BookTok’s obsession with hockey romance has officially moved from page to screen. After the success of HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry, fans have been longing for another angst-filled sports romance. Off Campus on Amazon Prime Video, based on Elle Kennedy’s bestselling novels and adapted for television by co-showrunner and executive producer Louisa Levy, delivers exactly that. The series follows the fictional Briar University Hawks hockey players and the women in their lives as they navigate college life, early adulthood and the complexities of falling in love. 

The eight-episode first season—released globally on 13 May 2026—adapts the first book in the series, The Deal. It centres on self-assured hockey captain Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) and guarded music major Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), who at first glance should make absolutely no sense together. Garrett thrives on attention and knows exactly the effect he has on people, while Hannah, despite studying music performance, is far more comfortable staying out of the spotlight. Yet beneath their opposite exteriors, both are fiercely devoted to their passions and the friendships that ground them. Their relationship evolves from strangers to friends when Garrett proposes a mutually beneficial deal: Hannah tutors him in the ethics class threatening his hockey career, while he helps make her crush, Justin Kohl (Josh Heuston)—lead singer of student band After Hours—finally notice her.

While the premise itself treads familiar territory for the romance genre, Off Campus distinguishes itself through the sensitivity with which it handles themes of sexual assault and domestic violence. Rather than using trauma purely as emotional conflict, the series allows these experiences to shape the way Hannah and Garrett approach vulnerability, trust and intimacy. This emotional depth is strengthened by the maturity with which rising stars Ella Bright (Malory Towers; The Crown) and Belmont Cameli (Saved by the Bell; Along for the Ride; Until Dawn) navigate this heavier material. Despite their nine-year age gap, the pair share an easy, natural chemistry that makes the progression from awkward strangers to emotionally vulnerable partners feel entirely believable and grounded.

Part of Off Campus’ appeal also lies in its ensemble, with nearly every character offering something distinct to connect with. Hannah’s outgoing best friend and aspiring actress, Allie Hayes (Mika Abdalla), brings much of the show’s energy, alongside Garrett’s teammates, best friends and housemates—John Logan (Antonio Cipriano), Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Kalyn) and John Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks)—whose constant stream of banter, chaos and questionable decision-making makes Briar University feel reminiscent of the classic college experience.

Music itself is a character in Off Campus, and one of the series’ greatest strengths. Ella Bright and Josh Heuston had limited musical experience prior to filming and learned singing, piano and guitar for their roles, bringing an added authenticity to their performances. Original songs for After Hours and most notably, Hannah’s episode eight showcase performance of  “Girl That I Am”—written by award-winning songwriter Amy Allen—help give the series its own creative identity. Combined with a carefully curated soundtrack featuring Billy Idol, AC/DC, Elton John, Remi Wolf, ROLE MODEL, JENNIE, Lady Gaga, The Beaches, The Kid LAROI, G Flip, Audrey Hobert and more, Off Campuscreates a youthful atmosphere that appeals to different age groups.

Although no musical moment captured the internet quite like Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull’s “On the Floor” in episode two, which re-entered the Billboard Global 200 for the first time in 15 years following the show’s release. The dance sequence to the iconic song—featuring Dean and Allie dressed as Maverick from Top Gun and J.Lo at a costume party—quickly became a viral fan favourite moment, particularly among book readers shocked to see the pair receive such a significant and early introduction ahead of their third-book storyline in The Score. Their chemistry throughout episode six in particular cemented Kalyn and Abdalla as standout performers and immediately fuelled online demand for their storyline to continue.

Prime Video recently confirmed Dean and Allie will lead Season Two, continuing from the shocking episode eight cliffhanger. While many fans have embraced Levy's decision to move beyond the one-book-per-season structure popularised by series like Bridgerton, others criticise the early focus on Dean and Allie for drawing attention away from Garrett and Hannah’s central romance. This is just one of several changes made to Kennedy’s source material. 

The limitations of an eight-episode format, combined with the show’s ensemble approach, occasionally reflect in the rushed pacing of Hannah and Garrett’s relationship from episode five onward, the surprisingly brief inclusion of the book’s iconic “campus-wide hands-off law”, and changes to key character dynamics—including Dean and Allie’s storyline, Logan’s more argumentative personality and obvious crush on Hannah, and Justin being a musician rather than a football player. While these decisions have understandably frustrated longtime readers, others strengthened the adaptation, particularly episode four’s “Drunk Shakespeare” sequence which perfectly balanced the ensemble cast with the growing tension between Hannah, Garrett and Justin.

Ultimately, Off Campus succeeds not because it perfectly recreates the books, but because it captures the emotional vulnerability, humour and intimacy that made readers connect with Kennedy’s characters in the first place. Viewers expecting another Heated Rivalry will likely be disappointed, as Off Campus trades the slow-burn tension of the HBO original for something messier, lighter and far more ensemble-focused. The series confidently carves out its own space within the sports romance genre. Impossible not to binge, Off Campus makes the wait for season two feel almost unbearable.