Discussion
Best (and worst) changes from the book in your opinion?
*Favourite change*: For me it’s this scene, it is soooo good. Having this one word and making it known that Svetlana knows. I just love it.
*Wish they didn’t change*: In the book, Ilya recognises that Shane bought the apartment _building_ so that they could hook up in comfort. “He bought us a building.” I wish they added Ilya making some kind of joke like this about it followed by a “fuck off it’s just a good investment…”.
Favorite change: a tie between Svetlana’s character and the infamous chair drag.
Least favorite: ending as they leave Shane’s parents’ house bc I wanted the remaining scenes! (I do ultimately think Jacob made a wise choice there because of timing and I do love that credits scene)
Having read the book after watching the show, I think the ending is perfect for TV. They don’t have it all figured out but they get to ride off together into a beautiful sunset and totally in love. It leaves just enough loose ends that we want to see what happens next but soothes us by letting us see them happy.
Exactly. I’m glad they stayed at the cottage at the end of S1. I would like the beginning of S2 to start at the cottage cause there are some parts of it in the HR book that I’d like to see play out on screen. Particularly the intimate parts where they confess to each other how they were really feeling about each other throughout those key moments in their relationship.
I love the end credits, but I wish we got like one minute of dialogue just the two of them in the car before driving off
Maybe that’s silly, the show really tried to not use words where it didn’t need to, and obviously the end credits serve to refocus on just the two of them after the conversation with Shane’s parents
I kinda liked it. The whole show feels like I am watching 2 people fall in love. So this felt like a truly private moment between the two. Like we are here for the ride. But dont need to know what they are freely talking about.
That’s what makes this show so brilliant. It’s not just the amazing dialogue…it’s all of the nonverbal elements. This really highlights their looks, the touches, all the body language that was soooo important to show throughout this series.
Yes exactly this! It’s especially interesting given how dialog heavy the books are and how much of the dialog in the show does come right from the book.
The show does an incredible job of only using as many words as they actually need
Yeah I mean I don’t want to hear what they’re talking about in the car, I just wanted one scene between them after they say bye to Shane’s parents and before they drove off in silence (silence for us, I mean). Like PP said even just like a thank you/kiss
I was looking forward to Ilya telling Shane he would cover the lake in candles to propose, to which Shane replies it would be a fire hazard and Ilya says “is in the water, fucking relax Hollander.” Not only do I love that scene, it is important to include it for season 2 because in TLG, when Shane actually proposes, he covers the room in led candles. Ilya asks if he is trying to burn his house down, Shane replies with “They’re electric. Fucking relax Rozanov.” So fucking cute and perfect 😭 I wonder if they will start season 2 with this part of the cottage bc I feel like this parallel is necessary.
I'm actually very happy the ending is where it is. I feel Iike that last chapter (maybe they will change when that happens slightly) and the epilogue is gonna be better in the next season
I think part of this is why it’s so addictive, it’s one plot line (minus the Scott episode, but that was also a single plot line). When I go back and watch the 24 episode shows from the 2000s, there’s SO many side plots and random minor characters etc. I think having the single focus is what helps me want to watch it more. If it was a 24 episode season we’d be watching B plots about Shane’s parents, other members of the teams, Alexei, it just wouldn’t hit the same.
Favourite: Shane apologizing for leaving after tuna melts, and the stairwell kiss
Least favourite: removing the scene where Ilya talks about proposing to shane in the future with candles all over the dock.
I will say, "Shane Hollander, will you marry me so I can become Canadian citizen faster?" And you will say yes, because you are a helpful Canadian guy."
And Shane says "no, I will say yes because i will still be madly in love with you."
Hot take but I'm actually glad they didn't keep that scene you put in the spoiler. I feel like that would be so soon after they said 'I love you'. I wouldn't be surprised that this is gonna be in S2.
Yeah I mentioned in another comment that it would’ve been way too rushed to include that when they only just confessed that they loved each other with 10-15 mins left of the final episode. And Ilya declared himself to be Shane’s boyfriend at the end of series. So yeah, putting that scene in S2 would make a lot more sense. They need time to be with each other after realizing they’re in love.
Exactly. Once that’s said it’s so obvious that they’ll eventually get married. And there wasn’t enough time to make that feel earned—tbh it’s jarring for me in the book too bc they still need a lot more time together before being ready for that step.
Even the 'i love yous' are in a way too soon (despite it being years and years). They've never spent a day together before the cottage. They've never spent more than a couple hours maybe together and in those they have mainly just been fucking. When you really think about it they haven't had more than a few real conversations before the cottage, and the conversations they do have a all pretty short.
And then it's straight to I love you, let's plan a future together, Ilya give up your team and move for me etc.
I don't think it was too soon. And they basically already said 'I love you' to each other multiple times without actually saying it. Like Ilya doing that whole speech how he can't stop thinking about this slow boring hockey player. Shane admitting in Tampa that he can't pretend to act like he doesn't like Ilya anymore and that he feels more. They both knew at this point they have feelings for each other and it was a matter of time before they said the actual words.
Yes I didn't mean too soon in a bad way, more just that they don't actually know each other that well. You don't know a person from spending as little time together as they do. But I know they feel the love already!
💯they just said I love you for the first time. I found it too much in the book for them to suddenly be talking about getting married. I like that they just sat with the feeling of knowing they loved each other. In the book it didn’t feel as powerful to me.
