, um, it just… It… There’s nothing like being at a cottage- Mm-hmm
and, and getting that feel
Al: All right, move on. The following morning, Shane and Ilya wake up together. There’s no awkward escape, no rushing to catch a flight, and no pretending their time together didn’t mean anything. Ilya tells Shane that he likes him, and Shane reciprocates. Uh, later the two play a hockey video game.
Shane scolds Ilya for picking Montreal. Uh, Ilya says he’s always wondered what it’d be like to be a Metro. He teases, “You know, historically they’re the best team in sport.” [00:46:00] So Shane chooses Boston and Ilya approves. His picture is on the cover of the fucking game after all. Uh, Shane receives a phone call from his teammate and friend Hayden Pike, who updates him on an, on his new baby.
Ilya meanwhile decides this would be an excellent opportunity to distract Shane with, uh, some decidedly inappropriate activities. Uh, Shane attempts to maintain a normal conversation while Ilya does everything possible to make it that difficult. Uh, uh, after the call, Ilya teases Shane about enjoying the thrill of doing something forbidden, but Shane makes an important distinction.
Their relationship might have started as something exciting and dangerous, but it is, hasn’t been just about sex for a long time. Cut to the boys outside kicking the soccer ball around. The conversation turns to Ilya’s future. His contract with Boston is coming to an end, and he’s considering signing with a Canadian team.
He also eventually wants to obtain Canadian c- Canadian citizenship, distancing himself from Russia. Uh, later that evening, Ilya als- also floats the idea of marrying Svetlana to obtain an American citizenship. It’s Shane’s turn now to act jealous. [00:47:00] Ilya insists they are just friends and it would only be for the passport.
Shane says that since Ilya likes women, he could find someone he’d want to marry for real and still get a passport. Uh, but Ilya explains that he has this problem. Despite being surrounded by beautiful women, he finds himself constantly thinking about one particularly annoying slow hockey player with beautiful-
freckles and weak backhand. Uh, Shane takes the opportunity to plea- plead his case.
Clip: Do you want that problem to go away?
I don’t ever want that problem to ever go away
Don’t marry Solana. Just don’t I know it wouldn’t be for love or whatever. Just don’t
We can figure something else out, okay?[00:48:00]
Okay.
Al: Later that night, Shane wakes Ilya with an idea. What if Ilya signs with Ottawa? The two cities are close enough that they could see each other regularly without attracting too much attention. They could also gradually change the public narrative surrounding their, surrounding their rivalry. Uh, Ilya doesn’t understand.
Shane starts talking about how intense the rivalry is between Boston and Montreal. Shane’s getting excited, but Ilya still doesn’t get it.
Clip: You play for Ottawa. I play for Montreal. Okay? We’re, we’re only two hours apart, and we start a charity, something that, you know, we, we both care about, and we come up with a story like I, I approached you.
Or I approached you.
Fine, sure. And we tell the press and everyone that by working on this cause that we both love, that we developed a mutual respect for one another, and, you know-
And three like sucking each other’s dicks. Any questions?
[00:49:00] Fuck off. This is a good idea, Rozanov.
Okay. Okay. It’s not bad. So we start the charity.
Yeah, and it wouldn’t be bullshit either. Like we can really start a charity, something cool that, that means a lot to both of us. And, you know, we still play hard against each other on the ice. Shut up. And then if people saw us out in public or whatever, it, it wouldn’t be so fucking crazy And we’re only two hours apart all year round.
Apply for like citizenship here in Canada, and maybe one day when we both retire, we could be together for real
You really think that Father had Hollander?[00:50:00]
I do
about this
And is that what you want,
to be together?
So much. So much it scares me[00:51:00]
Al: on this one
Mat: Yeah. Um, okay, a lot going on.
Al: Mm.
Mat: Um, first off, the phone call BJ, that was, that was hot. Like, come on. Anyone-
Al: Mm-hmm …
Mat: that’s, that’s how you wanna be on the phone, right? Like-
Clip: Hell yeah …
Mat: hell yeah, fuck yeah.
Al: Especially with
Mat: your buddy-
Al: Um- … talking about his newborn baby.
Mat: I mean, yeah. You know what?
We’re, we’re dudes. Like it, it- there’s, there’s… My wife often says like, “Is there anything that [00:52:00] doesn’t get you going?” I’m like, “No, not really.” Uh, so it doesn’t matter, like, not that that’s gonna get me going. You know what I mean? But it’s like, there’s always a joke, like, “Seriously? I look like this?” I’m like, “Yeah, it’s, it’s doesn’t matter.”
Right? So it’s cool. Um, the constant chirping is hysterical to me. I love all that. The… ‘Cause that’s again how I picture, uh, two guys being together, is that you would just be chirping each other constantly, and it’s amazing. Now, to the big moment, the big scene at the end. Um, I found this really hard to watch and, and, and I, and I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but…
‘Cause it was very conflicting. So it’s, A, the, one of the cutest, sweetest things imaginable, but at the same time, extremely painful to think that they even have to think like that.
Clip: Right.
Mat: Like, it’s really fucked up. And you know, I, I honestly started going, “Aw,” like, “Oh, that’s, oh, that’s really cute. Oh, that’s a really good idea,” and I’m like buying into this life that they’re creating and I’m…
But then I stopped and I’m like, “What [00:53:00] the fuck?” Like, it’s wild. Um, and they’re both so dialed in on the same thought. Like, it didn’t even… Like, it, I was waiting for the Ilya or something to make, “Oh, you’re being crazy,” or something. But no, he’s like, “It’s a good idea.”
Clip: Mm-hmm.
Mat: Because they both understand the consequences and, and the impact of what they have going means and how they have to navigate it because of the world.
Um, and, and because of all that, it was very difficult to watch. Mm-hmm. Um, even though it was like layered on all this sort of sweet loviness that they’re, that they’re coming out to. Um, so found that very difficult. The other thing I’ll be honest with that I, as this episode’s been progressing, I, I don’t know how I feel about this hyper-vulnerable Ilya.
I kinda like the hard ass- Mm … um, [00:54:00] sort of rough around the edges, uh, version of him when he’s kind of a dick. So this like one that’s like all in on feelings, I don’t know. Is it just me? ‘Cause it’s, it’s, it’s a very different Ilya. It’s very different. Like, it’s-
Al: Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
Mat: It’s very different, and this whole episode I remember thinking that.
I’m like, “I, I kinda want him to just be a dick for a second again.” Um, ’cause I don’t know. I don’t know. But that’s my thoughts on this.
Al: All right. Reed, what do, what do you think?
Reid: Yeah, I mean, I, I, I liked what Matt was saying about the scene being a bit painful b- because when you zoom out a little bit and you go that, that big triumphant moment at the end of last episode, uh, you know, on, on the ice winning the cup, coming out, and then that speech to start this episode and the most that it can inspire these guys to do is just m- make a better lie.
Clip: Yeah.
Mat: Yeah, yeah. Make up a lie. It’s, it’s- [00:55:00] Make up a life.
Reid: Yeah. … is, is really sad. Mm. Like, that’s… It’s- Yeah … it’s not inspiring them to, like, tear down all the walls. You know, maybe it’s… that’s just too much for them, you know? Yeah. Like, they, I, like, that’s not, that’s not casting- an espersion on them. Like they’re stuck in a system that’s- Mm
not built for them, you know? Like, but it is really sad. Uh, I think this whole episode, but also like this entire show, like lives and dies on the performance of Connor Story.
Al: Mm.
Reid: He’s so-
Al: Oh, a big fan …
Reid: good.
