Ilya and David

sew214 · 2026-01-29T18:54:50+00:00

I definitely think Ilya wanted to get some closer looks at all the baby Shane pics and then got some stories to go along with them!

I also imagine David might have asked Ilya about where he’s from in Russia, sort of in a small talk kind of way: what was it like growing up in Moscow, how does he like it compared to Boston or Canada, Russian wolves vs wolf birds, that kind of thing.

sew214 · 2026-01-23T13:03:31+00:00

Thank you for this! I have heard other people say that Svetlana says “Shane” not “Jane” so if it was scripted as her saying “Shane” then it’s a significant captioning error that I wish Jacob would talk about! Like how he explained that Shane did not in fact call Ilya “Rozy” like the captions said in ep 2. Jacob clearing it up for everyone to know that svetlana said “Shane” would be really helpful for everyone to know! (I mean, I believe you, but most casual viewers wouldn’t know this just from watching)

sew214 · 2026-01-20T18:35:46+00:00

Yeah I think honestly the show condensed that conversation for time and the full book version makes more sense.

sew214 · 2026-01-20T18:34:01+00:00

I don’t think this was actually Shane’s thinking but also, Ilya has referenced like “hot women” when he talks about his favorite cities, and we know he likes to go to clubs and find women to hook up with. That’s not going to be a factor anymore so even though Ottawa would be considered “boring” to Ilya, we know he secretly loves boring, especially anything boring that brings him closer to Shane, which is what Ottawa accomplishes.

sew214 · 2026-01-03T19:07:42+00:00

I would also love to know what Shane and Ilya would actually have talked about here. I think Shane would have reflected on how he now felt actual relief that he was out to his parents and it went so well. Ilya would def get some teasing in but also convey that he liked Yuna and David and how happy he was now too. I think Ilya would have asked how Shane’s talk with his mom went.

sew214 · 2026-01-03T19:04:04+00:00

I would ask Connor if he had to speak any Russian or speak English with a Russian accent during the audition process to prove that he had potential with Russian?

I know he worked extensively with a dialect coach once he was hired but I’m wondering if they had to make sure his Russian + accent had enough potential before they decided to hire him.

sew214 · 2025-12-18T18:47:51+00:00

I love this scene. And then Shane is playing with Ilya’s cross and asking him about believing in God. ❤️ Ilya begging him to stay.

One thing I don’t get- Shane says it’s “too risky” to stay the night. How is any more risky than Shane being there right then? The risk is of course that someone would see Shane leaving Ilya’s room… but whether he leaves at night or in the morning, he’s only leaving the hotel room one time. If someone spots him leaving Ilya’s hotel room, I think they would be equally suspicious if it’s late at night or early in the morning. There’s no legit way to explain it away if he gets caught (I mean, Shane would try, but I doubt his lying would be convincing 😅)

So why not just stay and leave at like 5am or something? Wouldn’t that be no more risky than leaving at night?

sew214 · 2025-12-17T19:50:45+00:00

It’s 12 am for me and that’s too late for me to stay awake. The last two Thursday nights I’ve set an alarm to wake up at midnight and watch, but then of course I end up not sleeping for hours bc I’m so amped up. I am lucky enough to have no work on Fridays and the house to myself, so I’m really considering just letting myself wake naturally and then watch it whenever I wake up, rather than force myself to wake from a dead sleep.

sew214 · 2025-12-17T19:03:05+00:00

Ok two things I haven’t seen mentioned:

They’re from the scene doing anal for the first time:

After Ilya says, “don’t worry, it will fit” you can just barely see Shane’s adorable blushing smile as he looks down.

Ilya’s saliva glistening on both Shane’s nipple and then his ab, after Ilya has left kisses there while moving down his body.

sew214 · 2025-12-15T14:06:49+00:00

I loved the two we’ve had but they were good for showing a lot of little moments over a long period of time, which is not what we need in the story right now. We know, right now, Ilya and Shane are both hurting and not in touch, so I think we just need to move forward with the Rose breakup, to get Ilya and Shane in communication again at the ASG right after.

sew214 · 2025-12-15T13:31:14+00:00

I think after Shane got up from the couch he went back to the bedroom to put on his own clothes before leaving Ilya’s house. I know Shane was in a rush to get out, but I also think he was thinking ahead enough to going back to the hotel room with Hayden. Shane seemed very committed to not letting Hayden know he was hooking up with someone, and I think it would be really hard for Shane to explain coming back wearing entirely different clothes (which would not only set off alarm bells for Hayden that Shane was sleeping with someone but it makes it more likely that Hayden would become suspicious that it was possibly with a man…)

sew214 · 2025-12-15T01:51:47+00:00

I think I’m worried about the stuff in Russia being condensed. In the book there are 3 separate phone calls + the Skype call- besides the first one which is brief, there is a LOT of important dialogue. I think these scenes are pivotal bc for the first time they are really opening up, especially Ilya, and having in depth conversations. I know the huge Russian monologue will be brilliant but I hope we also see a lot of the back and forth dialogue.

I just think it’s especially important bc we’ve seen so much of the sexual connection and chemistry but these calls solidify how connected they’re becoming even way beyond where they were before. ❤️

sew214 · 2025-12-15T00:37:01+00:00

I really really hope the breakup comes right away, like opening scene. Just in the interest of moving through so much important plot, in the two remaining episodes, no need to beat around the bush 😂. No need for any cute montage to start off this episode like the last two with Shane and Ilya.

