New hockey romance ‘Off Campus’ sparks ‘Heated Rivalry’ comparisons — but can it live up to the hype?

When “Heated Rivalry” became a viral phenomenon, everyone rushed to have their own version. Prime Video’s has entered the rink: “Off Campus.”

Premiering May 13, the show has some cheesy moments, and a plot as fresh as month-old lettuce. But it’s also fun, charming, and addictively watchable – with more gravity than it looks like. Some characters have trauma backstories, in the middle of the rom-com fluff and steamy scenes. If you miss the heyday of CW shows, you’ll find a lot to like in “Off Campus.”

“Hockey romance” is where its similarities to “Heated Rivalry” end, because “Off Campus” focuses on a heterosexual relationship, and it’s college sports, not the pros. Still, it’s shaping up to be a similar hit: the trailer has nearly 9 million views, and it’s based on a novel with over 140K reviews (twice as many as the “Heated Rivalry” book). 

“Off Campus” follows Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), a music student at the fictional Briar University who is acing a class that campus hockey star Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) is failing. They make a deal that she’ll tutor him, and in exchange, he’ll “fake date” her to make her look more desirable to her crush, fellow music student Justin (Josh Heuston). 

“This is why this arrangement is perfect – you’re not interested in me, and I’m not interested in a relationship,” Garrett tells Hannah. “This is purely transactional.”

Famous last words. 

It’s as unoriginal as that sounds. “Off Campus” often feels like a Frankenstein monster of recycled parts from classic rom-coms and college flicks. But, it leans into familiarity and nostalgia, making that a feature, not a bug. 

There’s a visual nod to “Legally Blonde” here, plot points from “10 Things I Hate About You,” and “Gossip Girl.” The list goes on. 

What elevates “Off Campus” and makes it noteworthy is how Garrett helps Hannah feel comfortable with sex, after she discloses that she was assaulted in the past. There’s a conversation between Garrett and his playboy pal, Dean (Stephen Kalyn), about the importance of making women they’re sleeping with feel safe. 

(It’s the ultimate wish fulfillment fantasy of “locker room talk” that only fictional jocks written by women would do. No wonder the book is a bestseller).

That scene feels quietly remarkable – and so does the show’s implication that Hannah’s past is heavy, but her overall story doesn’t need to be.

So, while these college athletes do their share of keg stands and hook ups, the show’s stand-out quality is its insistence that characters with trauma don’t need to be in depressing stories. They can get trope-filled rom-coms, too – alongside more typical characters whose only problems are, “she’s clumsy.”

Their friends also feature prominently. There’s Hannah’s sassy actress bud Allie (Mika Abdalla), and Garrett’s teammates / roommates: party boy Dean, cook Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks) and mechanic Logan (Antonio Cipriano). 

There’s a secondary relationship subplot that’s a little too fun; it threatens to be more interesting than Garrett and Hannah.

While the trauma elements sound like a strange combination with frothy rom-com fare, for the most part, the show deftly navigates the clashing tones. The overall story leans more light than dark.

The show has already been renewed for a Season 2.

It’s worth noting that although “Heated Rivalry” aired first – and you can’t walk into a bookstore these days without tripping over a dozen hockey romances – the “Off Campus” book came out in 2015, as the original that sparked the trend.

“Off Campus” premieres May 13 on Prime Video. 

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.