Al: Yeah. He’s been my MVP- Like- … on a bunch of these episodes. Yeah, yeah …
Reid: every moment, all these little turns of being like thoughtful and then, you know, h- hold it back, an emotion, sharing an emotion, you know, giving a quip, sucking a dick.
What… You know, like the- There’s a whole palate of like things that, that we’re getting out of Ilya in this episode and every one of them is [00:56:00] done so well. There’s a T-shirt there. And, and like structurally… Sorry. Give a
Mat: quip, sucking a dick.
Al: Give a quip, suck a dick. I don’t know, I feel like that could be a T-shirt.
I… What do you…
Reid: Well, you know, like I, I, I th- I think structurally- Mm … y- you know, Hudson Williams has a tough job on this show ’cause his character is asked to be m- more reserved, more intellectual- Yeah … more, you know, withdrawn. And, and that’s tough to play too. But I, I just really, I’m just so- Yeah … impressed with Connor Story and all of like the shades of Ilya that we get.
My, my last thought in this section is like, do we hate Hayden? Is that his name? Do we just not like him? Like, in… I, I used to chalk it up to being distracted by thinking about, you know, where, where is Ilya and it’s like, “Oh, sorry, I’m just not paying attention. I’ll come to dinner,” whatever. But I’m, now I’m looking back at this scene with the phone distraction, it’s like, [00:57:00] it’s not because Ilya’s coming onto him that he can’t like remember the kids’ names- Mm
or stuff like that. Like, he just doesn’t know them. Like, does he just not like Hayden? Yeah. Like…
Al: Hay- Hayden keeps on having kids. He’s like number four. Like how’s he supposed to remember four names? Yeah.
Reid: It’s not a real friendship. He just, he just really comes off like a bad friend.
Al: Yeah. Uh, amazing. Uh, Tan, what do, what do you think of this so far?
Tanya: Um, ugh, there, there is so much emotion. Um, like I, I, I think this is where I started crying, um, um, in the episode. It was, it was- Beautiful to watch, but at the same time, so sad and s- and so upsetting that they have to. And, and, and Shane again, you know, uh, he’s just, he’s got a, a thought and he’s, uh, he’s got a problem, and he’s just staying up and, and trying to figure out how to get around things and [00:58:00] how to solve it.
Um, and we see that throughout this episode, right? Um, of him trying to be one step ahead and, um, uh, see the whole, see the whole, uh, his whole life kind of and, and, and- And
Al: we see later where he gets all that from.
Tanya: Right. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yes. Um, yeah. It’s, uh, it’s, it’s, I, I’m, I’m so glad that the boys finally, you know, let their guard down enough to, to enjoy that moment with each other.
Clip: Victor?
Victor: Yeah, so, um, most, uh, agree with most every- what everyone’s saying. I, I will kind of disagree with Matt and to read a little bit about, and I guess Tanya now too. Like, I, I didn’t really feel sad during that. I think that that’s a good scene, it’s a happy scene, and they’re trying to figure a way how to traverse their situation.
You have to remember, these guys are not in jail, right? Like, they’re, they’re getting paid millions of dollars to play a kids game, and [00:59:00] no one’s forcing them to do it, right? So if they were working regular jobs like the rest of us, and working in corporate companies with the diversity inclusion, they could be out and proud and gay, and nobody would be…
nobody would have any issues with that. There’s an issue, not because they’re gay. It’s because they’re gay and they’re professional athletes getting paid millions of dollars. Plus there’s a angle with Ilja where he’s in a country, he’s from a country where it’s illegal to be gay, uh, to, to a degree. So, um, they could just leave that lifestyle if they wanted to.
No one’s forcing them to stay in it. I’m not suggesting they should- Mm … and I’m not suggesting things shouldn’t be different for them and all that kind of stuff, but it- it’s they’re live- they’re dealing with that because they’re living a lifestyle, uh, as celebrities playing a kids’ game and getting paid millions of dollars for doing so.
And again, I’m not blaming them or anything like that. I’m just saying that be happy for them. They’re, they’re finally able [01:00:00] to be open and honest with each other. They’re finding ways. They have commonality. They can strategize together and f- and decide that if they wanna actually live in secret until their retirement, at least they’re on the same wavelength- Mm
not… and, and dealing with the same things, not like Hunter and Kip, who are in a completely different scenario where Kip can be out and proud and Hunter can’t. This is a different situation. So I think, like, for them, it’s… this is a good news story, that they can, they can actually… they understand each other’s situation, and they can choose to continue to play until their retirement in secrecy or come out, try and come out and be brave like Hunter.
Um, they have choices. They have choices, and they’re choosing, and they’re, they don’t know what they’re gonna do yet. And I think it’s gonna interesting how this episode will progress and what’s gonna happen. But, um, at this point, th- they’re, they’re having real dialogue. They’re, they’re talking about real things, not just [01:01:00] stupid nonsense that we’ve had up until now or up until, you know, for the first three episodes.
So, um, I think this is great, and I didn’t feel bad for them at all.
Al: Oh, rare bit of positivity coming from Victor on, on, on this show. Uh, yeah, I, I enjoyed it. Uh, I mean, uh, no, I, I know where you’re coming from, Matt and Tanya, and actually, later on in the, in, in, you know, we’re gonna get… that Shane’s mom’s gonna have that same realization, so you’re right.
They’re, they’re, they’re choosing that lifestyle, but there’s also still… it doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of pressure on them still. And, and also, there are people who are counting on them, right? So, uh, there, there’s still that. But, um, either way, it, it does make it tragic that they can’t be, can’t live their dream life of, as hockey players but also, and also still be together because they should be allowed, right?
Uh, I, I don’t think anyone here’d argues against that. It
Tanya: seems to me too that Shane puts a lot of emphasis on their, them being rivals. Like-
Al: It’s… [01:02:00] And, and I don’t know if it’s played up more in the books, but ju- the, just from the, the, just fr- the effect of, of one being in Boston, one being in Montreal, that’s the biggest rivalry between those two cities, even in real NHL.
Like, this is all modeled after real NHL. And because they’re two star rookies, again, they were modeled after Sid and, and, and Alex, you know. There’s all that. I- I mean, it, it’s, it’s all tr- creating that tension, right? So they’re, they’re supposed to… Yeah, they’re supposed to be rivals. It’s why the, the show’s called Heated Rivalry.
Anyway, let’s, uh, move on. We cut to the couple watching the sun rise together the next, uh, morning. Uh, this is where the music finally creeps back in a little bit, but then goes away again. Because after that, they’re laying in bed, and it’s back to silence or back to the cottage sounds. Uh, Shane expands his charity idea.
What if they establish a hockey camp for kids that raises money for mental health and suicide preventional, prevention? Ilya is deeply moved. Uh, he, he tells Shane that his mother would have loved him just [01:03:00] as he does. Later, uh, Ilya enjoys a swim in the lake while Shane watches from a rock near the shore.
The two eventually return to the cottage, where they begin kissing outside against the glass walls. Unbeknownst to them, uh, someone is inside. It’s Shane’s father, who stopped, stopped by unexpectedly to borrow a phone charger. He sees everything. There’s an awkward moment of recognition before he quickly retreats and drives away.
Shane begins to panic, convinced that everything is falling apart. This is his nightmare. Ilya confront, uh, c- comforts him, and enc- encourages him to wake up from the nightmare. Shane is terrified. Ilya offers to go with him to talk to his parents. The two get into Shane’s SUV and drive over to his parents’ cottage.