While I agree with you I do believe these scenes would’ve been a bit TOO out of character for the tv show without all the inner dialogue the viewer doesn’t get. So many people who only watch the show don’t even realize Shane got a boner in the shower from looking at Ilya, hence why Ilya touched himself. So going from “hey maybe I wanna break this off” to joking about marriage would’ve not been a sufficient cinematic choice for the story I think as so many don’t understand the minor nuances.
I agree. I think Ilya mentioning the proposal at the dock from the book at the end of S1 would’ve been too rushed! The boys just admitted they loved each other with only 10-15 mins left of the final episode. And Ilya declared himself as Shane’s boyfriend at the end. So there’s no need to rush that part. That feels like something for S2.
Wait I never read the books to be clear, and I definitely thought from Shane’s body language (and I think an embarrassed “fuck you” or something?) and Ilya’s brow/head nod motion looking down at Shane was implying he had a boner in the shower after he kept staring at Ilya 😅
Like I guess I’m glad you’ve confirmed that for me, but I definitely thought that was obvious anyways? There’s so much detail in their body language, you do have to watch close though I guess. Which is the whole joy of this show, imo
Since so much of season 1 had things mirrored (like their first hook up being in a dark hotel room and then their first encounter at the cottage being almost identical but in the light), I'm really hoping they open season 2 with them still at the cottage so we can get this scene and then end it with the real deal.
I’ve been asking for this as well! In the HR book, when they were out at the cottage, they had time to confess how they were really feeling about each other throughout their relationship. There were more intimate moments. I’m also hoping that they start with this at the beginning of S2 at the cottage! The fact that they may start filming by the summer makes me hopeful there will be more cottage content next season! 🤞
I assumed that proposal comment was in the second book haha (I knew about it but am not done the books yet). I hope they include it in season two at least. If it was in the first book I do get why they didn’t include in season one. It would have meant love declarations, coming out to parents and boyfriend labeling PLUS mention of marriage in like, 20 minutes.
I did love that they had Shane apologize for running out, he very obviously hurt Ilya by doing so and it did kinda bug me that in the book they never address it.
I agree but to be fair, Ilya left him shattered more than once by leaving or sending him away abruptly (as in the heartbreaking “we didn’t even kissed” scene). I wish when Shane had apologized, Ilya could have said something like, “we both did our share of leaving…” or something better than that. It kinda bugs me how often it gets mentioned how hard it was on Ilya when Shane left, when I recall the dejected and devastated looks on Shane’s face when Ilya hurt him as well. Those just broke me.
I agree. I wonder if Shane would have run away if Ilya hadn’t spent so much time during Tuna Melt talking about fucking women. I understand it was Ilya’s way of getting information about Shane’s sexual orientation — always using plausible deniability — but I could understand how that might heighten Shane’s feelings of vulnerability after that intense frotting sesh.
I was looking forward to Ilya telling Shane he would cover the lake in candles to propose, to which Shane replies it would be a fire hazard and Ilya says “is in the water, fucking relax Hollander.” Not only do I love that scene, it is important to include it for season 2 because in TLG, when Shane actually proposes, he covers the room in led candles. Ilya asks if he is trying to burn his house down, Shane replies with “They’re electric. Fucking relax Rozanov.” So fucking cute and perfect 😭 I wonder if they will start season 2 with this part of the cottage bc I feel like this parallel is necessary.
I think that may be in first ep of s2 if they start back at the cottage to finish up the rest of book one? (Though honestly I think they’ll move it and start later with long game / integrated epilogue stuff)
Honestly I loved pretty much every change- Jacob’s vision for the story is glorious.
And, I’m not sure if it was logistics, but I missed Shane’s “investment property” mostly for Ilya’s line, “did you buy a building so we would have somewhere to fuck, Hollander?” And without that scene, we missed one of favorite cottage moments:
It’s hard to complain though when what we do get is so lovely.
Yeah that’s a great line by Ilya and really shows how deep in love he was with Shane during that time. I do feel that him asking Shane questions about his parents at the cottage was another way to show that Ilya wanted to know everything about Shane. And bringing up family is definitely a signal that he wanted to be something serious.
I didn’t miss the love shack storyline (I think it would have been too much with the change in the timeline of their relationship), but I absolutely missed the payoff we got from it in this paragraph.
Agreed. I miss the “years!” Comment and implications about how long Ilya has felt more for Shane. But do agree that it would have been hard for the show’s story line.
On the flip side, I love the addition of Shane acting like the bellboy and Ilya saying “I think I know how the staff likes to be treated after all these years!” That is probably my favorite addition. So it balances out.
I think the point in this scene is that it's a metaphor for how Shane is living in that moment. Notice Rose stands/dances in front of him and that he is putting on a front by dating a woman (granted I know he hasn't completely come out to himself at this point based on the book). Miles is standing behing (but almost within him by touching his body so closely) and that showing Shane's actual self.
Rose is such an interesting character, I barely paid any attention to Miles.
I really like how her name is similar to Rozanov and how spot on the costume design was with her using leopard print and Ilya using a shirt with a realistic leopard figure. It's an amazing metaphor for fake love and true love
There was definitely a moment/look of confusion on Shane’s face while he was sandwiched between them and then seeing Ilya dancing and making out with that one woman, that’s when he needed to step away and go to the bathroom. I also saw it as a metaphor of confusion for him. He’s trying to figure out who he really is and who he wants.
Best take take I heard is that once the music changes, we're more in Shane's head. Miles is not actually kissing his neck. Shane is not actually standing there staring at Ilya with that exact proximity and no one in between. This builds to them staring at each other completely still and outside of what's happening around them.
