Chasing the Next Smash After Heated Rivalry
Heated Rivalry drove viewers wild and gave streaming platforms a new goal: capture the hearts (and eyeballs) of romance fans during the hottest months of the year. In their search for the next big thing, Prime Video turned to the bestselling Off Campus novels by Canadian writer Elle Kennedy. The five-book series takes a page from Bridgerton, spotlighting a new couple in each installment. Hugely popular in North America, these books became the basis for a new Prime Video series. On May 13, the platform rolled out the first season, with Louisa Levy adapting the scripts and Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli starring as the central couple.
Classic Set-Up, Familiar Sparks
According to Prime Video’s synopsis:
Hannah Wells is a confident college student—except around guys. Garrett Graham lives for hockey, but tumbling grades could destroy his pro dreams. Sarcasm and swagger collide as these two make a deal: she tutors him, he helps her land her crush.
Comparing Off Campus and Heated Rivalry
There’s one major difference between Off Campus and Heated Rivalry: Off Campus centers exclusively on heterosexual couples. While it checks every box for a passionate campus romance, that chemistry is mostly surface-level. Off Campus doesn’t aim for narrative depth—shots linger on its dreamy male leads, but mostly for show. The result? Plenty of eye candy, but not much substance. Without genuine sparks or emotional stakes, the series settles for easy entertainment.
By contrast, Heated Rivalry showcases real desire and isn’t afraid to dig into deeper themes: masculinity, identity, and what society expects from young men. It brings something meaningful and current, while Off Campus is content to parade pretty faces without saying much about the world or its characters.
Summer Viewing, No Strings Attached
Off Campus isn’t poised to shake up social conversations. Unlike Heated Rivalry—which tackles still-taboo topics of homosexuality and bisexuality in the ultra-masculine world of professional hockey or in conservative countries—Off Campus keeps things light. In fact, it shares more DNA with other Prime Video series like The Summer I Turned Pretty, Maxton Hall, or Love Me, Love Me. And that’s OK. Sometimes, you just want a simple, sweet treat—nothing groundbreaking, just a couple of scoops of half-melted vanilla ice cream on a warm evening.