Uh, during the drive, Ilya tries to calm Shane’s nerves by holding his hand. They arrive at Shane’s parents’ cottage and walk up to the entrance. Both of his parents are waiting in the living room. When they enter, Shane’s father immediately apologizes for walking in on the couple. Uh, Shane tells him it’s okay.
Clip: I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have found out that way.[01:04:00]
Found out what exactly?
I’m gay, which I was gonna tell you soon. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Yeah, and this is Ilya Rozanov, but you already know that.
He’s visiting, and we’re, um- Lovers. No, Ilya.
But you hate him.
No. I’m, I mean, I get that, but no. I actually, um… I love him
I just didn’t know how I want this to be how I told you. Uh, I’m sorry
Can we just sit down, please?
Here. I think we thought [01:05:00] maybe you were gay.
You did? I think we thought it was certainly possible. For how long?
For a while, I guess.
We both know you pretty well, Shane. I mean, what we did not suspect was that you were so friendly with Rosanov. Ilya. Ilya, sorry. I know. It’s a
long story.
When did this happen?
Wait, the All-Star Game. You two had so much chemistry
No, it was before then
Wow.
Wow.
Wow
So when?[01:06:00]
Since our, uh, rookie season
Since your rookie season?
No, it’s not true. Since before that. Not helpful.
Before?
Some was before.
So you’ve been in love since-
No. Oh, no. No, no, no, no. No. No, no. No. Just, um…
Just what?
Um-
Just-
Just?
Just Ilya.
Oh, okay. Just what? Lovers.
Okay, no one is allowed to use that word again.
Well, I would love a drink. Oh.
Al: Okay, we’ll hold- Oh, my God. We’ll hold, we’ll hold discussion for a bit, ’cause I got a couple more clips to play. Oh. The questioning continues, this time over drinks. Ironically, vodka. Uh, where were there no nice men in Montreal? There probably were. Mm. Uh, do his teammates [01:07:00] know? Nobody knows. Ilya compliments the vo- the vodka, which makes Shane’s father proud.
Uh, he tries to buy the Russian stuff. Um, Shane’s mom questions, uh, uh… Shane’s mom’s questions turn to hockey. Uh, Shane never let, let Ilya win, did he? Shane answers her question with a question, does she let dad win at cards? She’d rather die. Well, same with Shane. Uh, Shane’s father asks what they plan to do, keep it a secret while they, uh, until they both retire?
Shane explains that they intend to keep the relationship private, potentially under, u- until their hockey careers are over. Shane’s mother thinks this is so sad. Uh, they, uh, they know, but they just can’t come out and s- and announce it. Uh, Shane’s father yells, uh, tells Ilya how surprised he is considering Ilya’s reputation as a ladies’ man.
Ilya admits that this is not untrue. He is bisexual, but, uh, Shane is the only person he’s ever been in love with. Overwhelmed by everything she’s learned, Shane’s mother steps outside to collect herself, and Shane f- Shane follows. [01:08:00]
Clip: I need you to know that I did really try. I tried really hard, but, um, I just can’t help it.
And I’m sorry. I-
Oh, no, you have nothing, nothing to apologize for. Look at, look at me.
Look at me
I’m sorry that I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me[01:09:00]
Al: Back inside, Shane’s mom shifts gears from concerned mother to business manager
Clip: We need a statement prepared in case anything leaks, something classy and simple. Mom- And I’m gonna quietly reach out to the premium brands, or maybe just Reebok and, and Rolex and Speedo. They’re gonna be thrilled I think once they wrap their minds around this.
There’s a world of opportunity here if they do it right.
Mom, can you just take three steps back, please? I’m not gonna come out or anything yet. I… We just want [01:10:00] a future. I don’t know
You play in Ottawa?
Yes. We would be closer and with the charity.
Mm-hmm, and you have no loyalty to Boston?
Jesus, Mom.
What? They drafted him. You would leave Boston for Shane?
Yes.
Hmm.
Mom.
Loyalty’s important.
He’s trying to be loyal to me, not Boston.
Well…
My mom cares a little too much about hockey.
I see where you get it from.
Have you talked to Scott Hunter?
No, I did. You did? Yeah, briefly, after MLH awards in June.
And what did he say?
Nothing. I didn’t tell him about Shane and me, about what he did. It was-
Yes, it was very brave.
Hmm. It changed things, for me at least. Maybe for us.[01:11:00]
Okay, I’m just freaking out. I’ll be okay in a second. Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
You’re good here. Your family is here. Your boyfriend is here. You’re good here. Okay?
My boyfriend? I mean, yes. I think so,
probably.
Since rookie season
Summer before.
Al: All right. Uh, the, I know those are like three scenes in a row, but, uh, they all kind of ca- went together. So Reed, we’ll start with you. Uh, talk about what we just watched.
Reid: Yeah. I, I [01:12:00] mean, uh It’s… A- all of the stuff with the parents is great, and, uh, I, I know I’m not the only parent here, but like certainly since like, since becoming a dad, now like literally like anything will make me cry.
People working together, people overcoming differences- … but certainly like, uh, like parents breaking the cycle, you know? Like of, and like being supportive and stuff like that, so… W- what’s, what was funny to me is, you know, I th- I think I could anticipate them being supportive, but it’s such like a bad move of the dad to like immediately gun it out to the car and leave.
Like his, his whole like phone charger spiel delivered at the cabin saves a whole lot of anxiety.
Al: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you’re right, yeah. Well, I don’t know, ‘
Reid: cause- Which is kind of f- funny.
Al: Sh- [01:13:00] Shane would still have to confront him about what he just watched, but yeah.
Reid: Totally. Yeah.
Victor: It
Reid: was the perfect move. It’s different and horrifying, I guess, yeah.
It was the
Victor: perfect move.
Reid: It’s, uh… What I, what I liked, and, uh, m- maybe this kind of speaks to a thing Matt was saying earlier, is like this sequence to me, even though he’s being sincere, this is like where we c- can pull Ilya out of like all of those like big, deep emotional moments. And like part of what makes him like comfortable and home and stuff like that is like the quips and like- Yeah
saying something slightly off-color. Like, I like when they’re going out to the car and Shane’s like, “You’re not helping,” and he goes like, “Oh, do they not know I play for Boston?”
Al: Yeah, yeah, he’s wearing the Boston T-shirt. Yeah, yeah.
Reid: Like- That’s right … I love that. I like… The lovers line is so funny. Yeah, yeah.
It still works for me, like on rewatch I really loved that.
Al: Mm-hmm.
Reid: Um, you know, even the even that bit [01:14:00] that at the table where he goes, “No, we have not been in love the whole time.” Yeah. And then just like, “So…” And he goes, “Well…” Yeah,
Clip: yeah.
Reid: Like, just it’s such an awkward conversation with the parents. I love all of that.
And I, and I like that for Ilya. Like, you know, he’s really leaning on Shane at the cottage, and then we see it go the other way here, and that’s a, the, that’s a good relationship, right? Mm-hmm. Um, the, the bit with Shane and his mom is like, that’s the whole episode for me. Like that’s, you know, not to play my cards too early- Mm-hmm
but like that, that scene’s amazing. It’s like, uh, yeah. It’s just, it’s a really good moment. It’s really well played. Um, you know, she’s almost a caricature. We see so little of her- Yeah … in the show, and when we do it’s always like, like, “Wear your Reeboks.” Yeah, yeah. Or like, “You’re gonna go to Wimbledon.” Like she’s, she’s so kind of one-dimensional for the rest of the [01:15:00] show, it’s nice to have- Like, that drops immediately.