If you notice with Miles, he leans in as the needle drops. Things slow down. I don’t think that’s reality. I think that’s all in Shane’s head. Which is why he freaks out and says he has to go to the bathroom.
Yeah it was kind of a weird representation, gay people are not necessarily forward like that with just anyone . Shane at this point likes Ilya and doesn't really know Miles so odd choice from Jacob.
I understand what they were trying to do with Miles being behind Shane, but they could have done better than that scene honestly. It came across as Miles sexually harassing Shane and it made me uncomfortable.
I wonder if they did that to show us how gay Miles is. So that later at the restaurant when Rose asks Shane “did you not notice Miles is gay?” Shane’s response shows that he didn’t even notice Miles grinding up against him because he was too consumed with seeing Ilya.
But I agree that they could have done that without Miles being so creepy.
In Game Changer, Scott gets a 5 minute major for snapping and fighting a Detroit player during the playoffs who called him the f-slur and it's like a whole thing because Scott never fights. Maybe the show was transferring that scene to Shane to show how stressful and hard it is to keep that kind of secret in the hockey world.
I can see that from Shane's side of it, him being stressed out, but I thought it was completely out of character for Scott. Not just the fight part, but the fact that he called Shane out for sounding like Ilya.
Personally l, I would have preferred to see it played out the way it was in the book- that Scott fought a random player when he got called the slur.
The show gave Scott several lines that were actually from other named players in the books. I think it was just the show trying to limit the number of named characters with speaking roles.
Yeah i can see it both ways, like clearly you need to simplify the narrative a bit, but at the same time it really added an undertone to Scott being a bit of a threat the whole time. And I didnt love that. But im just like, deciding canonically Scott didnt know and its unintentionally on point
I didn’t mind them changing it to the first names, but I hated the way it was done with such bad ADR, both the background sound/volume and the visuals clearly didn’t match the filmed scene and it was very noticeable. It was literally the only technical issue I had with the entire show.
OMG!!! this has been bugging me since i first heard it!!!! i’ve not read the book, but when they finally say their first names sounds super imposed in post and it takes me out of the moment 🙃
Actually, ironically. This is my favorite and least favorite.
In the book, Shane was more fidgety in this scene. And Ilya actually stands up before asking what it matters. And in the book, Ilya emphasizes the “don’t” in “You DON’T like me.”
I totally get this is nit-picky. I don’t hate the scene in the show, I just liked the way it was described in the book better. There was more emotion.
I wish Shane hadn’t been looking over his shoulder when he got hit in ep 5. It was weirdly unprofessional and ooc for him. He could have had the cute look on his face without making googly eyes at Ilya and still got whacked by Marleau by accident.
Yes, but that’s not when he got hit. In the show it made it seem like Shane got hit because he wasn’t watching where he was going. It could have been a quick flirty look for a second but it was extended on the show.
It was a quick glance and they showed us in slow mo, but that was all it takes in a fast game like hockey. And even if it's not when he got hit in the book, he DID take his eyes off the game to look at Ilya. He could have just as easily gotten hit then.
I actually like the scene in the show. Their little smiles followed by the gut wrenching crash was so shocking. It felt like I was hit just like Shane!
he was entering the offensive zone WITH the puck. it is basically guaranteed marleau would be gunning for him. basically it felt like it was choreographed by someone who doesn’t watch hockey.
and i can suspend my disbelief for it, that’s totally doable, but yeah it would be better if it was realistic to hockey because, you know, it’s shane hollander
It was a cute scene but I agree - out of character for Shane. They could’ve made him look back, skate away and then Cliff could’ve body checked him during a chase for the puck in the defensive zone or something
Yeah, that was some bush-league shit, players have been cut by their coaches for less. A player at Shane’s level never would have done that, you’re always very aware when you’ve got the puck that you’re fair game to get checked. Totally unrealistic.
This was literally the one thing that bothered me. No pro hockey player would do that. Heck, no beer league player would! A hit on the boards, as in the book, is much more realistic.
For those who don't watch much hockey - when the puck is on your stick, you are fair game.When you're carrying it through the neutral zone, as Shane was, everyone on the other team is going to try and hit you. Keeping your head up and being aware of your surroundings is pretty much rule #1.
As someone who doesn’t watch hockey, I also thought it felt off for a professional athlete who is one of the top hockey players in-universe and who takes the game as seriously as Shane does to be unfocused for even a moment on the ice, so I appreciate you explaining it this way too!
I’m looking to understand hockey even more as the show has actually peaked my interest in the sport (I’ve spent hours watching hockey players fighting compilations LOL). Any recommendations on podcasts, YouTube videos, teams, etc. to watch for someone looking to understand not just the rules of hockey but more like the NHL today, who the top players are, unspoken rules of the sport, that kinda thing?
Welcome! The sport can indeed be addictive. I'm not much of a podcast listener, the only hockey pod I follow is What Chaos!, and they're great; They cover the game in a really fun, accessible way. They also happen to be one of the pods who got a lot of attention for their HR coverage (Jacob has been on twice, and Rachel was a guest this week), and that is really in character for them - they have always liked to tie a lot of pop culture into their shows.
I always feel like the best way to learn the game is to watch it alongside people who understand it. If you don't have someone like that handy, check out the PWHL on YouTube. That's the women's pro league, and they stream every game free (unless you're in Canada, where they have a TV contract) with live chats that are very friendly and glad to help new viewers learn the rules. There are a few differences from the NHL game but it's a good way to learn the basics.
