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Thanks CJ!

no spoilers in comments pls :)

** previous season access will be available on the archive (some videos may be hosted here as opposed to the offsite archive) if your tier allows.

**Will go to archive 2/19

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jaimie✨

my favorite episode eeeek here we goo!

Clay W

We're at the cottage and we're never leaving baby! This episode broke and healed something in me

jaimie✨

i’ve heard whispers of a season 2 👀 if there is i hope you cover it!!

Serenity La’sandra

I thoroughly appreciate that seemingly dad didn’t out Shane, and if anything was just acting weird but his mom genuinely seemed confused af as to what they were talking about and why Ilya was there

Travis Manning

Thank you ! It’s a coverup of a terrible one I have had the past 15 years !

jaimie✨

oh were they?! well my bad then!! even better!🤣🤣

Serenity La’sandra

Fun fact I saw that the bird call shane made after the loon is one used by loons to defend their territory, since Ilya was scared, the call essentially being a “get off my lawn” 😭

Serenity La’sandra

“I don’t ever want that problem to ever go away” brb gonna go cry in the shower

Serenity La’sandra

HOW ILYA SAID IT IN RUSSIAN A FEW TIMES BEFORE SAYING IT IN ENGLISH, THEN HOW HE SAID “I mean..” AS IF HE WAS SCARED SHANE WAS GONNA REJECT HIM AND OMG THE RELIEF WHEN HE SAID IT BACK and the “I love you so much” I can’t 😭😭😭😭 im too mentally ill for this lmao

Ashley Adcock

I love this episode! I love how so much is just them two together and figuring out how to express themselves.

Serenity La’sandra

One thing I love about Connor’s portrayal of Ilya and I’m sure a lot of credit goes to the dialect coach and producers, but that you can tell from in the beginning of the show to the end that Ilya’s accent isn’t as strong the longer he’s lived in America and not Russia

tjamaicapogue

Welcome to The Cottage! 🙌🏽 Aaaah, I love this episode for so many reasons that I can’t even figure out where to start. All imma say is thank you to Rachel Reid for creating these characters and their story, thank you to Jacob Tierney for artfully bringing their story to the screen, and THANK YOU to Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie for absolutely disappearing into these roles and truly bringing Shane and Ilya to life. 🥰

Serenity La’sandra

Shane’s having a panic attack meanwhile Ilya’s like I’m in love, got some good vodka and a home cooked meal for the first time in forever prolly lmao

Elizabeth Sommerer

Lovers has a little different nuance in Russian culture, more tender and catetaking, not just about sex.

Kiana Banks

He is saying I love you in Russian before he said it in English

Amanda P

He was so scared after he said it 😭 my baby

Amanda P

Okay sorry I have lots to say because UGH THIS SHOW 😭 The last sex scene feels too intimate to be watching lol like I feel like I'm intruding during all of them but that one especially was soooo passionate and beautiful that like I REALLY felt like I shouldn't be watching 🫣😂 Their I love yous is my fave part of the entire show, it's so raw and real. Shane coming up with a huge plan (which everyone memes it that he hears Ilya say he could marry Svetlana and so Shane said hell no and stayed up all night coming up with a 10 year plan 😂), and that being I feel like what finally showed Ilya he can have this with Shane, and so they finally say it and it's so beautiful. I love you sounds so pretty in every language 🥰 Also Shane just being so incredibly sweet and thoughtful about wanting to give money to mental health organizations, what a beautiful soul 🥹 Ilya being the biggest softie is so fucking cute, I adore all the domestic scenes and yes ilya is an evil little bisexual 😂 the phone call scene kills me Shane apologizing for being gay really just fucking hurts my heart, I can't imagine what it would be like to hear that from your own kid, them apologizing for being themselves and thinking they let you down because of that They fit so much into just 6 episodes it's incredible! And how much it evolves from them being young and so into each other and the episodes went from very horny and wild, and evolved with them into more intimate and emotional and loving, 100\10 stars from me. It makes me so happy how viral this show went, other queer media has blown up in the past but this just got so huge so fast it's incredible to see. It's now probably my fave show ever. Also if you wanted to react to some of their intereviews that would be really fun! They're so hilarious and chaotic Now excuse me while I go rewatch all my fave scenes of this episode

Helen Moore

You are correct. They are shooting for a spring 2027 release for season 2.

Bridget K.

You asked how old they are at this point in the story. I’m pretty sure they’re around 26-27 at this point.