There’s no version of this scene where she comes out and she goes, “I’m so proud of you. Reebok will love this.” She like- It’s like, “Deal with your kid, be a parent.” And then once we’re good, then she goes back into-
Mat: Right back, yeah …
Reid: kind of, kind of into caricature mode. And that’s fun, and it means that she gets to be a whole person.
And we get to… We, we’re having our cake and eating it too. We get to have the joke of her, like, over-planning and stuff like that. And it’s nice to see where Shane comes from. Yeah. So like for me, that, this whole sequence is, is awesome. Like I, I didn’t feel, even on the first watch, I didn’t feel the stress.
I think I knew they were gonna be supportive. But watching how it unfolds and watching how Ilya’s there for him and watching those moments, it like, they’re just, they’re really well delivered, well shot, well performed. It, it’s awesome.
Al: Yeah. Uh, I agree. Uh, Tan, what did you think? [01:16:00]
Tanya: Uh, yeah. I, I agree with, uh, a lot of what you’re saying, Reed.
Um, I thought it was interesting that, um, Ilya didn’t freak out a little bit more. Like I, I think he really did kind of step back and see that Shane needed him. Um, because this is really Ilya’s first time coming out to a parent figure too. Mm-hmm. Um, like-
Al: Well, no, I think his family back home knows he’s gay, or at least his brother does, so, um-
Tanya: But he never had an honest, open-
Al: No, he couldn’t.
That- …
Tanya: real discussion
Al: No, he
Tanya: couldn’t. And that’s what he was going into. Yeah. And he was, you know, breaking the ice, uh, with, with his, um… Like, and, and, and the moment needed that to break up the seriousness, um, of, of what was, what was being discussed. Um, but the fact that he was solid during all of that and was there and was always, you know, [01:17:00] keeping an eye on Shane and, um, there for, for the conversation, but not getting, you know…
Like, again, this is his first time meeting, uh, his potential like in-laws. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Sh- they were just talking about what the future held for them. Yeah. And, uh, you know, he’s, he’s having vodka at the, at the cottage table. Um, and, and, and was staying grounded for Shane, and then helping Shane through it.
Um, I loved that moment. The moment with, uh, Shane and his mom outside, it just absolutely, um, just… Oh my God, I was, I was crying. Um, it was so heartbreaking and so loving and so, um, such a, a powerful moment. Um- And yeah, when, when you’re a parent and you’re watching that stuff, it’s just, uh, it’s, it’s one of those things that’s just, it hits so hard.[01:18:00]
Al: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Victor?
Victor: Yeah, so, uh, yeah, all of it was really well done. I’m, uh, I, I feel like the whole awkward coming out to the parents conversation, this was done… I think we’ve probably seen these types of things in other movies and shows. I- this is probably one of the best scent- uh, versions of that, that I’ve remember seeing, just because of how smartly and well-written it’s, it was all done, and how well-acted it was.
Um, I think you guys are all ve- too… Uh, that’s just my opinion, my perspective, uh, and I, uh, also I, I think based where on kind of my own situation with my mom and e- and, and everything like that. I, I feel like y- um, the mom is kind of being left, uh, let off the hook a little too easily here. Um, Shane is ver- is, is an adult at this point.
He’s not a kid anymore. And, and only now after the [01:19:00] childhood, after all the hard times that he had to go through, only now she’s saying, “I’m sorry for not really being emotionally there for you, um, and for putting your y- you… the potential of who you could be before who you actually are.” And, and I just feel like…
And, and then, you know, the next day she goes back to being that caricature Reid described. I don’t know. I just feel like i- in a storybook, oh sure, I’ll let you have it. It’s fine. Have your happy ending. But in, in the real world, I feel like she’s not a great mom. Um, uh, y- sh- maybe she’s a great agent, a good manager, a good, good, uh, career advisor, whatever, but not a great mom.
Um, I, it doesn’t look l- it doesn’t feel like she was there for him emotionally, and the dad is just going for the ride, going along for the ride. Um, so, uh- The dad’s
Al: oblivious sometimes.
Victor: Yeah, well, yeah, sure. And, you know, uh, almost kind of playing a trope. Mm. [01:20:00] You know, a trope, caricature kind of, uh, dad. But…
And, and it’s fine. I, it’s, the, ’cause this is more, more about the mom. I, I, in the real world, both mom and dad are equally responsible for their kids’ upbringing and emot- being there emotionally for them and stuff like that. But in this case, I just feel like, uh, where the hell was she? Where was she?
Tanya: Yeah.
Victor: Um, and, and, and I, I’m so, I’m not ready to, uh, let her off the hook th- uh, you know, so easily.
So, um, yeah. And, and Tanya, I agree with you that Ilya kind of was the grown-up in this scenario. Mm. And the stakes were much higher for him in terms of coming out i- in, in reality. If, if somebody, if somehow this leaked or whatever, this- Mm-hmm … you know, for his family back home and all that- Yeah … kind of stuff, the niece.
Uh, I know he doesn’t, you know, his brother is a piece of shit, but what about, you know, the extended family and Tatiana or- uh, it’s S- Svetlana. Um, so i- i- the stakes are much higher for him, and he was the one that was [01:21:00] calm, cool, collected- Yeah … and being kind of the, being there for, for Shane. Anyway, yeah, those are my thoughts.
Fa- fantastic.
Tanya: You know, you said something, um, Victor, that triggered me. Uh, when they were at the table and they were saying, “We kinda knew,” or, “We kinda wondered if you were gay,” and that kinda angered me a little bit because I was thinking, you know, weren’t you guys just a few episodes back trying to hook him up with some princess or sit him beside some princess?
Mm. And I’m like, if you had that feeling and you’re with your kid, why wouldn’t you say, “Hey,” like, “Let’s have a talk”? Because it was
Victor: professionally
Tanya: good
Victor: for him.
Tanya: Yeah. I don’t know. Yeah. Yeah. I, I had kind of had that thought when, when you had said that. Um, yeah. Interesting.
Al: Maybe they were fishing- Good point
for him to finally say, “No, no, I’m not interested because I’m not interested.” But anyway, um, all good points. Uh, I love the, the, the moments here. The, the coming out story to, to the parents and stuff, I agree, uh, was really, [01:22:00] really well done. Really beautifully written. Um, I, I wanna talk about the comedic moments because this is a very heavy bu- uh, it’s b- uh, group of scenes here, but, but infused with, with some, some genuinely fun, funny moments.
Um, when, when they first come in, I… You know, Ilya up until now has been this like blustery kind of, you know, br- with bravado and, and, and w- you know, walking around. He’s the cock of the walk. But when he slides into that house he looks like a teenage boy, you know, with his girlfriend- … meeting his, his girlfriend’s parents.
His hands are in his pocket, his shoulders are up, he’s, he looks timid. And the, the look the mom gives as he, and as he slides into frame and she slide, h- her eyes slide in with him, I loved it. I, it was like a, a really fast little moment there but, but beautifully captured. He’s at the table, he’s eating, he’s, he’s, he’s giving si- he’s m- checking in on [01:23:00] Shane but he’s trying, he’s s- s- shutting the fuck up ’cause this isn’t his moment.
This is, this is Shane’s moment, but he’s there to, to, to s- support Shane. Uh, Awesome in the live stream says, uh, uh, uh, “Connor Story actually ate all the spaghetti during that scene,” which, uh, usually actors- … don’t do that. So, uh, that’s interesting if that actually happened. I- it was, it’s just… I don’t know. I, I agree with you, Reed.
