Parents' Guide to Off Campus

Emotional and steamy, this adaptation of the popular college-set sports romance books is, as viewers hoped, the hetero-centric rough equivalent of hit series Heated Rivalry. Like that show, Off Campus has both clashes on the ice and clinches away from the rink, as well as romance, complications, and elaborate and carefully choreographed sex scenes. But Off Campus is lighter, fluffier, and more predictable than Heated Rivalry, which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on the preferences of who's watching. Off Campus adheres to a time-honored premise: Boy meets girl, boy and girl are attracted yet complications keep them apart, boy and girl are happily ever after by the end. No spoiler alert, because this is the setup for a million romances, and, plot-wise at least, Off Campus contains few surprises even for those who haven't read the books.

But what Off Campus lacks in innovative plotting, it makes up for in chemistry between its actors. Bright and Cameli have a genuine vibe that builds over the course of the season, oscillating from sweetly romantic to hair-raisingly sexy, especially in a standout scene in which Hannah asks Garrett to help her to have an orgasm, an issue for her after an earlier trauma. The scene escalates from one friend assisting another to an unusually intense focus on female-centered pleasure, a relatively rare treat for viewers. Out of the bedroom, the chemistry between Off Campus' main players is solid, too: Friends are kind to and supportive of each other, including Garrett's foursome of hockey pals, who are sweet standouts from the usual stereotypes of cruel, competitive athletes. Off Campus may not break new ground, but it hits its familiar beats with both sentiment and passion that's sure to draw an ardent fandom.