DidiReacts

Industry is crazy good & truly unhinged

scarr

Yeah this show turned out to be pretty incredible. I love both Ilya and Shane individually as characters, but this is such a powerful love story because of how beautiful a couple they are, despite the extremely challenging circumstances they’re in. My expertise is as a communication specialist, and so much of what makes these two a great couple in my eyes relates to how they communicate with each other. So here’s a bit of analysis re: that for anyone interested! 😜 These guys are both professional hockey players- and at the very top, best of the best. So that is their common ground and why they understand the day-to-day routines and pressures they both experience, but otherwise they are from completely different worlds. So while their position as “rivals” may have drawn them to each other initially (as Shane says this ep, being “bad” may have been what their relationship was about at first, but not now and not for a long time) - their connection really formed and grew to be as deep as it is because of how they communicate with each other. Each of them experiences challenges with communication in all of their other relationships. Shane as we know had not come to terms with being gay until over the course of his relationship with Ilya, so likely never felt able to really be himself when interacting with other people. Until Rose, Ilya was quite literally the only person who fully saw him. Ilya, as we know, also could not be himself with anyone besides Svetlana- and even with her there seemed to be some level of “pretending” by not speaking directly about the things about him that are forbidden in their shared Russian culture. When Shane and Ilya are together early on, Ilya is the one who seems much more comfortable, and I think this is because there is a sense of freedom for him outside of Russia to be more of himself. Having to speak English which isn’t his native language can pose a challenge, but Shane is beautifully able to adapt how he communicates with Ilya in a way that facilitates effectiveness (speaking slower, breaking down complex ideas into simpler phrasing, always being patient and responsive to Ilya’s expression, not over correcting). He also honors that Russian is Ilya’s better means of communication by showing interest in wanting to learn it, allowing him to “vent” to him in Russian despite not understanding, and asking for the expressions of most importance (like “I love you”) to be spoken in his native language, which holds more meaning. All of this allows Ilya to feel like he is really seen by Shane, and not only seen but accepted and loved. Ilya, meanwhile, has always been very adeptly able to understand and respond to Shane as well. I think I would call what he does for Shane “co-regulating”. Shane has experienced a lot of “panic” moments (understandably given the circumstances) throughout the season and Ilya has consistently been able to notice when this happens and respond in a way that is both empathetic and grounding. This episode that was hugely on display in how he supported Shane throughout the situation with his parents finding out. I could probably go on but the point is that I- like the rest of the world- really enjoy this couple and it’s fun to dissect the reasons why 🙃 I agree too that the acting and chemistry between the two is brilliant which is a huge part of it- though I wouldn’t say it’s unmatched because I do think Edvin and Omar in Young Royals are pretty on par with them on that front. It was definitely more…on display(!) with Hudson and Connor with this story and how it was told. But UNLIKE the emotional trauma that was YR, I love how much of a feel good story this really was. The first time I watched this episode I was bracing myself for like the first 20 minutes before I realized “oh wait, I think we’re really just getting a blissful cottage getaway!” 😆 And then the conflict DID eventually come at the end but even still just served to showcase even more how well suited they are as a couple. I LOVED the choice for the ending to be them just getting in the car to drive back to the cottage and the credits rolling as we see them all lovey dovey on the way. UGH so good. So glad I have this as a comfort show to revisit whenever real life feels too ick and I need some goodness 🥰

Kris

I love that while we, as viewers, saw their love connection coming from a mile away, for Ilya and Shane, hearing the other one say I love you was a genuine shock. Meeting at only 17 years old and only seeing each other 2-3 times a year for nearly a decade kept their bond in a state of arrested development. It wasn't until they felt that feeling of domesticity at Ilya’s home that they finally viewed one another as a potential couple. The feelings we're always there, the vision of a future wasn't. The true tragedy of their separation lay in their internal narratives. Ilya was burdened by a perceived inferiority—a gift from his father and brother—that made Shane seem "too perfect " for him. Combined with the shadow of his ties to Russia, Ilya had already mourned the relationship before it even began. On the other side, Shane, meanwhile, was trapped in the belief that a heteronormative life was a requirement rather than a choice. Their emotional breakthrough was so profound because it required them to dismantle their entire worldviews just to see one another clearly. It is especially poignant that Ilya—despite his deep-seated insecurities—was the one to say "I love you" first. This mirrors his boldness in Episode 4, where his use of Shane’s first name was so intimate it initially sent Shane running. Ultimately, seeing a character who felt so unworthy of love finally claim it makes their union exceptionally powerful. We see Ilya rapidly transition from emotionally unavailable to "boyfriend behavior," as soon as he hears Shane say I love you. I've heard some people say that this shift is inconsistent with his personality, but it's not. Instead, it is the direct result of certainty replacing survival instincts. For years, Ilya’s self-worth was eroded by a family and a country that viewed his existence as a moral failure. To survive, he categorized Shane as a "casual hookup" to protect himself from the rejection he felt was inevitable. This wasn't coldness; it was a trauma-induced barrier. As soon as Shane made it perfectly clear that he loved him and wanted to be together long-term. Ilya's internal struggle ended. He now knows everything he needs to know. Because Ilya’s loyalty is absolute, once he realized he was "allowed" to love Shane without the fear of inevitable abandonment, he committed entirely. His "boyfriend behavior" is simply his natural intensity finally being given a safe place to land.

