Off Campus Review: Steamy College Romance Is Surprisingly Sweet

Based on the Elle Kennedy book series of the same name, Off Campus is the latest attempt at bringing the predictable yet enthralling formulas that have brought the romance genre so much success in books and movies into a prestige TV setting. Indeed, most people will probably only need to see one poster of the conventionally attractive main couple gazing into each other’s eyes over a pile of books before immediately deciding whether this is something for them.

But while the show does partially embody that immediate first impression, what ultimately makes it work is how it goes beyond that. Off Campus is not content to simply revel in familiar tropes and will they/won’t they, at least not entirely. Rather, the series spends a good amount of time on what it actually means to be in a relationship. That includes the sexy stuff, sure, but it also includes the vulnerability, the day-to-day of being part of someone else’s life, and what it takes to truly be there for another person.

What is Off Campus about?

Set both on and off the halls of Briar University, our story centers on three major focal points. Hannah, played by Ella Bright, is a composition major in danger of losing her scholarship unless she can win an upcoming showcase with a new original piece. Justin, played by Josh Heuston is a fellow student and performing artist that Hannah has a huge crush on. And Garrett, played by Belmont Cameli, is the captain of the Briar U Hawks hockey team, but may not be for long if he can’t get his grades up.

These focal points coalesce in the form of an elaborate scheme. Garrett and Hannah will fake being in a relationship to make Justin jealous and get him to help Hannah write a song for the showcase, while Hannah tutors Garrett to help him pass his classes, all while ensuring none of the rest of the hockey team realize that this is a con. But what happens when it isn’t a con after all and Hannah and Garrett start developing genuine feelings for each other? Only time will tell.

Off Campus Review

Much of the official marketing material for Off Campus describes the series as a “sexy and fun” story about “an elite hockey team and the women in their lives.” When I first heard that premise, I immediately thought “Oh God, I’m going to have to suffer through Straight Heated Rivalry, aren’t I?” Thankfully, the show is nowhere close to the kind of dreck that likely comes to mind when hearing the words “Straight Heated Rivalry.” In fact, the show is both very good in its own right and a very different beast compared to that aforementioned megahit, despite the similar starting points of being steamy romance stories about hockey players.

Namely, while Off Campus certainly has sex scenes, it’s far more interested in building up to that compared to the “Give the people what they want in the first ten minutes” approach of Heated Rivalry. That show was much more about raw passion and sensuality and brought in more of the emotional business later on, while this show has physical intimacy be the payoff to at least a little bit of the characters getting to know each other. Both are valid approaches, of course, just rather — welcomingly — different.

Furthermore, while the show’s initial hook is built on well-worn tropes, it doesn’t stay in that territory for very long. It hits the beats you’d expect, but then keeps going and evolves more into a story about being in a relationship rather than simply ending on getting together as these things often do. Our leads actually get to know each other, see each other at their most vulnerable, and without getting into spoilers, the story tackles subjects like the importance of communication and consent with far more tact and authenticity than I would’ve expected from something like this.

It also helps that these characters are simply fun to be around. I fully expected to hate the rest of Garrett’s hockey team, but they’re actually a fairly chill group of guys whose B-plots are a real treat. Mika Abdalla as Hannah’s theater major roommate Allie might be my favorite of the cast, and it should probably go without saying that our two leads are absolutely killing it here, but I’m going to say it, anyway.

While I’m unfamiliar with either Ella Bright or Belmont Cameli’s previous works, they very much impressed me here. They’re cute together, they have good chemistry, and you’re absolutely rooting for them to be together, which is what you want out of this kind of romance narrative. But more importantly, they both still feel like individual people with their own individual stories, and a lot of that comes from how good Bright and Cameli are in these roles.

Hannah has a sort of introverted yet playful poeticism about her while Garrett is a physical charmer whose smart in areas you wouldn’t expect someone like him to be smart in and that’s thoroughly demonstrated in the way that Bright and Cameli deliver dialogue, carry themselves physically, and in particular, their facial expressions. There’s a lot of intense facial acting, particularly in the back half, that can be hard to pull off even for the most seasoned actors, so to see people as young as them do it so well is remarkable to say the least.

Is Off Campus worth watching?

Off Campus is not perfect. It takes a while to truly hit its stride; I imagine those who were sold on the lighter tone of the advertising might be put off by some of the heavier elements, and there is a lot of screen time dedicated to Josh Heuston’s Justin when he really does only exist to facilitate the love triangle trope and nothing else of particular interest. But when it works, it really works. The romance lands, the supporting cast is delightful, and it goes far deeper on its themes than it ever needed to. Apparently, Season 2 is already in the works, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I will be there day 1.

Off Campus premieres on Prime Video May 13. All eight episodes were reviewed.

Off Campus Review: Steamy College Romance Is Surprisingly Sweet