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Hannah, played by Ella Bright, and Garrett, played by Belmont Cameli in ‘Off Campus.’Liane Hentscher/Supplied
Google “sexy hockey show” and Heated Rivalry is the first hit. It’s no secret the Canadian series has become one of the most lusted-after shows in the world. It has catapulted author Rachel Reid, who wrote the series on which the show is based, as well as show creator Jacob Tierney and stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, to new levels of fame.
Reid isn’t the only hockey-romance author out there, though, and with the debut of Prime Video’s Off Campus, an adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s series, hockey-romance TV is about to get even spicier. Unlike Reid’s take on the genre, Off Campus is a lighter, heterosexual romance centred on college kids with heightened hormones.
Off Campus debuts all eight episodes on May 13, and is based on Kennedy’s first book in the series, The Deal. (Prime Video has already ordered a second season as well.) It follows a music student and a star hockey player who unexpectedly fall for each other while faking a relationship for their own benefits. Ella Bright stars as Hannah Wells, a music writer who is struggling to fund her way through school, and Belmont Cameli plays Garrett Graham, a serious hockey player trying to live up to the expectations others have set for him.
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It’s a classic opposites-attract story with plenty of sexy moments, from the opening shower scene, in which Hannah accidentally stumbles in on a naked Garrett, to gratuitous hookups. It’s not adult content per se, but steamy enough to be targeted at older teens and adults looking for a new guilty pleasure.
That kind of empty-calorie viewing is appealing for the escapist summer months, particularly since there isn’t much hockey-playing at the centre of this story. Unlike Heated Rivalry, which focuses on the professional world of sports and the years-long story of the two athlete leads, Off Campus is less about hockey and more about navigating the college years while pursuing your dreams. These characters aren’t kids, but they also haven’t fully entered the sphere of adulthood.
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‘Off Campus’ follows a music student and a star hockey player who unexpectedly fall for each other while faking a relationship.Liane Hentscher/Supplied
Creator Louisa Levy keeps it light and fun, with references to legendary romcoms such as Dirty Dancing and plenty of music to keep things bopping. By her own admission, she is more of a musical theatre kid than a sports fan, just as Hannah isn’t into the world of hockey when she enters Garrett’s orbit. So the show touches on the brotherhood of hockey, although there are definitely some icy scenes to get viewers riled up.
In that vein, Off Campus is about embracing romantic tropes for their seductiveness rather than breaking them, which is part of that comfort-viewing appeal. As Hannah and Garrett explore their mutual attraction, they each have their typical friend groups to keep things entertaining, with side stories and plots.
Mika Abdalla takes over any scene she’s in as Hannah’s roommate and bestie Allie, while Antonio Cipriano’s take on John is the kind of level-headed best friend any dude could wish for. Considering those characters eventually become main characters in later Off Campus books, that casting will be essential in the future.
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Prime Video’s Off Campus debuts all eight episodes on May 13.Liane Hentscher/Supplied
Then there’s Garrett’s former NHL-star father Phil Graham, played by Shameless’s Steve Howey. He’s the epitome of an intense father with even more intense expectations. His backstory and relationship with Garett add levity to the series, especially through flashbacks.
Of course, the main focus in season one is the relationship between Hannah and Garrett, and there’s plenty of chemistry as they deny their actual feelings. They push each other in uncomfortable ways as they grow into the people they’re meant to be, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what most romcoms are about?
It all adds up to a fun and soapy watch that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but spins it for entertainment. It’s fast-paced, full of heart and isn’t afraid to let its characters bare everything, and that’s exactly what fans of the hockey-romance genre will expect.
