Brendan Brady and Jacob Tierney tease Troy Barrett’s arrival in Heated Rivalry season 2

Brendan Brady and Heated Rivalry showrunner Jacob Tierney are already looking ahead to season two — and they did it in the most on-brand way possible: by facing off in a game of air hockey while firing rapid-fire questions at each other.

When asked which character from the beloved book series they’re most eager to introduce next season, Tierney didn’t hesitate. “It’s Troy,” he said. “I’m excited to meet Troy Barrett.”

The tease immediately sparked excitement, as Troy Barrett remains one of the most anticipated characters yet to make the jump from page to screen.

Between puck smashes and playful trash talk, the pair also revealed some of their favorite elements from season one. Asked about his favorite line of dialogue, Brady quickly answered, “I’m coming to the cottage,” referencing one of the show’s memorable moments.

The setting debate followed naturally. “Shane’s cottage or Scott’s penthouse apartment?” Brady asked. “Oh, like for me personally?” Tierney clarified. “Yeah, personally.” “Scott’s penthouse apartment. Sorry, loons,” Tierney said with a grin. “The cottage is lovely, but y’all know where it is.”

Brady chimed in, “You don’t know where that apartment is,” doubling down on the mystery and allure of Scott’s sleek city lifestyle.

As for the more divisive culinary debate, Ilya’s tuna melt or Kip’s pasta salad, Tierney had strong opinions.

“Oh, they both have problems,” he admitted. “One is a tuna melt, and that’s disgusting. Second is there’s no feta on the pasta salad. And I wrote that line, and I don’t know why I did that, because no good pasta salad should have feta.”

Brady pressed him on the reasoning, and Tierney laughed, confessing, “Because I wanted to give like a quirk, like Scott doesn’t like feta.”

The playful exchange perfectly captured the duo’s dynamic: competitive, quick-witted, and deeply invested in the small details that make Heated Rivalry resonate with fans. And if their excitement about Troy Barrett is any indication, season two is already shaping up to raise the stakes, both on and off the ice.