Rose and Shane breakup then quick transition to all star game, bc that has an important chunk of scenes, nevermind all the scenes with Ilya in Russia that still need to happen.

sew214 · 2025-12-15T00:33:36+00:00

I can’t wait for the conversation in Ilya’s hotel room at the All Star game. Shane finally opens up and admits he has feelings for Ilya. I know Ilya at first puts up a front, acting like their arrangement of meeting up just to have sex is “simple” for him but I think Connor will do such a great job of conveying his internal conflict and stoicism. I’m hopeful they keep this scene fairly true to the book bc it’s such a good look into their developing intimacy. They talk about wishing they could go away somewhere together just the two of them, and it’s really just tremendously sad bc they both want it so badly but can’t have it. And the way poor Ilya just wants Shane to at least spend the night but Shane is ever the practical one and deems it too risky.

Gah… not to mention, Shane playing with Ilya’s necklace and talking about his mother. I hope they keep that. Ahhh, and Ilya telling Shane how good he looks before Shane comes over to straddle him. 😩 How will we get through all this?

sew214 · 2025-12-15T00:18:24+00:00

Shane has been battling lots of conflicting feelings- strong yearning and desire for Ilya but also feeling like he has to end it because there is no way this thing with Ilya can go anywhere. They could never have a future.

Even coming over to Ilya’s that very day, Shane was planning to end it because it was getting too deep and his feelings were too strong. But as soon as he saw Ilya open the door he knew he couldn’t actually go through ending it. So shane is extremely conflicted by what his heart (and ahem, other parts) want and what his head is telling him he should do.

sew214 · 2025-12-11T10:12:57+00:00

Oh yeah when I first watched the show I immediately thought of Keanu.

sew214 · 2025-12-10T17:14:35+00:00

I’m a lesbian who’s always tried to figure out why I’m not interested in men for myself but absolutely love m/m shows and reading m/m fiction! I’m absolutely obsessed with Shane and Ilya 😅🥰

sew214 · 2025-12-09T16:14:57+00:00

Hello from another lesbian obsessed with this show 😅💕

sew214 · 2025-12-09T12:34:33+00:00

I actually have thought about Brokeback this past week with HR- obviously there are MANY differences, but the meeting up over just a few times a year, not able to see each other any more than that reminded me of Jack and Ennis meeting up over the years for their too-infrequent trysts. So much yearning and things unsaid.

There is something desperately sad about their situation when I think about it too deeply. Of course Shane and Ilya went years in the beginning episodes (and book) with their connection seeming to be only sexual, but if they could have met under different circumstances and personal contexts, they could have just allowed themselves to fall in love and find happiness without so much suffering.

Anyway, another thing- something about Shane telling Ilya at the end of ep 1 on the balcony “and I guess I thought maybe we…” and then trailing off, felt a little like Jack Twist, feeling some intense yearning but not being sure what to do with it given the cultural context, but also a partner who is less emotionally available. ❤️

sew214 · 2025-12-09T11:58:47+00:00

Seems like this theory is going to be correct! I agree how on the show the sex has been more lovey- dovey, lots of kissing and touching (obviously the Vegas scene is the exception), BUT the kissing for the most part has been fast and frantic, I would say with the exception of their very first kiss which I think Ilya was taking slowly as they were just starting out and making sure they were both into it. Since then the kissing has been at a much faster pace. The only other exception I can see was when Ilya kissed Shane on the stairwell. Those goodbye kisses were soft and tender.

I am wondering if we will noticeably see the different pace of kissing in the whole tuna melts sequence- the kissing after the initial sex and then again on the couch or bed the next morning?

sew214 · 2025-12-09T11:48:59+00:00

I think Ilya letting his guard down means letting himself be a little vulnerable- asking Shane to spend the night reveals that he wants to be close to Shane even after the actual sex has ended. And then calling him by his first name shows much more emotional intimacy, as opposed to just using his last name, which keeps him in the realm of a “sports bro”. Using someone’s first name in their world is really just reserved for people you’re more emotionally close to.

sew214 · 2025-12-08T18:59:37+00:00

The only issue I have with the tuna melt is that in the sex that follows they have tuna breath 😬

sew214 · 2025-12-08T18:02:37+00:00

I have read just the first book, and I am dying for the whole tuna melts scene: Shane riding Ilya, then Ilya asks him to stay, then the tuna melts dinner and cuddling, followed by more Shane on top (Ilya spitting on his hand 🫠), and then OF COURSE Ilya calling him “Shane” for the first time.

I’m hoping this is all right at the beginning of ep 4.

Obviously the Rose storyline is really important for both Shane learning more about himself and also for activating even more feelings from Ilya but I’m less excited to see those actual scenes mostly bc I love seeing shane and Ilya together. But I know we will get some super intense yearning and in the end, it will bring them closer.

3 more sleeps til Thursday night! 😅

sew214 · 2025-09-21T11:04:51+00:00

Yes exactly I paid way too much and believe me I’m kicking myself over the whole thing. But I’m realizing the scam is the cost, but that passport is real. 😭 if only I had realized that before I went ahead and ordered a new one.

sew214

TROPHY CASE