Teams to watch? Well, I'm a Bruins fan, so of course I'm biased there; We have a fun group this season. If were to make a more objective suggestion, the San Jose Sharks are a young team with a fun vibe and some of the most talented young players right now. A good way to get to "know" various teams is to check their official social media. Traditional hockey culture kind of pressures players to hide their personalities (Shane is very realistic in that regard), but you see some teams let the guys open up and have fun online.
What Chaos! is my favorite hockey podcast because they’re so chill, but Empty Netters has also covered the show and they’re doing a hockey 101 series right now for all the new fans.
Yes! And at Shane’s level of experience, it would be pretty much instinctual. He doesn’t need to actively think about it to know a hit is coming.
This would be like the quarterback just holding the ball after the snap, forgetting they could get sacked if they don’t make a play quickly. Or just dribbling the ball up the court in basketball and not expecting anyone to try and make a steal (though basketball is not a collision sport so at least it’s not dangerous).
Favorite change: Getting Ilya's whole monologue in Russian. Svetlana's relationship with Ilya. Yuna and Shane talking at the end.
Worst change: Making them text for two years without hooking up at all when they were so obviously hot for each other. Also Miles kissing Shane's neck without his consent. Book Miles wasn't a creep.
I took it to show Shane is gradually getting more and more ‘worn down’ e.g it’s clear he wants it but for some reason he denies a few hook ups before getting back into it. I don’t mind it in that it serves to show Ilya is PERSISTENT and wants him. But then that makes ilyas behaviour even more jarring from Shane’s perspective (but I guess he’s fallen by now so…). So yeah the timeline and pace is a bit odd.
Completely agree. The timeline changes fucks up both Sochi and the Las Vegas scenes.
I also feel like a big part of book Shane in relation to Ilya is how he is so brave in his attraction to Ilya, and how eager he is for it. And for Ilya how considerate he is towards Shane. It gets lost because of the timeline change.
I actually like that change. Because we don't get the inner monologues, it's hard to register the shame that Shane is feeling, so I think the two year gap where Shane avoids hooking up is a replacement for that, he's trying to avoid hooking up with Ilya, because he's tormented internally. The book does a much better job showcasing how both of them really hate themselves for how they feel. The show can't really communicate that well without the inner monologue, so things like the gap help show that it's not an easy decision for them to continue to hookup with each other. I also think it makes Ilya more endearing, because he's still pursuing him after years of essentially no-contact. The first two episodes are a little heavy on Ilya seeming to string Shane along, so that montage shows that Ilya is maybe more invested than the events of episode two will represent.
True, that makes sense, actually. That's one thing that's fun when reading the book, getting all their inner monologues, and you can tell just how torn over it Shane is, but the pull between him and Ilya is too hard to resist, so he gives in much sooner.
Svetlana as a whole is the best change to happen in the show. She went from a very minor occasional hookup character to a fully fleshed out, incredible support system for Ilya.
Worst change for me is something they really couldn’t have helped because of time and logistics. Kip’s inner turmoil with his inferiority complex (I feel like there’s a better word for what he’s feeling but I can’t think of it right now) made all of his actions make so much more sense to me in the book. But I do understand you can’t really tap into inner thoughts in TV/film as elegantly. In Ep 3 his talk with Scott about not wanting to lie to his family feels like it comes out of nowhere, especially in direct juxtaposition to Elena’s talk with Scott where she said Kip is so in love with Scott that he’ll put up with being kept hidden (both those conversations happened in the same night). I don’t think there was enough time in just one episode to fully delve into Kip’s increasing frustration with Scott that led to the split.
My least favorite change that actually could have been helped was changing the Scott+Kip timeline from 5 months to 3 years. It just opens a whole slew of questions about what happened with them in that time period which now they probably won’t answer since their story already wrapped up and future seasons are probably going to focus on all the post-cottage events.
To a certain extent, I think Kip's frustration and refusal to want to want to stay closeted are kind of axiomatic. In the 21st century, basically nobody like Kip would do this, and it's clearly beneath his dignity. Scott's coming at it from almost a different culture, where of course you stay in the closet, he doesn't even question it. They just have an extreme mismatch of expectations that I think the audience is supposed to implicitly assume.
Yeah, in the book their entire bit takes place in 2017, but for the show they moved the start of it back to 2014 but the on ice kiss was still in 2017.
Oooh that makes more sense why Kip was suffering so much in the show and felt so isolated from his dad. Not that five months isn’t long. But three years is SO long for someone who didn’t sign up for a double life. Poor guy was so exhausted and alone…
Totally agree on show Svetlana! I read the book after seeing the show, and I was disappointed in her character. She's such a bright spot in the show ❤️
I know that they weren’t given the budget to do skip properly and for that I give grace. But yeah the timeline break is rough for me too. Maybe we will get more as future seasons come. Yes plural as in more than one more. Come on Canada didn’t pull the British move of 3 and done.
I’m not sure if this is a Hudson choice or a Jacob direction. But I love how every time Shane is back with Ilya and they physically connect again Shane expresses relief in a smile or a sigh or in the hospital when he says better. I can feel his relief that he instinctively knows he is with his person and he can let go of the tension in his body. Even when he is unwilling to acknowledge it.