I’ve been a big fan of Connor Story throughout this series and, and this, even this turn of him being, going from the, the very guarded Ilya to that Ilya there who’s very… He was like a kid. He was a kid in that scene, uh, meeting, uh, Shane’s parents. I loved it. Um- Yeah, I, what can I say? Like, it’s just a, a… I, I really, I really enjoyed the scene.
I, I don’t know what else to say. The, the father is saying, “Oh, you, you, you seem like a ladies’ man.” And, and it’s like, “Yeah, well, that is not untrue.” Like, he- We saw a glimpse of the old [01:24:00] Ilya coming back. But then it’s like- Oh … “But I, I s- your son’s the only one I love,” so a, a lot of fun. Matt?
Mat: Yeah, th- this is the best version of Ilya we’ve got in the whole show.
Um, he’s fucking hilarious. And I mean, there’s not much to add. Like, that’s the, that’s the, the downside to going last in a scene like this ’cause you guys have… I, I, I… You guys have already made a really, a lot of really good points, but how comfortable Ilya was in that scene- Yeah … it’s like he’d done this before.
Like, “Oh, it’s cool. Yeah, that’s my boyfriend. Yeah, yeah, no worries. Um, I’m just gonna keep eating.” “No, y- you good, Shane? Cool. Yeah, I’m over here if you need me.” Like, it’s like he was there the whole time and he was just waiting for, uh, for Shane to catch up. Um, so that was great, and oh my God, am I about to lose…
I’m not about to lose power. Um, so the other side though on the mom scene, yeah, I, I’m more with Victor on this. I, I didn’t like that [01:25:00] scene. Um, th- yes, there was sweetness about it, but I didn’t Mom kind of sucks, and I, I, I know she’s sort of apologizing in that moment and all that, and I, and I get that. Um, but I, I think she gets off way too easy as well.
And the other side of it, a- and I took from that, as sweet as it all was, is it felt very storybook to me in that scene. Like, like, we all assumed… If I, if I’d never seen this show and you told me what it was about, I would’ve been able to say, “Oh yeah, at some point in the story, I bet you he’s gonna come out to his parents and he’s gonna have a big emotional moment with his mom.”
That’s just… That’s pretty standard in these kind of scenarios. I actually, and I don’t know what the book is, of course, but I, I almost would’ve preferred a moment with his dad, especially in a, the world that they’re in, a male-dominated sport, um, all of that sort of thing. There’s [01:26:00] often natural stereotypes around how men feel about, um, this kind of world.
It almost feel like it would’ve been more suiting for him to have a moment with his father, and I know his dad is pretty quiet, but maybe that’s half the point, right? ‘Cause I… The fact that he ran out, right? And when they found them. They didn’t really address that- Hmm … right? Other than, “Oh, sorry.” Um, and then, and then, “Oh, I got my, my phone charger,” whatever.
But, like, there was such an opportunity to kind of flip the script on your traditional, uh, moment amongst parents, and really put the dad in the driver’s seat, um, and have them hash it out from a different perspective. So I feel like that was a miss. Um, was it a great scene? Sure it was, but it felt very, like I c- I, I, I assumed that was coming.
Clip: Hmm.
Mat: And in a story where I’m always… When we’re constantly getting the unknown, I would’ve liked to have seen the unknown, [01:27:00] um, kind of come forth in this, in this telling.
Al: All right. Let me, uh, f- wrap up the final scene here. Shane and Ilya prepare to return to their cottage. Shane’s parents promise to give them some privacy, and the family makes plans to spend more time together.
The two men climb back into Shane’s boring SUV. The song Bad Things by Kaelin Russo, uh, begins to play as the two drive off, literally into the sunset, and we fade to black All right. That is episode six. Um, I’m gonna go back up to the top. First impressions, no ratings yet. Tanya, go.
Tanya: Um, it’s a solid episode.
Mm-hmm. Um, um, it’s, it’s… I, I can’t wait to see where this goes next. Um, I think it was g- a great season ender. Um, you know, we finally got that, um, payout of, you know, the relationship going to that next level as, uh, Victor, uh, [01:28:00] wouldn’t have been, uh, very … I don’t, I don’t think we could have got Victor to watch another season if, if, uh, Ilyich, uh, continued on, uh, the relationship the way-
he, he, uh, started it. Mm-hmm. Um, but there’s growth in the relationship and, um, you know, now we get to see what happens next and, um, it’s exciting.
Al: Okay. Victor?
Victor: Yeah, and I’m looking forward to what comes next because we never have to go back to that douchebag ever again. Um, so, uh- Yeah … y- you know, th- this, I, I get it.
It maybe for some people it’s more compelling story, uh, uh, story when it’s like that. But I prefer this Ilya in that we got in this episode.
Al: And- Sure. But, you know, it was, it was a, a progression to get to this Ilya- I, I
Victor: get it. I get it.
Al: I, I- … right? So it wouldn’t have been much of a story if he started this, this
Victor: way.
Um, I, I don’t know. I think, I think it’s such strong writing. Mm. I think they could have found a way to make those episodes stronger.
Al: Mm.
Victor: Uh, and, uh, just put me in a writing room with those [01:29:00] guys, and I think- Oh, wow. … we
Al: can
Victor: brainstorm. All right, let me call- Um, I think- Let me call Jacob right now. I think we can brain- I think we can brainstorm s- something better than what we got on three of the episodes in this season.
Mm. Uh, but, but, um, I, I, I don’t know. This, this episode, uh, we, we’ll talk about the season I guess on, on our next podcast, but this episode was fantastic from beginning to end. My only, uh, you know, um, issue is just with the storybook that Matt described at the end. It was a little too pristine. Uh, it would’ve been nice to, you know, l- g- leave a little bit roughness around the edges just for good storytelling and for something compelling taking us into next season.
That maybe there is now something for Ilya to work on with his parents, and meanwhile they kind of, they kind of fixed it. You know, they fixed it like they, they would’ve in, you know, a, like a 1980 sitcom at the end. “Oh, you r- you, you ran a car through the kitchen? No worries. Uh, as long as you learned your lesson, everything will be okay.”
Mm. Um, y- [01:30:00] you know, kind of thing. So, um, I think that’s from a Full House episode. Um-
Al: Oh,
Victor: yes … anyways.
Al: Yes, you’re right.
Victor: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I think it is. So, so overall-
Al: It was also in The Bear, but, uh, yeah,
Victor: go on. Okay, we’ll see.
Al: Um- Completely different show.
Victor: And maybe To Kill a Bear. We’ll see.
Al: Yeah.
Victor: Um, overall, fantastic episode.
Uh, it was just so well-written, and the cinematography was some of the best we, we’ve gotten in any episode from Shoresy, Letterkenny, or this. I, the, it was… And, and again, for us Canadians who often go off to the cottages, uh, our own or our friends’ or whatever, uh, it, it, uh, you know, we, we connect to a lot of the stuff that happened here.
So, um, very well done.
Al: Our own? Who’s got that kind of money? No. Fuck. We have to rely on rich friends or, or rentals. Uh, no-
Mat: I’m gonna tell you, I got a campfire in my backyard,
Al: man. Yeah. Well, uh, so do I. I can do that too, but it’s not quite nearly as serene. You’re right. I, I don’t have a loon, a loon in, in, uh, you know, calling for me.
I’ve got my loony neighbor smoking [01:31:00] pot, uh, watching us. But anyway. Um- Yeah.
Mat: Tomato, potato.
