BOSTON — Amazon Prime Video’s series Off Campus became the platform’s top show worldwide immediately after its release. The series is based on books by Canadian author Elle Kennedy and follows the romantic and sexual lives of college ice hockey players at a fictional Boston university.

The first season adapts two novels from Kennedy’s book series, which has sold 25 million copies. Storylines address domestic violence, addiction, financial insecurity, and the aftermath of sexual assault, particularly through the character Hannah Wells, who was raped in high school. Her boyfriend, Garrett Graham, is depicted as sensitively navigating her trauma around intimacy.

Meagan Carioti, a 27-year-old book content creator, said, “The show is very female-centred. Women are talked about and cared for in a respectful way, and the emphasis is on choice and consent.” She added, “It's so powerful to see women's pleasure and comfort talked about, prioritised and valued in a TV show.”

Oliver Zane, a 25-year-old content creator, said, “We're getting more and more stories these days written about male characters being vulnerable and emotionally aware and I like seeing characters take accountability for their actions.” He added, “Female writers do such a good job with character development, which makes them more realistic.”

Carioti said, “Hockey is a hot, passionate sport which translates really well into romance,” thanks to its intensity. Sophie Bonser, a 30-year-old British ice hockey fan and social media manager, said, “Every game is high stakes, which translates well in TV.” The series also references the term “puck bunny,” a derogatory slang for female fans perceived as more interested in players than the sport itself.