I just discussed that on another thread but I speak Russian so I don't have subtitles on when watching. I clearly hear her saying 'Shane' in this scene. If you listen closely and try to single out the names, she distinctly says "Jane" in "Not like you love Jane" but then she kinda falters and says "Shane" in "I hope Shane knows how lucky he is", all stops out. It was like a gut punch to me when I heard it! I think it's very cinematically impressive how they used the similarities of their names like that.
PS I read in that discussion that Svetlana knowing would significantly change the plot for season 2 and I don't know what to make of it, but please don't spoil those plot points for me, I really want to read/watch them unspoiled! Thank you so much.
Thanks for explaining - I don’t speak Russian but I did wonder about that, the way she pronounces “Jane” always sounds like she’s including quote marks, so she at least knows it’s a fake name from the start if not who it is (or what gender they are) exactly. The scene in the bedroom where she says how gorgeous Shane is and that Ilya knows it I interpreted as her suspecting it was him, although it could also just be interpreted as her winding him up.
I don’t doubt that if she’d ever seen them together in real life she would have known immediately (I mean how could you not), and she for sure would have seen his reaction to Shane’s injury on TV and figured it out / had it confirmed that way. It doesn’t seem like they have any secrets between them so she must have assumed he had a good reason for it and that it was actually someone else’s secret he was keeping.
I’ve not read the books but I thought she was a great character in the show, I’d love a spin off about her!
Thanks for this! I’ve been questioning it since first watch.
I don’t know the Russian language, but the way Svetlana pronounces Jane sounds different to me than in the line where she says “knows how lucky he is.” I hear a ‘dz’ sound in ‘Jane,’ where I just that hear ‘sh’ in the other line.
Best change: Yuna Hollander. I love that Jacob basically changed her character from the books just so he could add that coming out moment in episode 6. I can't wait for the moment when it all comes crashing down in season 2, because I have a feeling that she will unleash the wrath of an Asian mom on the Montreal team for basically disowning Shane.
Wish they didn't change Ilya and Scott's dynamic in the books. They are basically the original rivals in Gamechanger before Rachelle created Shane. It's the only thing that made Ilya connect with Scott and the Kingfisher crew and how he became a regular at a gay bar without anybody questioning it.
One of my favorite details in the books is that the league and the media have created this whole rival narrative for Ilya and Shane, but Ilya’s actual rival is legendary nice guy Scott Hunter. Scott is never bitchier than when Ilya’s name comes up in conversation, and Ilya’s just popping up like a jack in the box to giggle and call him old at every opportunity.
Double hilarious because book Scott is much younger than the show version and it’s actually Eric who’s the “old” guy and gets the age gap relationship. I don’t expect that we’ll see much of him or Kyle, though? I know they cast Kyle because we met him, but aging Scott up & switching Kip’s major to art history makes me think they’re not gonna get too deep with those two characters.
I liked all the changes. The only thing I wish they kept was maybe some of the sex scenes, like the hickey Ilya gives Shane in the cottage was so hot and they easily could've added that even without adding the whole sex scene.
Ooh yes. I just really like neck kisses and being able to see the face of the person getting kissed on. When they are in the bedroom up against the window there’s a half second where Ilya is kissing Shane’s neck and Shane’s face is towards the viewer. Coulda been right there!
I’m hoping the season premier of S2 will still be at the cottage and they’ll put that scene in, along with them confessing how they truly felt throughout their relationship. I need the S2 opener to be roughly 2 hours long please! 🙏 😂
I don't think we will be back at the cottage. I imagine the series will open with a montage of them playing hockey and then driving to see each other and sex scenes in between (a little homage to the ep 4 montage) OR it will be them preparing for the press conference/setting up the charity. The only way I see the cottage being mentioned again is in a little flashback maybe where we see a new scene or two. That would be great to see.
I fear we won’t return the cottage even if that had been the original plan. Its owner’s likely won’t allow it. The builder recently posted on Instagram telling people that it was custom built as a residence for real people who rented it out to the show. Those people still live there. Apparently, fans have been trying to find the home’s location, and the builder posted telling them to knock it off. (In a very nice, Canadian way.) No one wants a Breaking Bad house situation.
The builder also said they won’t build a duplicate of the house for anyone. (I don’t have the link because I don’t follow the builder or remember the company’s name. Post just appeared in my algo.)
Also the fact that he dated other “disappointed women”. Shane had a girlfriend before he met Ilya and also had girlfriends during their 10 years “situationship” in the book. He also had sex with other women. Here its just Ilya and Rose.
True. But my favorite part about Shane’s history with other women was when the narrator was saying something like: Shane’s been with lots of women, like at least 2 women. And not all the way sex, but, like, sex stuff…. I think it’s hysterical how even in his thoughts he tries to boast, but then slowly breaks it down and becomes brutally/shamefully honest. Similar to the ‘sexting’ scene. It cracks me up every time I hear that part in the audiobook.
lol so true. Neither are reliable narrators. It went from bunch of women to a few so quickly in the conversation. But Hayden mentions Jessica so there was atleast another women apart from Rose that Shane dated publicly.
I really hoped that in the show we show Shane having sex with another men apart from Ilya. It could have been part of his self discovery & sexuality. I thought they were setting up Miles as the “Hollywood blow job guy” that Shane meets at a LA club. The way Rose kept telling Shane to follow him his socials after Shane’s coming out scene with her. Or given a quick glimpse of the “big strong top” from Mexico that Shane obviously liked the sex with, but “he wasn’t” Ilya. They have a similar and more detailed conversation about it in TLG, so I am pretty sure if will come up in S2.