Al: Yeah, I mean, look, after s- or episode five, it was kinda hard to see how, how they could, you know, what could happen in this. I, I, I, you know, my re- recollection is this is more of an epilogue than anything else. But watching it as the second time around, um, I can see that actually that a lot goes on in here, and a lot of storytelling happens in here, and a lot of, uh, character development happens here.
Um, so we learn that, uh, you know, the last episode was kind of the, the apex of book one, and this is the apex of book two, and I, I can totally see it. Uh, I think it puts a nice wrapper on the Shane-Ilia story, so it’ll be, yeah, it’ll be interest- I’m as interested as you guys are to see where this goes in, uh, season two.
Uh, Matt?
Mat: Yeah, I mean, not, not a whole lot to add. It was, it, it was, it was a very good episode. Um, it, the pacing, [01:32:00] and I think, Reid, you called it out early on. The, the, the pacing in this was so different, right? This whole c- time has been a character in itself across this whole season, and for once, it’s not, right?
The, it, it, time stood still here, and they just lived in that moment, which was really interesting to see, and I think it was very telling of them. And we got to see layers and layers of who they are, um, in this because of that, because you never get to see that before. And I know ear- early, and again, we’ll talk more about this next week when we do the recap, but, like, early on, I, I was annoyed by, by that and the fact that there was so much going on and, and the things were moving, moving, moving.
And, and I just wanted things to settle in. Um, but the way they settled this in, I think, was perfect. Um, they obviously needed their moment, um, to finally pull it together. Uh, and I think they delivered it really well. It was, um, with [01:33:00] a, with an amazing landscape and background to the whole thing. Um, yeah. No- not much else to add.
It was just, it was a fun watch.
Al: Okay. And Reid?
Reid: Yeah, I mean, I, I, um, that, the cottage sequence is just so beautiful, you know? And, and to be essentially plunked in there with them, right? You know, we talked about pulling out the soundtrack and stuff like that, and just… S- the staring at the like, like, Ilya lying down on Shane’s lap staring at the fire.
Mm-hmm. Even though, like, the fire-staring comment was only, like, four minutes earlier- Yeah, yeah … whenever it is. If that.
Mat: He got it.
Clip: Yeah.
Reid: Like, but then, but then you get it, and it’s just like, yeah, I think Matt said it. Like, I mean, that’s, that’s such a- That feels like such a personal experience to just- Mm-hmm
sit and stare at the fire, and, like, who hasn’t been there with, you know, [01:34:00] a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a partner, a whatever. Like- Yeah … that exact moment is, is the, it’s the most relatable piece, you know? Um, a- again, Connor’s story to me is, like, the absolute, like, workhorse of this whole show. Like, every, every choice, every emotion, the, the way he plays things, um, I, I’m just…
I’m blown away by, by him, and I think he’s so good in this episode, ’cause he’s called on to do, like, literally everything in the acting handbook. He basically has to do it in this episode. Yeah. Um, you know. Well, between this and I guess the last episode, too. But, um, yeah. I, I appreciated the comments, uh, about the scene with the mom.
It’s, you, you know, generally… Like, I’ve watched this a couple of times now. That genuinely didn’t occur to me, but you’re probably right. She probably gets off [01:35:00] a little bit easy. I mean, I think for me, if, for me, this season is very much like you say, a storybook. You know? Like, the thing with Scott Hunter last episode is very storybook-y.
Mm. A lot of the stuff in this episode about, you know, about them coming together is very storybook-y. But we haven’t actually solved much, you know? Mm. Season Two is still, like… That’s just, if they do it, it’s back to reality, right? Yeah. Like, they’ve made this great- Yeah … plan for what their life is, but it’s still based on lies.
Mat: Yeah. Yeah. It’s like-
It’s
Reid: like, now
Mat: what?
Reid: Like, there’s a, there’s a reality that will come crashing in, and so y- you know, maybe that’s the context that makes the storybook-ness of this season sit a little more easily, is that they have to deal with it at some point. But yeah, I mean, as far as just an episode to itself, I, I, I love it.
It’s got great moments. It’s got some really good performances. I, yeah, it’s… I, I really like this one.
Al: All right. Back up to [01:36:00] the top. Tanya, with your rating, what do you give this one? A fresh, clearance, or compost?
Tanya: I’m not gonna mix words. It was definitely a fresh.
Al: All right. Shocking.
Tanya: Shocking.
Al: I feel like the only one really in question here is the next one.
Victor, what do you give this episode?
Victor: So first of all, for anybody that’s confused by my, uh, uh, comment about what do they do in Russia with the bonfires, that was specific to the Soviet Union. I’m very well aware that Russia currently is very Orthodox, and they wouldn’t burn at least- … Christian literature.
Um, but You
Mat: can sit on that thought all episode now. Yeah.
Al: He’s
Victor: worried about all- No, I just thought I, I, I- … all the
Al: YouTube hate he’s gonna
Victor: continue getting … I, yeah, well, I, no, I’m, I welcome the YouTube hate. Bring it on. Um, I, I just wanna make sure that it’s factually correct, that’s all. Right. Um, if you’re gonna hate on-
Al: If you’re gonna, yeah.
If you’re gonna hate Victor- Yeah … hate him for the right reason, not
Victor: That’s right. That’s right. That’s very important. Um, anyway, this episode, uh, we don’t need to bury the lead. That’s, it’s [01:37:00] an easy fresh, uh, beginning to end. It’s pretty much, uh, almost the perfect episode.
Al: Oh, okay. Uh, out of curiosity, compare this to last episode, ’cause you said last episode was your favorite in the entire universe.
Um-
Victor: Yeah, I, I, I still stand by that.
Al: Yeah? Okay. I, I,
Victor: yeah. Okay.
Al: But, but good to know. Yeah. Yeah, this is an easy, easy, easy fresh. Uh, again, though, I was… W- ’cause the first… When we watched this the first time through, it was, like, last spring, and I, I kinda thought of this episode as, like, an epilogue. Like, it wasn’t, there wasn’t much to it.
Watching it again, I’m like, “No, I w- I was an idiot.” Like, I must not have been pa- Maybe I was tired or something. ‘Cause, uh, yeah, a lot happens in this. It may not have the, the high highs that we had in episode five, but there’s definitely, um, like, some amazing scenes in, in, uh, in this episode, and I loved it.
So yes, this is definitely a fresh. So Matt, it’s to you.
Mat: Yeah, I’ll, I’ll leave it as fresh.
Al: All right. Well, then-
Mat: Wondrous …
Al: we have-
Clip: Oh, my Gord …
Al: Unicorn.
Clip: Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Yeah. Wait, wait, wait[01:38:00]
Oh my God. Oh
my God I regret nothing!
Mat: So now that that’s out of the way- Yes … um, it, it was… Yeah, uh, it’s, it’s an easy fresh. Loved the episode. Coming off of five, um, I, I, I felt some kind of ways about it though. Like, it, it… And, and I, and I like, and I, and I’m taking your thought about it’s more of like an epilogue to heart because I like interpreting it that way because five still stands, like Victor just said-
Clip: Yeah
Mat: as one of the greatest epis- I think it’s one of the best episodes of TV I’ve seen-
Clip: Mm-hmm …
Mat: in a long fucking time. So that was a gold standard. Um, this was great. That was incredible. Yeah. Um, and, and, and that’s, and that’s okay. Both things can be true in- Yeah … the same universe. Um, but I th- I think this was a good way to wrap up the season.
Um, [01:39:00] and now we’re sitting on the unknown, and, um, we’ll see what comes. But yeah, it’s a fresh.