Kris

Interesting Book Facts & Impovrised TV Show Moments Improvised TV Show Moments: *Small Physical Touches: While the major sex scenes were strictly scripted and choreographed for safety, the "in-between" moments—such as small kisses, lingering touches, and organic physical reactions—were often left to the actors' discretion. Williams noted that these unscripted choices helped differentiate their relationship in the finale as "boyfriends" rather than just "fuck buddies". *Unscripted Kisses: Connor Storrie mentioned in interviews that some of the kissing between Shane and Ilya was unscripted, born out of the comfort and trust the two actors built on set. --One such kissing scene happened in episode 2. The kiss occurred in a stairwell as Ilya was leaving. It was not planned to be as tender as it became, but the actors' chemistry led to a "raw and unscripted" interaction. While watching the monitor, intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter and the producer asked creator Jacob Tierney, "Is that kiss too sweet?". They were concerned it might not fit the "hesitation" expected for their relationship at that early stage. Jacob Tierney fought to keep the scene, stating, "I don’t care. It’s so good. It’s sweet. I want it to exist". He felt the moment when Ilya takes his hoodie from Shane perfectly captured their connection. *BJ Phone Call: The playful oral sex scene was largely improvised. During rehearsals, the actors began goofing off and hitting each other, which led to a "slap" and shoving match that they filmed on their phones. The intimacy coordinator, Chala Hunter, and director Jacob Tierney loved the organic energy and told them to "go crazy" with it for the final take. The intimacy coordinator, Chala, was laughing so much she actually had to step away from behind the camera. *Character Micro-Expressions: Hudson Williams has stated that he intentionally brought many physical quirks to Shane—such as specific facial expressions, teary eyes, and a quivering chin—that were not explicitly written in the script to better reveal Shane's internal struggle. *Getting Caught by Dad: The scene where Shane gets caught with Ilya at the cottage was scripted, however, Hudson Williams improvised Shane's reaction during the scene. This unscripted, spontaneous, and emotional performance resulted in a more authentic and impactful moment than Jacob Tierney originally planned. *The "End Credits" Dialogue: In this episode's end credits, the actors revealed they were genuinely talking and whispering things to each other that weren't in the script _______________ Interesting Book Facts: *Shane's Freckles: Ilya mentions Shane freckles during their conversation on the couch. The he used to describe them were: - "they are stunning.... am I not using that word right? Very beautiful. Um...take my breath away?" They're not only the first thing that he noticed about Shane's physical appearance, they're also one of his favorite things. We see how much Ilya loves them in episode 5 when he sweetly caresses them while visiting Shane in the hospital. *Ilya's Declaration of Love - in Russian: After Shane presents Ilya with his detailed plan to be together. Ilya is deeply moved—to the point of tears—by the sheer amount of effort and "mental gymnastics" Shane has put into ensuring they have a future together. He's so overwhelmed by Shane's dedication, Ilya whispers "Lyublyu tebya" (Люблю тебя) which means "I love you" in Russian. This follows Ilya's typical pattern of muttering in his native language during intimate moments. Immediately realizing he is speaking Russian and that Shane doesn't understand, Ilya corrects himself, switching to English to ensure Shane understands his confession. *Ilya's Parent's Age Gap and Marriage: When he was born in 2003, his mother, Irina, was in her twenties, while his father, Gregori, was already in his late fifties—a glaring 20-to-30-year age gap. In the book Ilya often looked back on his parent's marriage with a sense of sadness, wondering how such a young, beautiful, vibrant woman became tethered to such an unloving, angry, overbearing old man. *Ilya's Mother's "Accident": Desperate to hide his wife's battle with depression and protect his standing and reputation, Grigori made a 12-year-old Ilya responsible for covering up her suicide . After 12-year-old Ilya found her, he was coerced into lying, telling everyone she mistakenly took too many headache piils. This enforced silence defines much of Ilya's trauma. It didn't just hide the truth; it stole his right to greive, He was forced to bear the full weight of a tragedy he was never permitted to acknowledge, which in turn compounded his grief and isolation.

laura moerenhout

you know, there is a lot of lore. But what this gave us is a love story wtih a happy ending. thtat's perfection

Heather

I'm so glad I finally watched this 😭