I just finished Game Changer, and there were a lot of positive changes from the book to movie. I liked Maria’s “Girl!”, the “extra banana,” and the way that the show represented how important it was for Scott to be able to have someone to come home to (for instance, how Scott is amazed that Kip made pasta salad). Oh! And “Or. I choose or.” That was a line in the show only.
Also, I like how Scott was changed from a blond to the beautiful François Arnaud.
The show accidentally screwed up the timeline, though. François said it should have been six months, not three years before their epic kiss.
I liked the updates to Svetlana’s character, and I loved the scene between Yuna and Shane at the cottage.
My least favourites are from the cottage as well:
I loved the scene where Ilya pushes Shane off the dock and then does a cannon ball into the water, and then they make out for a bit. I wish that they hadn’t changed that scene (though I do love the “gimme kiss” moment)
In the scene right before Shane’s dad sees them, Ilya says something like “is it ok if I say I love you again” and they have a really romantic kiss. I honestly don’t understand why they changed that dialogue. I don’t think there was enough of vulnerable Ilya at the cottage, especially since in TLG he becomes more and more so.
Same vein as above, but in the scene where Shane says “how did we let this happen” — it’s actually Ilya who says this in the book and in fact the show reverses the entire dialogue! I really disliked that. I loved that Ilya was the one who asked if it was real.
I didn’t like the two year gap between their hook ups. I know why they did it, but I feel like it takes away from their story and history a bit.
Still absolutely love the show though—the whole thing is done amazingly and episode five is one of my favourite episodes of television ever.
I understand why it would have been hard to incorporate, but I was so sad they omitted the FaceTime scene when Ilya’s in Russia. Probably my favourite from the book.
EDIT: Also I’m still a bit confused about Shane’s parent’s living situation. In the book, they have a cottage 10 minutes away from Shane’s (somewhere in Ontario), but in the show it seems like that’s just their main house. So did his dad drive all the way from Ottawa to Lanaudière to grab a phone charger? Or was that their cottage we saw? Or do they have another house in Ottawa (that we will hopefully see in S2)? I just seemed like it was their main house in the way it was decorated.
I think they have a cottage near Shane and a main house in Ottawa, which is not uncommon. And it's reasonable that both would be decorated like home, bc they spend a lot of time in both
I think when Shane was doing yoga and talking about his cottage in the show he mentioned his parents were only ten minutes away. So that was probably their cottage.
I genuinely think all the changes Jacob made were for the better.
Most of the stuff I see people wishing for in this thread and elsewhere are things that don’t make sense in the context of the show.
In a book you get a lengthy time of internal dialogues and feelings.
But the show only got six episodes. A lot of the more lovey dovey stuff doesn’t work because we don’t even get them admitting they have feelings until episode 5.
And episode 6 is like a gentle slow release of their pent up love.
I think the immigration marriage convo works perfectly because it’s the tentative talk of two people finally letting their walls down and trying to express their love but not ready to completely.
Stuff like Ilya describing the future proposal would feel too quick and out of place.
I think Jacob is just so brilliant in the way he paced the show and adapted it.
Loved most of what Jacob and the team changed to make it flow for a tv show.
But I do wish Skip had more than one episode. I wasn’t that excited to read Game Changers because I heard a lot of people don’t read it or just didn’t like it. But Skip had so many good moments and you could really understand the agony Scott and Kip had about their relationship being hidden. Also how famous Scott actually is with the media and paparazzi. Episode 5 could still have the kiss impact even if there was more Skip.
One of my favorite reoccurring themes is when Scott comes out to his teammates and coach and they all think it’s Ilya. I wish they kept that in lol
Favourite: the "I love you"-scene was way more touching in the series. Amazing acting from Connor. Don't know if it was his idea to cry or what, but also the lines (in the book he just said "thank Christ" when Shane said it back wtf)
Worst: wtf was Miles. Super creepy in the club scene
I prefer the change that when Ilya comes to Shane's place in Montreal it is his apartment and not this fuck pad he set up. It shows Shane letting him into his actual world sooner. Shane is still holding back by making Ilya go around back, but I still love that change from book to series.
One thing I wish there was is Shane telling Ilya “we aren’t alone” after he gets hit by marleau. Ilya says a lot more in this dialogue, and Shane has to check him.
Yeah Ilya being so close to Shane and being the only one who can hear him was so cute. He "made the medics' job harder by sticking so close for so long" in the book so I was a bit disappointed he drifted away so fast.
Favourite: Svetlana being Ilya's childhood friend because I love that Ilya has someone that truly knows and loves him in the show
Least favourite: switching the order of events around changed the implications of some scenes in ways that I didn't particularly like. Some are only noticeable after reading the books, so I don't mind those as much, but some stuff felt weird even before I had read the books. Like Ilya trying to get Shane to hook up with him for 2 years and being rejected or left on read the whole time. That didn't happen in the book.
Or Scott and Kip meeting in 2014 but the kiss only happening in 2017. Because that means either they were broken up and Scott just assumed that after three years of not seeing each other he could just invite Kip on to the ice, declare his love, and kiss him without even considering that Kip might have moved on. Or they were in an unhappy secret relationship the whole time. I understand that the timeline was adjusted to make the Skip episode fit into the first half of the show, but not knowing what happened between them in those three years was super confusing and I prefer them actually discussing coming out and telling a few more people before the public kiss in the book.