Al: All right. And Reed, the pressure’s off of you. The unicorn’s in the books, so you, you can give us a compost if you like- … but what would be your rating for this episode?
Reid: That would, that would be quite the turn given all my comments.
Al: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Reid: Uh, no, it’s- Just kidding … this is an, an
Victor: easy- You could have hit your head while Matt was talking.
Al: That’s true.
Reid: Yeah.
Al: So it’s an easy Fresh
Reid: Oh, yeah.
Al: All right, cool. 100%. Moving back up to the top, now we’re doing our MVP tangents. So you.
Tanya: Oh, my Lord. Um, um, this is… Uh, it, it’s gotta be the scene where Shane and Ilya, uh, say, “I love you” to each other.
Al: Okay.
Tanya: That scene was so- The
Victor: word, the, the saying is actually, you have to say it right.
Tanya: Oh. Don’t think I could. [01:40:00] Don’t think I could. Um, yeah, it’s, it was a, it was a perfect scene.
Al: Okay. Victor, how about you?
Victor: Oh, that would be my favorite scene. Uh, that would be the wolf bird.
Al: Yes.
Tanya: I will never be able to hear a loon without hear- thinking wolf bird.
Al: Yeah. And the panic in his voice, it was so good, yeah.
Tanya: What the fuck is that?
Al: Uh, my, my MVP is going to Connor Story. Uh, I mean, uh, again, like, for the third time probably in this season, or third or fourth time I’m giving it to him because he does… I think, Matt, you’ve said it in the past, he does all the, yeah, the heavy lifting acting-wise in, in, in these episodes.
You may hate him, but it’s by design. Um, uh, he does the, the comedy, the comedic stuff really well, the heavy stuff really well, just everything. Uh, yeah, it’s, it’s absolutely Connor Story. Matt?
Mat: Um, yeah, I, I would agree, especially on this one. Um, it’s Connor Story. Um, it’s just absolute fantastic. But I do [01:41:00] wanna give honorable mention though to, um, phone call blowjobs.
Um, because that, that was also a, a highlight of the-
Victor: My mother-in-law walked into the room while we were watching that scene. Of course she did. Yeah.
Tanya: Oh, I thought you were gonna say a
Mat: blowjob. Now- I was like, “Whoa” … how did she… But what was her reaction though?
Victor: I don’t know. I was too busy trying to turn on the Xbox controller, ’cause the, it had turned automatically off, uh, by that point.
Yeah. So I was- So you had no way to
Al: pause it or to-
Amazing. Oh.
Reid: Ne- next, next week when you guys recap the whole season, are you gonna pick like blowjob MVP? ‘Cause there’s so many to choose from-
Al: Yeah …
Reid: in this season.
Al: Yes.
Mat: That’s true. That was, that… I mean, I, I could call it now, that was the one. Like…
Al: Oh, amazing. And Reid, how about you? Your, your MVP?
Reid: Uh, I’m, I’m going to be very, uh, uh, unoriginal and just also say Connor Story. Mm-hmm. Uh- [01:42:00] No, it’s- I just… It’s very deserving I, I love him. He’s a- he’s incredible, and like, yeah, absolutely carries some of this stuff, and that’s not me throwing any shade at Hudson Williams or anything like that.
Like, he’s also… He’s great, but Ilya has so many turns to make- Mm … and it’s because he starts as more of a caricature- Yeah … earlier in the season, and by the time we get here, all of these layers of the onion have to get peeled back, and he just does such a good job of showing us all these different little versions of Ilya, and they’re all honest.
Like, you know? Like, that’s the, that’s the craziest part, so yeah.
Al: Mm-hmm. Very good. All right, now before, uh, we do final comments, uh, I don’t have any listener comments for, for us tonight. Um, but I do have, uh, one little piece of news, um, from Awesome, who, who’s on, who’s been on livestream this whole time, uh, ’cause she r- she runs the, uh, Letterkenny Discord, [01:43:00] and they just announced that they’re going to have an Adrian Holmes AMA on November 5th at noon- Cool
on the Letterkenny Reddit. So that’s, that’s a big get. Adrian Holmes is gonna be doing his, uh, an a- ask me anything on, um, the Letterkenny Reddit at noon on November 5th. He is, of course, Bradley on Letterkenny, but he’s also Uncle Phil on the, on the, the fricking, uh, Fresh Prince reboot, and, uh, uh, he plays some kind of Rastafarian character in I Killed a Bear, which I can’t wait.
Yeah. Um, it’s gonna be, uh, interesting to, to see, and he’s also in 19-2, so, uh, if, uh, you wanna ask him any questions, make sure you’re on Reddit on November 5th at, uh, noon Pacific. Noon Pacific, uh, 3… She, why did she use 1500 Eastern? Uh, 3:00 Eastern. She’s making me do the fucking math. Anyway, uh, so-
Mat: And then be sure to AMA him, um, will you go on the Produce Stand podcast-
Al: Yeah, we’d love-
for a promo … to have him. He’s, he’s one of those that we haven’t been able to have on. [01:44:00] I mean, he j- like, right after Letterkenny he just blew up with, uh, with the- Yeah … The Fresh Prince, and he was amazing on that. If you haven’t seen The Fresh Prince reboot, it was actually… We enjoyed it. Like, uh, he did a great job as Uncle Phil, and the kid they got to play Will s- uh, Will- not Will Smi- is it, is he Will Smith on the show?
He’s Will, but I, I don’t know what his last name is on the show. Uh-
Clip: Hunting.
Al: Really Great is what… No, no, not Kid Willow. Oh, Victor. All right. Um- And that’s-
Mat: Hold on.
Al: So, uh, and by the way, uh, we’re, uh, like next week we’re gonna do a recap, but we’re gonna do it as an Ag Hall social, so we’re going to invite our listeners to join us.
Reid, you’re more than welcome to join us as well. It’s gonna be next Friday. Uh, Manisha, uh, I told everyone who’s, who’s been on, uh, the, during the season, but also any, uh, any other- our listeners who wanna join us for an Ag Hall. It’ll be next Friday, uh, at 8:30 PM Eastern. Uh, I’ll, we’ll, we’ll do our y- season ending, um, MVPs and, and ratings, and we’re als- we’ll also have some trivia, so [01:45:00] that should be fun.
And, uh, the, uh, and, and prizes. So yeah, that’s all I have for us today. Uh, final comments to you first, Tam?
Tanya: Um, Reid, thank you so much for, for coming on and answering all my questions about the Yukon. Um, I I find, I find it fascinating that, uh, that, uh, yeah, I, I love… Allan will tell you, I’m, I, I often will do National Geographics and go all over the place.
I like learning about different places, and, uh, Yukon is definitely one of those places that it, it fascinates me. So, uh, thank you for answering all my questions. And thank you for bringing it tonight. Yeah. Um, I think, uh, your insights and information or, uh, things that you added to, uh, to the, the episode were great.
Um, I’m glad we did a unicorn on this one, boys. Um, it was a, it was a great, uh, episode, and, uh, I’m looking forward to the next season. Oh, [01:46:00] and Kill Bears, uh, or I Killed a Be- I don’t- I Killed a Bear … I’m so confused by what it is.
Al: It’s I Killed a Bear.
Tanya: I Killed a Bear.
Al: Yeah.
Tanya: That’s next then after
Al: Ag Hall, is it?
The timing’s perfect. After Ag Hall we go right into, uh, I Killed a Bear. It drops like the very next week, so. Wowza. Yeah.
Victor: Now, is it dro- is it like the same as, uh, before, where Canada gets it a week earlier or a month early?
