Amazon Prime’s new series Off Campus has become the streaming giant’s top show worldwide, captivating audiences with its portrayal of female desire and emotionally intelligent male characters in the high-stakes world of college ice hockey.
The show, based on the bestselling book series by Canadian author Elle Kennedy, follows the sex lives and romantic dramas of college ice hockey players at a fictional Boston university, tackling heavy topics like domestic violence, addiction, and financial insecurity.
Ice Hockey Romance Genre
The success of Off Campus and another Canadian series, Heated Rivalry, has marked a new trend in TV, with ice hockey romance becoming a hot genre, praised for its depiction of female empowerment and respectful male characters, defying typical “jock” stereotypes.
Book content creator Meagan Carioti, 27, says the intensity of ice hockey translates well into romance, while social media manager Sophie Bonser, 30, believes the novelty of the sport outside North America contributes to its appeal, with every game being high-stakes and tense.
The show’s male characters, played by Belmont Cameli, Stephen Kalyn, and Antonio Cipriano, are refreshingly vulnerable and emotionally aware, taking accountability for their actions and prioritizing women’s pleasure and consent.
Broader Appeal
The show’s popularity extends beyond its primary female audience, with content creator Oliver Zane, 25, praising the character development and female-centered storytelling, saying it gives him a better understanding of how women might be feeling.
As the ice hockey romance genre gains momentum, it’s likely to attract a more diverse audience, challenging the notion that it’s just “silly, trivial, and girly,” and instead, showcasing its ability to tackle complex themes and promote female empowerment.
The success of Off Campus and similar shows marks a significant shift in the TV landscape, as audiences increasingly crave more nuanced and respectful portrayals of relationships and women’s experiences, and the ice hockey romance genre is poised to become a major player in this new era of storytelling.
