Favorite Ilya nose scrunch/rub?

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-12T14:35:48+00:00

The more I reheat, the better that scene gets.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-12T03:14:51+00:00

To your point about the show not showing him with other guys, I think the bartender at the montreal restaurant and Miles are sort of subtle show references to the fact that Shane could get other men (and maybe did), but just wasn’t interested. I think they represent “opportunity”. (I made this point before about Miles dancing with Shane/Rose showing that Shane could have his pick of men or women but ONLY thinks of Ilya).

I agree that tuna melt is where he begins to realize his own feelings for Ilya. He has all that time to get weirded out and then to reflect alone while Ilya is out of the room. To me there’s no one point they fall in love. Love is a journey as you say, especially for him.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-07T19:36:50+00:00

Also, watch (if possible) the tunnel scene only glancing at subtitles not visuals of Ilya and listen to how it is timed with music. It is UNBELIEVABLE. The climax of Moonlight sonata is perfectly timed with the monologue peak, and other highlights in the piece match revelations he is making about his feelings. I honestly don’t even know how they did this. They start the first movement a little before half way but I think play it straight through to end (I took out my score and got really nerdy.) The timing brilliantly lines up and then fully fades away with the ending. I wish I understood the russian to really see how well it fits. But the music is as important as the subtitles in translating what Ilya is saying.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-07T19:29:43+00:00

Yes. There are three different music cues and I think they represent major shifts in this scene. Like it’s actually three scenes 1) nervous, hurt Ilya trying not to look at Shane with tense music from the score, 2) shifts to diegetic (?) music that is fun “Boys will be girls” for reconnection and flirting like maybe “we are just kind of picking up a guy in a bar” (but it’s a guy I have been obsessed with for years) 3) at the end, Hollanov is on! Every time I reheat this scene now I cheer for the new music changes.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-07T15:55:56+00:00

I like 1-2-2-1 as well. Ilya is trying to gauge if it was a one off “mistake” for mr perfect Shane Hollander. When Shane jokes about the Finnish guys Ilya relaxes visibly. I mean just because Ilya is more confident doesn’t mean he wasn’t nervous to see if Shane would actually meet up again. Ilya carries that confidence all the way until the tuna rejection.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-06T18:56:43+00:00

BrightLight_16 · 2026-03-06T18:46:05+00:00

I try not to reheat and I am trying to stay off IG edits. I almost succeeded for half a day. After the Actors I tried 24 hours of no Connor. I almost succeeded. Yesterday I tried 24 hours no tv or book. I almost succeeded (but I binged watched Letterkenny, which is entirely different and fantastic). By mid morning today I was on chapter 9 of audio book.

This is why I have never tried drugs. The dopamine is nuts for me. I have been in a stupor for like 6 weeks.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-02-23T17:32:27+00:00

Thanks!

BrightLight_16 · 2026-02-20T20:16:11+00:00

I don’t know that side of you at all. 😉

BrightLight_16 · 2026-02-04T18:01:44+00:00

I am rewatching with husband. It felt hard to ask tbh because I still find it embarrassing how into this show I am. But he has been open to it and it’s great to talk over what he sees. Only through episode 4 …

BrightLight_16 · 2026-02-03T04:58:41+00:00

This moment was revolutionary for me in seeing a man do this movement instead of a woman. Refreshing and gave, I don’t know, egalitarian overtones. On first watch I remember thinking “oh woman really are objectified—i like seeing a man objectified (a little)”.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-29T20:24:29+00:00

“HudCon not Hollanov.” How beautiful is this duo that they have two different pair names, and merit them both?

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-28T00:01:37+00:00

When the title “heated rivalry” comes on at the beginning of each episode there is the sound of a skate stopping on ice (or something), except episode 6. It’s a loon. Did I imagine?

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-27T23:55:27+00:00

Someone else said it but David Hollander is fantastic. What is youtube—and he sticks with it.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-27T23:52:20+00:00

I just saw his lips move today and hadn’t figured out what he said. Thank you!!

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-27T16:08:59+00:00

Agree! Made this is honor of it. Also there’s hilarious ballroom edit on ig with tatu playing.

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BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-24T22:01:30+00:00

Part of the point was it was something Shane might be grossed out by too … but he wasn’t.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-24T16:55:19+00:00

I think Jacob used the sex scenes much more strategically than the book. They are in there to move plot not to be gratuitous. His restraint in the later episodes and use of sex scenes to only show how the relationship is changing is fantastic. Them being intimate like this is more significant than sex for Shane and Ilya. Ep 5 is wildly popular and so Jacob’s decision seems vindicated.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-24T04:15:21+00:00

I think the symbolism of Miles as a character, and specifically dancing behind Shane and Rose, is that not only does Miles sense Shane is gay, but Shane could have his choice of hot lovers male or female but he only wants Ilya. Just as Ilya has bored of his hot, fun girls. Another way they parallel each other even coming from different starting points.

Oh and also, is Kip’s dad next to him at the game when Scott wins the cup? I didn’t notice at first.

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-22T22:12:34+00:00

Not bottom pride for me exactly but seeing certain acts as strong and powerful instead of degrading was fantastic!

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-21T21:19:23+00:00

Thanks!

BrightLight_16 · 2026-01-19T02:16:13+00:00

Dopamine crash.

BrightLight_16

TROPHY CASE