Al: Actually, there’s no US, uh, date yet, so we’re gonna get it all- Does
Victor: that mean we’re not gonna be reviewing it?
Uh,
Al: let’s talk, because I think we, I think we should, ’cause I don- I have no idea when, when the… And then our American listeners will either listen along with us, or they’ll wait, and then when it drops they can listen. But, uh, I, I, I’d hate to s- sit on this one. I really wanna get to this, ’cause I’m so curious.
Victor: Um- All right. Well, well, we need to talk about it, ’cause- Yeah … if they can’t watch it, then we’ll kinda be, we’re gonna be- That’s fair … spoiling it for them.
Al: Yeah, you’re right. Yeah. Um, okay. We’ll, we’ll discuss it- Maybe
Tanya: we’ll have a watch party and then the episode.
Al: Well, we’ll, we’ll discuss it- … at the Ag Hall and, and see what they say.
Hopefully some of them will join us for that. [01:47:00] Mm. Uh, Victor, final comments?
Victor: Uh, yeah, this was fun. This was great. Uh, Reid, you’re, uh, I guess the second most famous person from the Yukon. Um- And, and- Yukon,
Al: yeah … well,
Victor: I, I,
Al: I was gonna say- I thought you were- … who, who’s the s- the first, the most famous Yukon Cornelius from, uh…
Victor: No, McKenna.
Al: I know, I know.
Reid: I think if we s- Yeah … I think if we start counting, I, I s- I start going down the list quickly.
Victor: In recent memory, all right? Um- Yeah. Yeah. Uh, it’s all, it’s recency bias. Anyway, you were, you were absolutely fantastic. Hopefully you can join us for the AG Hall. I think that will be lots of fun if you can, and maybe you can win a T-shirt.
Uh, we’ll see. Um, uh, uh, you know, uh, so as, as these fools you’re wearing are gonna eventually disappoint us as they usually do- … you’ll need to put something else on, um, as the, the- Oh, no,
Reid: this is the year. Didn’t anyone tell you? This is the year.
Victor: Oh, that’s right. Oh, you’re planning the parade. Um, yeah, anyway, uh, what, [01:48:00] i- it’s, like I said, you’re, you’re welcome back here anytime.
You were fantastic. Um, uh, so it w- it’s nice to finish off the season on this episode. It, I think, um, you know, finish- finishes it on a high, started out on a low, uh, overall. For
Al: you.
Victor: I think, I think we’re, we’re in a good spot here. Mm. So, uh, looking forward to what, uh, will come next.
Al: All right. Uh, yes, Reid, I, I echo my, my co-hosts here and, uh, say thank you for doing this.
Uh, y- y- you came in, y- y- you did great. You represented yourself. Quick question, ’cause, yeah, I’ve always wanted to go up to the territories. Dawson City, have you ever been there?
Reid: Oh, yeah Yeah?
Al: Yeah. How far is it from you?
Reid: About, uh, five, uh, five, five and a half hours north of, uh, Whitehorse.
Al: Wow. That’s crazy.
Yeah. Yeah, I- that’s a, that’s a place- And- … I’ve always wanted to-
Reid: Yeah …
Al: to go check out.
Reid: Well, y- you know, uh, it’s, I mean, it has its own charm in the winter, but really you should come in the summer.
Al: Yeah, I don’t think I’d be crazy enough to, [01:49:00] to go- … to brave the winter up there. But, uh, definitely. Anyway, great job tonight, bud.
I’m, I’m gonna continue listening to, uh, You, You Asked For This, or, uh, like, uh, or was it, not You Asked For This, what is it? You, uh-
Reid: You Wanted
Al: This. You Wanted This. Sorry, I, I messed up the name of your podcast. I’ve been enjoying those. No problem. And hoping, hoping one day you’ll cover one of the topics that I, that I, uh, suggested on your, uh, on your, uh, community there.
Uh, thank you so much for joining. And yeah, uh, as Victor said, uh, feel free to join us next Friday. It’ll be a lot of fun, and I think some of our listeners might have some questions for you if, uh, if you wanna join us. Matt.
Clip: Thanks.
Mat: Yeah, I mean, not, not a whole lot to add. Reid, it was great seeing you, great meeting you, brother.
Um, I, I see with the Leafs jersey you’re probably, uh, as excited as my kid is. Um, I’m not a massive sports guy, but, uh, all I hear about are the Leafs because my child decided a couple years back he was a Leaf fan. I did tee him up saying, “Get ready for pain.” Um- … [01:50:00] and, uh, he’s experienced some of that already.
But again, that comes with the territory of being a Leaf fan. Hopefully you’re right. I would love to see him as happy as you looked for a moment, as you- … said, “This is our year,” ’cause he gives that same energy. Um, and, and, and I, and I root for the dream. Um, I always do. So here, here we go, guys. Uh, but no, absolutely great, man.
Uh, you clearly are seasoned on the mic and, and appreciate you coming out and, and joining us tonight. And for the rest of you idiots, uh, always a blast.
Al: And Reid- … your final comments, and feel free to plug your, your shows on your way out
Reid: Oh man, thank you all so much for having me on. This has been a blast.
Uh, I, uh, am a, am a big Letterkenny fan, big Shoresy fan, big hockey fan Hmm … uh, big, like, cool blowjobs fan. So Heated Rivalry- Right? Yeah … was perfect for me. Yeah. That was, that was really good. Uh. But yeah, no, I’ve, I’ve [01:51:00] had a great time. Really appreciate coming on. Uh, if I, if I can very quickly plug, uh, my shows.
Of course. There’s, uh, You Wanted This. Uh, that’s a show where, uh, our listeners choose the topic and we have to figure out how to do an episode about it. So our episodes are about anything and everything. Oh,
Mat: that sounds fun.
Victor: Oh,
Reid: I’m gonna start submitting stuff. The format changes according to the episodes.
Uh-
Al: They did an amazing one with The Muppets where they did, like, a scene from A Few Good Men, but with Muppet characters, and I still- … to this day, I, I can’t get over what you did. It was so good.
Reid: We’ve, we’ve had, we’ve had, like, you know, like, thoughtful discussions on serious topics. Like this week we talked about, like, AI and stuff like that.
We’ve also done an episode on the Folgers incest commercial. Yes. I remember that. So, like, the show is all over the map. Um, and then our other show is Ghost Facers: A Supernatural Rewatch, where we’re going through all of the episodes of the CW Supernatural. Uh, and we are, we are getting toward the end of that very long road.
[01:52:00] So, uh, yeah, of course check those out. But thank you so much for having me on. I’ve, I’ve had a blast.
Al: Amazing. Good. All right, it’s time to head over to the after party and get a little bit inebriated. Shall we?
That’s all we have for this episode. Next week, we gather with our listeners for an Ag Hall Social. We’ll get their impressions of Heated Rivalry, and we’ll have some trivia and prizes, so you don’t, don’t you dare miss it. Until then, if you’d like to support the podcast, become a patron. You’ll get a shout-out on the show, exclusive bonus content, early access to interviews, and your own ad-free podcast feed.
Another great way to support us is by telling a friend about the podcast, leave us a review, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky @ProduCentaPod. Shout-outs as always to our buddy in service for the live stream, and to our friends at the Sonar Network. Our intro and outro theme’s by Poised For The Worm.
You can find their music on all major streaming platforms. Thanks for [01:53:00] joining us. Now we’re headed to the after party. On behalf of Reed, Tanya, Victor, Matt, and myself, thank you for listening. Have a great week.
Clip: Dreams pass through my mind
What are you thinking?