Off-Campus TV show+Book Review.
A reader's verdict on one of Prime Video's most anticipated adaptation.
Disclaimer before we begin: I've only read the first book, The Deal. I'm not speaking on the series as a whole — just on what I personally know.
The Off-Campus series has been on my tbr for the longest time, but for some reason, I never got to it. However, once the TV show about The Deal was announced, I knew I just had to read it.
I finished reading The Deal two days ago and gave it 4.5 stars. Then I watched the Prime Video adaptation, Off Campus which dropped all eight episodes on Prime Video today.
For context: critics seem to love it. It's sitting at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes as of today and it was already renewed for a second season before the first episode even aired. Amazon clearly has big plans for this. I get it. I do. But I also just finished the book yesterday, which means I came into this with very specific expectations and a very fresh memory of what the source material actually said.
They introduced us to Garrett Graham's body before anything else.
Less than five minutes into the first episode, I was face-to-face with Garrett Graham's very toned, very naked body and butt. I later came across a quote from either the director, showrunner, or producer, I can't remember exactly who — saying that opening scene was a deliberate choice to signal to viewers from the jump that this was going to be a spicy, steamy show. That's a valid creative decision. But it is not how Garrett and Hannah meet in the book, and it sets a different tone immediately.
And that tone continues. For the first two or three episodes, there is a lot of nudity — a lot of ass, a lot of breasts, a lot of chests that I personally found unnecessary. I understand the assignment was "spicy college romance," but the way this show leaned into that felt like it was compensating for not going deeper emotionally, at least early on.
Garrett's father showing up in episode one made no sense.
In the book, Garrett's father doesn't appear until middle of the book and when he does, it's to drop the bombshell that he's marrying Cindy. His father's absence for most of the story is part of what makes Garrett who he is. His emotional unavailability, his guardedness, it all connects.
The show brings his father in during episode one. For what exactly? It rushes character context that the book lets you discover slowly and while we're on the subject, the show softens Garrett's father considerably(THEY BETTER NOT DO THIS WITH BOYS OF TOMMEN). In the book, this man is worse. His behaviour is more damaging, which is why what happens later hits the way it does. The TV version tames him, and in doing so, loses some of the psychological weight the character was supposed to carry.
Also: Cindy eventually leaving him is in the book.
Allie doesn't know about Hannah's and Garrett's fake dating arrangement.
In the book, Allie doesn't know that her best friend is in a fake relationship with Garrett till towards the ending of the book. Fifth line or whatever also doesn't exist(I really don't see the point in that).
Garrett's campus wide hands off policy was unfortunately not executed properly. I'm so pissed about that. I was looking forward to it!
The breakup was changed and I have mixed feelings about it.
In the book, it's Garrett's father who forces her to break up with Garrett, but in the show, Garrett is the one who ends things because he's afraid of his own anger, afraid of becoming his father.
I actually understand why they made that change. It goes deeper into Garrett's psychology and it's a more internally motivated conflict. I appreciate that. But I also wish they hadn't had to choose. Because of what happened in the book, we get to see just how much of an asshole Phil Graham(Garrett's father) is, but the show completely discards this.
Logan's crush on Hannah was barely there.
If you've read the book, you know that Logan's feelings for Hannah are kinda low-key, but also obvious. The show doesn't give this nearly enough room. It's there, technically, but you don't feel it
The consequences for Garrett's fight is different.
In the book, Garrett gets suspended after fighting a player who raped Hannah. But in the show, the team also has to forfeit all their wins and start from scratch in the standings. It's an addition and it's a good one. It raises the stakes, it shows that his actions have consequences that ripple beyond just him, and it makes the moment feel weightier. This is one of the places where the adaptation genuinely improved on the source material.
Now, the things I loved.
One thing the show does better than the book is the side characters. In the book, everyone outside of Hannah and Garrett is a little flat — you only know them as much as Hannah and Garrett know them, which isn't very much. The show fixes this. Logan, Dean, Tucker, Allie — they all get room to breathe, and the cast has real chemistry with each other. There's a kind of found-family energy between them that the book couldn't quite pull off just by nature of being told from two POVs.
Dean and Allie specifically. Oh my god, I am not normal about them!
Their chemistry is already crackling in the background of season one and I am fully invested before their story has even officially started. I will be reading The Score at some point — probably sooner rather than later. Butttt I don't like how episode 6 was literally mostly only about them. I would have preferred the whole season be just about Dean and Hannah. I understand timelines might overlap, but they could have done it in a better way especially since Logan's season is most probably next.
Dean kinda reminds me of JJ from OuterBanks. Tell me you see it.
Logan's story also has my attention. I sense there's something interesting being built there, and I want to see where it goes. The show gives him underdog energy that the book didn't fully lean into, and I think that's going to pay off when it's his turn.
Tucker — I don't have an opinion yet.
So, where does this leave us?
Off Campus is a good show. It's enjoyable. The cast is charming, the pacing finds its footing after a slightly stiff pilot, and the emotional beats are okay. The male friendships in particular are written with more emotional intelligence than you'd expect from this genre. These aren't brainless hockey bros. They have real conversations and they express things.
But if you've read the book recently, like I had, you'll spend a portion of your watch time noting what's missing and what's been changed.
The show feels like it was made for people who haven't read the book yet — which is fine, that's probably most of its audience. But for those of us who came in already loving Hannah and Garrett, it can feel like watching a very competent cover version of a song you know every word to. It is similar, recognizable and yet, somehow, not quite it.
Verdict?
Although the show ended in a way that made my jaw drop and I honestly cannot wait for the second season—The book is better. Duh. The book is ALWAYS better.
What are your thoughts about the show? Did it live up to your expectations or the books or it was just meh? Let's discuss.
I read the book so long ago, I can hardly remember intricate details, I’m enjoying the show so far though. Allie and Dean😚❤️❤️❤️❤️, I love their chemistry so much
Boys of Tommen is getting adapted?