‘Off Campus’ Review: A Tropey, Steamy, Addictive Young Adult Romance

With its latest series, “Off Campus”, Prime Video has placed its bets on the holy trinity of pop culture trends right now: YA romance (young adult), book adaptation and hockey. But despite that, it would be frivolous to compare it to the lightning in a bottle that was “Heated Rivalry”. “Off Campus” is nowhere near as intense, as loyal to its source, or as impeccably crafted and performed. What it is, is a tropey, addictive and steamy offering, a decent specimen of its genre and reminiscent of the good old The CW shows. And that’s not bad at all.

What is “Off Campus” on Prime Video about?

Adapted from Elle Kennedy’s hockey romance series, “Off Campus” follows the leads of the first book, “The Deal”. Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) is a music major at Briar University who loses her scholarship. She must write and compose a banging original song for the pop music showcase for a chance to earn it back, except she hasn’t been able to write lyrics after a traumatic incident in high school. Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) is captain of the Briar U hockey team, grappling with the pressures of having a hockey legend father (Steve Howey) who is also abusive.

Cliché trope brings Garrett and Hannah together. The nerdy girl tutors the hot jock in exchange for him helping her attract the broody musician she’s crushing on, Justin (Josh Hueston). The rest of the story goes predictably, but it is this exact familiarity that breeds comfort. “Off Campus” knows what its audience (which is not YA necessarily) wants, and it gives it to them aplenty.

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What “Off Campus” gets right?

Bright and Cameli are attractive leads whose chemistry is strongest in their shared awkward, vulnerable moments (when Garrett dances for Hannah) or when they’re loosening up to let the real Hannah and Garrett out (the karaoke scene where Hannah sings Warrant's "Cherry Pie").

Fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, lots of yearning and blushing, and the conflict of overcoming their respective traumas, which render them apart before bringing them together… It’s all in there, with a bunch of good-looking people, some great music (that Jennifer Lopez needledrop), excellent pop culture references ("Dirty Dancing") and a Thanksgiving episode to boot; all great CW traits to borrow.

The show adapts the book rather than mirroring it, and in that, creates an identity and playbook of its own. The characters' dilemmas feel age-appropriate and essential. Friendships, both male and female, are beautifully represented without unnecessary drama. And sexuality is explored without judgment. In a rather corny, but earnest, maneuver, “Off Campus” proves just how well it knows its audience. Locker room talk co-exists with hot, young men talking about consent. They pine and yearn and cook, and break down toxic masculinity patterns by talking about their feelings. There’s also enough hockey in it for the purists. 

But the one detail from the book that “Off Campus” gets seamlessly right is the community of characters that populate the “Off Campus-verse”. Much like “Bridgerton”, which is essentially about family, Kennedy’s series is also about the friends who become family in college. Each book is led by one couple while the subplots simultaneously prep another to lead the next.

The series celebrates the found family. Secondary characters, such as Garrett’s friends and teammates Logan (Antonio Cipriano), Dean (Stephen Kalyn) and Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks), Logan’s sibling Jules (Julia Sarah Stone) and Hannah’s BFF and roommate, Allie (Mika Abdalla), have well-defined subplots and relationships, giving each character emotional meaning. The "Drunk Shakespeare" sequence in Episode 4 is a great example of this.

Where “Off Campus” falters

And yet, “Off Campus” isn’t without a weak link in its lineup. The show saves all its serious for the second half. Hannah’s sexual assault and Garrett’s abusive father are running themes in the series, but are only brought forward toward the end. Even as the series handles both subjects with commendable tact and doesn’t victimise either survivors, the tonal shift feels a tad jarring, as if the show doesn’t know what to do with its leads now that they’re together. Their breakup scene is a tough sell, and the acting in it is unconvincing.

The last three episodes also take focus away from Hannah and Garrett’s relationship and put it on Allie and Dean’s storyline, since Season 2 is already a go. Not everyone can pull off a “SKip” episode à la “Heated Rivalry”. Although Mika Abdalla’s Allie is such a scene stealer and probably the most striking of all the acts on the series, this distraction is easily forgiven.

Armed with tropes that work, some good music and hockey sticks, “Off Campus” plays to its strengths and wins.