Off Campus Showrunner Reveals Why Season 1 Deviates from Source Material

Prime Video's highly anticipated adaptation Off Campus dropped on Wednesday, May 13, and viewers are already spotting significant departures from the Elle Kennedy book series that inspired it.

The ensemble cast includes Ella Bright, Belmont Cameli, Mika Abdalla, Antonio Cipriano, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Josh Heuston, and Stephen Kalyn. The series follows an elite ice hockey team at Briar University and the women connected to them as they navigate romance, friendship, and the transition to adulthood. The first season centers on the "opposites attract" dynamic between Hannah, a quiet songwriter, and Garrett, the university's standout hockey player.

The show has already secured renewal for a second season before its debut even arrived.

A Notable Shift from the Books

Showrunner Louisa Levy recently spoke about one major creative choice: introducing the romance between Dean Di Laurentis and Allie Hayes in Season 1. In the original book series, this couple doesn't appear until the third installment, The Score.

Levy told the New York Post that the decision felt "organic" to the story. "Allie is Hannah's best friend, so that felt really easy," she explained. "Also, their love story starts as a secret – so, what better way to surprise fans than launch it a little earlier than expected?"

In the show, Dean and Allie's relationship unfolds as a subplot with them beginning to hook up during the season.

What's Next for Season 2?

When asked whether the couple might take center stage in Season 2, Levy remained coy: "We'll have to see."

The second book in the Kennedy series, The Mistake, focuses on hockey player John Logan and freshman Grace Ivers. Should Dean and Allie eventually headline their own season, Levy indicated the show won't abandon the source material entirely.

"We are stretching it a little bit," she said. "We'll find ways to honor the books, and still tell the stories and get the fan favorite moments from the books into the show."

Standing Out in the Hockey Romance Space

Levy also addressed the timing of Off Campus launching amid the release of Heated Rivalry, another hockey-focused romance series. While the Elle Kennedy books predate that series, Levy expressed admiration for the comparison.

"I love Heated Rivalry. I am honored to be in the same breath," she said, though she emphasized that beyond the hockey setting, the shows occupy different spaces. "We're in college. We have Hannah and Garrett's love story, but it really is surrounded by a robust ensemble. It's a show that has its own personality, its own vibe. There's so many football shows. Why can't there be lots of hockey shows?"