TV Review: Off Campus

The TV adaptation of Elle Kennedy's Off Campus series recently came out, and as a fan of the books, here are my thoughts on the eight-episode series.

I have always been a reader. But back when I started this blog, I began creating content for Bookstagram, and subsequently have also started creating content for BookTok.

As a part of the Bookstagram community, one of the first contemporary romance series I remember reading is the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy. This five-book series (four standalones and four novellas in one book) had me hooked from the very beginning.

So, when Amazon Prime announced that they were adapting it for a TV show, I was so excited. Like many readers on BookTok and Bookstagram, the Off Campus release day was filled with anticipation.

Now, having watched all of season one and having had the time to process my thoughts on holiday last week, I thought I would share my thoughts with you.

TV Review of Off Campus

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Based on: Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy (specifically The Deal, book one)

Stars: Ella Bright, Belmont Cameli, Mika Abdalla, Stephen Kalyn, Jalen Thomas, Antonio Cipriano...

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Rating: 9/10

Synopsis:

As mentioned above, Off Campus, the television show is based on the book series by Elle Kennedy. However, season one of the show is centred around book one, The Deal.

Off Campus as a whole is centred on a group of college students at Briar University and hockey players as they navigate love, friendship, heartbreak and personal growth.

But the synopsis for The Deal, and therefore season one of the show, is:

"A college-set romantic drama chronicling the unexpected love story between a music student and the university's star hockey player, exploring themes of love and the complexities of adulthood through deep friendships and enduring bonds."

My Thoughts

Usually, when one of my favourite books is adapted into a movie or TV show, I'm apprehensive and always end up preferring the book. So, it was natural for me to feel this way about Off Campus, especially when some of these characters are some of my favourites.

However, I was so pleasantly surprised. I binged four episodes in one day and could not stop smiling and kicking my feet.

And just to prove how much I enjoyed it, I went and bought a special edition of the book in Spanish.

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Thoughts on the characters

The TV show, obviously, can't follow the book to the letter — no adaptation can because in a novel, you get the character's inner thoughts and there's more time for the plot to unfold. With TV, in particular, it is also very hard to follow just two characters, so it becomes more of an ensemble cast show.

Season one of Off Campus centres on Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells, as Garrett requires Hannah's tutoring services in exchange for helping her get the attention of her crush. The fake dating trope is one of my all-time favourites, and Garrett and Hannah pull it off spectacularly well.

What I really liked about the show was the cast. I thought Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli portrayed Hannah and Garrett really well, and had great chemistry between them.

I also thought the other main characters (Allie, Dean, Logan, and Tucker) were cast well too; although in the show, Tucker's character has been made younger and doesn't picture exactly what I had in my head.

The group dynamic of the four boys (Garrett, Dean, Logan and Tucker) was sooooo good! I really enjoyed how they portrayed the closeness between them, but also the banter that is present in the books. Their workout scene in particular...WOW!

Whilst I thought the characters were well-cast and I could really connect to them on screen, I must admit that Garrett, in my opinion, is slightly different to what I expected. In the books, Garrett's character is very energetic, over-the-top and playfully cocky, but in the TV show, I felt he was more subdued and chill.

Because of this, I do think one of the major changes to the plot makes sense for the TV show Garrett, rather than the book version of the character. But more on that below.

I liked how the show brought in other characters from the series, such as mentioning Grace Ivers (Logan's love interest from book two), and also gave us more of an insight into Dean and Beau's friendship with their Dynamic Duo party and their costumes as Maverick and Goose (as a fan of Top Gun, I loved that!).

Overall, I really enjoyed watching some of my favourite characters come to life on screen and they did encapsulate the essence of the book really well.

Thoughts on the plot

Season one of Off Campus mainly follows Hannah and Garrett's story from The Deal. However, the other characters' storylines are hinted at and teased too, setting up the future seasons where they'll lead.

The plot of the show does include key moments from the book, such as Thanksgiving, a musical showcase, and a precise, intimate scene between Hannah and Garrett that relates to past trauma for Hannah.

I really enjoyed watching the show and how closely it did mirror the book, but I also enjoyed some of the differences they included. One being that Hannah kisses Logan instead of Dean when trying to make a point to Garrett.

At first, I wasn't sure about this change, but knowing that Logan has a crush on Hannah (in both the book and the show), this actually made more sense to fuel his crush on her.

I also loved that the show didn't shy away from the hard-hitting storylines of domestic abuse and sexual abuse; they were handled so well in the show, and one scene in particular brought me to tears — Ella Bright in that scene was amazing.

Another thing that was different in the show is Justin's character. Whilst Hannah still has an initial crush on him, in the show, he is a musician at Briar U, rather than a football player. I really liked this change that the showrunners made because it made more sense for Hannah to like another music student, rather than an athlete. Plus, it made way for Hannah's development as a songwriter throughout the season, leading up to the Pop Showcase in the finale.

So, overall, I did enjoy the plot of Off Campus, season one.

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Thoughts on the differences

Now, moving on to the differences between the show and the book. I've mentioned a couple above, but there is one major difference that I'm not sure how I feel about it.

In the book, The Deal, Garrett and Hannah break up because Garrett's father forces Hannah to break up with his son, after threatening him. This results in the campus-wide hands-off law, which is so Garrett-coded and one of my favourite scenes of the book because it shows how well Garrett knows Hannah — that she would try and date other guys just to prove a point.

However, in the show, Garrett actually breaks up with Hannah because he feels like he's not good enough for her after a certain incident on the ice. This results in no campus-wide hands-off law, except for a rumour started by his teammates.

Whilst I initially frowned upon this change, I do see why the show is different, and going back to my earlier comment about Garrett being more chilled and less over-the-top in the show, this breakup makes more sense for his character, especially given his past.

The final difference I want to highlight concerns book three, The Score, which focuses on Dean and Allie's story. The TV adaptation of Off Campus actually brings Dean and Allie to the forefront with teasers of their developing relationship shown throughout the season, and even a whole episode dedicated to them.

Watching Off Campus, I was absolutely feral for Dean Di Laurentis. Stephen Kalyn is the perfect Dean, and Mika Abdalla is the perfect Allie. Their initial scene at the Dynamic Duo party was incredible, especially with Dean dressed as Maverick from Top Gun.

I cannot wait for their storyline to progress in the show, and I really want them to be the season two leads.

Overall Thoughts

I am a huge fan of the book, and I am also now a huge fan of the show.

I really enjoyed watching Off Campus and I think it has fast-become a comfort show for me. The soundtrack was fab; the characters and cast were amazing; and the plot was great.

I will definitely be rereading the whole series and rewatching the show soon!

Until next time...