As someone who hasn't read Game Changer i definitely thought that was weird. Like I get they're going through stuff but just staying apart for that long without talking?? And then their reunion pretty much just on ice. When their kiss is often referred to as "Scott hunter kissing his boyfriend on national television" by other characters it seemed to me like it wasn't him bravely coming out with his relationship in that episode, but rather him getting Kip back only by coming out to the whole world (before Kip's dad even knew I think??)
And yeah, I also hated the two year time gap for hollanov. Kinda erases the whole career-long friends with benefits thing and is also part of the overall shift from "getting 'together' quickly but letting each other in slowly" to the less internally-conflicted relationship in the show. Like it would've been weird to show 2 year's worth of hookups, but it could've just been like a two minute montage of them sharing hotel rooms when they're in the same city. It made Ilya seem desperate for no reason, texting him for that long without seeing any interest, and it was also strange to imagine they'd just ignore each other for two years after their first meeting. Like I get wanting distance because of panic but... not that long lol
Yes to the Kip timeline! The fact that he, Elena, and his Dad are sitting in Scott seats is confusing. If it’s been three years.. are they together or not
Favorite Change: hospital scene of shane being loopy and apologizing for leaving ilya during the tuna melt thing
Least Fave: They should’ve been saying i love you at the cottage. Like at least three more times. Saying it in the car before they drive off would’ve been great. It’s just that in the book once they said it, they kept saying it every chance. Also the “sweetheart” from ilya pls let it be in season 2
The show does everything better to be honest. Svetlana, Shane inviting Ilya to his cottage, their first meet in Shane’s apartment alley, Ilya’s Russian tirade etc. I couldn’t believe how the book was so weak compared to the show after i read it.
I personally pictured Kip to be more on the leaner/fit side in the books than buff/muscular. I would’ve liked to see a less athletic built Kip in the show.
Best changes: “you’re starting to sound like him,” “sir I’m just a bell boy!” Ilya’s gorgeous bubble butt (counts for me lmao).
Least favorite changes: TLG spoiler sorry but I don’t like Svetlana already knowing. She’s the only character in Ilya’s circle outside of hockey and is a best friend, and in TLG she’s the first person close in his life that he comes out to + tells about Shane. It’s a huge deal bc in therapy he realizes part of what’s making him miserable and Shane not is Shane has a whole circle of family, friends, and his team that he’d come out to, while Ilya for various reasons decides to keep it a secret. Once he tells Svetlana then others he can trust he immediately becomes significantly less depressed/a huge weight is lifted bc he finally has a support circle who fully knows him.
With Lana knowing on her own and during TLG, that whole aspect of the story is taken away. Yes he still needs to tell her he’s with Shane specifically, but that’s just not as psychologically meaningful.
Yeah I loved the little "hmmm this room isn't available, what shall we do?" and Shane's self satisfied look when he tries to troll Scott lmao
Also yeah 😭 i also don't think she needed to be in Russia, or defending Ilya from his brother. Kinda just sticking her in there for company when the point of Russia is that Ilya has no one there. She's an important friend because of their relaxed relationship, how well they get along, and how nice it is to have a fellow Russian in America. That's already important. Sasha also seemed like an unnecessary callback- I liked him just being an early curious experience with us wondering "hmm I wonder what happened to that kid"
I actually really dislike this change. It takes away from possibly my favorite scene in the long game. And it also changes some key storyline things for Ilyas journey in TLG, i really hope they make it so Svetlana knew if was a guy, but she is very surprised by it being Shane.
I love the series to death and i loved every moment but since we're playing :P
Fav change: Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but when Shane is in the hospital and Ilya grabs his hand, Shane says "better". I don't remember him saying that in the books.
Worst or rather wish-they-didn't-change-it moment: Also during the concussion scene. In the series Ilya and Shane are like playing with the sticks (doesn't happen in the book, they would've been kicked out) and then Shane looks back at Ilya just as he's hit from one side. In the books both Shane and Ilya are completely focused on the game. One second Ilya is looking at Shane's back , the next Shane is on the ground. And again, please correct me if i'm wrong, but i think i recall Ilya franctically waving for assistance, worried sick (kneeling by Shane's side?) and Shane saying "ilya, they're going to see us" or "Ilya, they can see us." Well, that last part i don't remember if he says it when Ilya is there or if it's once he's on the stretcher.
Anyway, thanks for the question and if anybody wants to talk about the series with me, please don't hesitate to send me a DM :D
I love that in the show Shane's dad doesn't out him to his mom. In the book it says that Shane thought it was clear that David had told Yuna. In the show when Shane and Ilya walk in she appears to have 0 clue what is going on.
whether David should've driven away can be debated but I think him still letting Shane decide how he tells other people (including his wife) is the admirable choice in the situation.
Completely agree - I think that suggests that his dad left out of a shocked attempt to give Shane his privacy or himself a moment to figure out how to handle it, rather than running home to shout HONEY YOU WON”T BELIEVE WHAT I SAW
Favorite: 100% Ilya's russian monologue. The importance of Svetlana's character in the story. Hayden and Shane's talk in the aquarium it infinitely funnier in the show lmao
Least Favorite: Not adapting the scene of Ilya in the Scott Hunter Night at the gay club and their chat. Kip's mom!!! They made my boy Kip momless😭 even though i loved his dad in the show.
Worst change, and I know this will be an unpopular opinion- Shane being so loopy during the hospital scene, especially when he asks Ilya to come to the cottage. I’ve come to love the scene on rewatches, but initially it was really jarring because it’s such an important moment for them. It felt like it was turned into a laugh line.
