Prime Video’s new rom-com Off Campus hit the streamer on May 13, and it didn’t take long for the show to become a phenomenon with one demographic in particular. The story centers on Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), an unlikely duo who enter a fake romantic relationship so that Hannah can snag the guy she really has eyes on, Justin Kohl (Josh Heuston).
As is often the case with the fake dating rom-com trope, their dynamic becomes significantly more complex the closer that they get, all set with the backdrop of Garrett’s intense hockey season and Hannah and Garrett’s respective college experiences, both of which are complicated for their own unique reasons.
What ensues is a steamy series of episodes with a cast of young, gorgeous characters, even beyond just Hannah and Garrett, doing exactly what college kids do: Going to parties, getting into fights, having a revolving door of breakups and makeups and trying to find themselves amid their stressful, burgeoning young adulthood. And that, apparently, is enough to captivate audiences—particularly women over 30.
Off Campus Truly Feels Like A College Romance
Particularly the earlier episodes of Off Campus will have some viewers feeling absolutely ancient because, while the show may have a broader appeal, its characters really do feel as young as they are. They’re emotionally volatile, a bit cringey at times (it’s hard to make a fake relationship look cool, after all), frequently unsure of themselves and especially early on, it feels like at every turn, someone is taking their clothes off.
Of course, that’s the name of the game for rom-coms in the vein of Off Campus, which, like many popular romance shows and movies of late, is based on a novel. In fact, the show is based on a series of books by Elle Kennedy, although the material Off Campus drew upon for season 1 specifically came from the first book in the series, the 2015 novel The Deal.
Regardless, it’s not difficult to spot the features of the romance novel genre present in the show, right down to the intimate scenes that may have some viewers blushing—or just feeling really old.
30+ Women Are Living For The New Show
Although Off Campus is a bit of a reality check for viewers who feel their college years aren’t that far behind them and then feel scandalized by the show’s steamier moments, the series has nevertheless proven to be a smash hit with women over 30 in particular. Since the show’s mid-May release, the internet had been flooded with posts and comments from women in their 30s and 40s who find themselves absolutely obsessed with the teen (or basically teen) romance.
@gittleinpartyof5 Why are all the millennial moms suddenly obsessed with Off Campus?? Because apparently we enjoy fictional men and emotional damage now 😭 #OffCampus #MillennialMom #BingeWatch #MomHumor
There are myriad reasons this genre would land with this demographic, not the least of which is that the story is simply a lot of fun. Even the basic premise of a fake relationship turning into something more is popular for a reason. However, in many of these same videos and comments left by 30+ women across social media, it’s clear that there’s something more to it, largely having to do with nostalgia.
There’s plenty to enjoy about settling into your 30s, feeling more confident in yourself and finding more stability, and as the saying goes, it’s a privilege to get older. But that doesn’t change the fact that tapping into your younger years and remembering what it was like to be a reckless, starry-eyed college student falling in love can be a thrill—and it certainly doesn’t hurt when those memories are being stirred up by a dazzling cast with a stunning amount of chemistry.
Off Campus Is Steamy Fun…But It Has A Darker Side Too
Although Off Campus is consistently steamy fun, and millennials are right to flock to it, don’t let the show deceive you. They don’t hit until several episodes in, but there are in fact many very heavy themes throughout the narrative. Among those are a plot involving domestic violence, as well as an exploration of trauma and PTSD related to rape and sexual assault.
This has made the marketing for and reception of Off Campus particularly interesting, as the show is being billed largely as a hockey romance and, in some cases, being discussed as more or less smut. Yet, many parts of the narrative are much darker—and more profound—than they may initially seem to be.
Far from bringing the story down, though, these plot points actually help to balance out the show and keep it grounded in reality. Yes, beautiful people everywhere are ripping their shirts off and hopping into bed together, but interspersed with those moments is a range of scenes that feel more painful, relatable and human. And it may actually be that combination that has 30+ women so captivated and ready for the (already confirmed) second season of Off Campus.