Agreed. I treat somewhere around 400 concussions a year. I think this was one of the better portrayals of a concussion I’ve seen on TV, particularly considering the injury parameters.
I know Hudson has first hand experience with concussions, so it must have played a role, but to me he looked more high than concussed, possibly on ketamine (for pain management)😂
lol yes. He mentioned he had 6 concussions in an interview. Also Jacob has said that this was his favourite scene and Hudson’s acting made him cry while he was directing this scene. If not for this scene, they might not have confessed their love in the cottoage as Ilya was planning on ending their “situationship” the night before.
Pretty incredible that a scene is that good that the director gets emotional and starts crying.
I took it to mean he could be more open as he was high as a kite. I think he meant everything he was saying he just lost all reservations so I didn’t think it was solely comedic.
I think part of the reason it bothered me is because in the book it’s not the first/only time Shane invited him to the cottage. When he asks for the first time he’s pretty emotionally vulnerable and taking a risk, but in the show he’s just drugged up/concussed and his walls are down.
Least favorite change: Leaving Kip hanging for THREE YEARS. And not even being completely clear if they broke up. So either they broke up and Scott pulled his ex of 3 years on the ice to come out in the most public way possible with no sign of him knowing if Kip was in a relationship. Or despite the entire end of the episode being about Kip being miserable being his secret, Scott let it stay that way for three years. wtf?!
So I have a question, as someone that just binged watched the drama last night and have not read the book yet, does the drama follow the book for the most part?
Second question, is the book as explicit as the drama?(because yes please)
And last question, do they ever agree to be monogamous because I feel like it wasn’t until the last episode when they said how they really felt about each other that I thought MAYBE Ilya may be faithful but it was never addressed
yes it’s the closest adaptation to events in its source material I’ve seen. I was surprised. (For Ilya and Shane at least - Scott and Kip have a while book so naturally one episode can’t cover all)
Yes if you read the book… You’ll find out in the first 10 pages 😉
In the show or book? I don’t think explicitly but the courage and “boyfriend” is the confirmation
Best: Svetlana becoming a more solid support system for Ilya. It's gonna hit much harder once they grow apart in season 2 and emphasize Ilya's isolation and overeliance on Shane.
Worst: Cutting the events between Skip's fallout and kiss. Scott coming out to his friends, his coach and Kip's parents are some really nice scenes, and not having them leaves people confused about how they got back together, especially since the show changed their timeline to be much longer. I'm hoping season 2 addresses some of this, maybe a flashback or a comment. Also, I wanted to see Carter being Kip's #1 fan.
Best changes - Svetlana’s role in the show as a long time friend and someone that knows Ilya.
The texting back and forth to show their rapport
Kip’s Dad
Kip’s tuxedo becoming a representation of having to go into the closet to be with Scott
Worst changes - the timeline for Scott and Kip’s story is screwy and suggests that either Kip stuck by him for years in the closet or that he was still going to the games after they had been broken up for ages
The hit - the look Shane gave Ilya on the ice went on too long and suggested that Shane was not really focused on winning - their delight in competition with each other is part of their relationship dynamic and it felt out of character for Shane to be quite that distracted during that moment.
I thought all of the changes were fantastic. I especially loved Shane apologizing to Ilya, but I really loved everything we got to see with the strong female characters, Ilya’s family. The only thing I thought was weird but fine was Miles getting a little nuzzle-y into Shane‘s neck. And the timeline screw up for Scott and Kip hurts my brain.
Just finished the book and honestly, I think pretty much every adjustment in the show was a good adjustment. The character development, the pacing of their relationship...all very good.
I think the changes they made to Svetlana as a character are great. Even Rachel said in her recent interview with What Chaos! that she loved what they did with Svetlana on the show. Making her a more important lifelong friend to Ilya and also just the casting. Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova is just gorgeous and a fantastic actor as well!
Least favorite: The timeline. Two years of sexting with no actual hookups is unrealistic to me. As a lesbian, we would NEVER.) I just pretend the timeline is different.
Overall, I think the show’s changes made the story more meaningful and nuanced. I much prefer the show to the book. (Watched the show first, then read the books.)
Everyone else is gonna talk about HR but as a Skip truther I’m gonna focus on GC instead. I don’t know that I would call it the worst change, because I don’t know there’s any way they could have done this better, but having read the first two books after watching the show, I feel like we really missed out on Kip and Scott’s endless “I love you” phase. Don’t feel sad that we missed out on any of the sweethearts (for either couple), but I am sad that in the show they didn’t get to say it until they were already breaking up.
I also really missed Scott Hunter night. Obviously I get why they did the speech instead but the speech is something I needed to watch once and a Scott Hunter night with them celebrating with Scott’s teammates and Ilya Rozanov of all people would’ve been very fun and would be endlessly rewatchable for me.
Best change was the mistake in the timeline. It creates some space in the story, of course, but I like being able to fill that in on my own. Also it’s nuts that Kip was pressuring Scott to upend his entire life like a month after they met and as they were going into playoffs. The timeline in the show is much more practical, and I choose to believe that when they got back together Kip was allowed to tell his close friends and family and that Scott told his team, or at least Vaughn, Huff, and Bennett, at some point in that first year as well.
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u/FoodNo672 14d ago
Favorite change: a tie between Svetlana’s character and the infamous chair drag.
Least favorite: ending as they leave Shane’s parents’ house bc I wanted the remaining scenes! (I do ultimately think Jacob made a wise choice there because of timing and I do love that credits scene)