Why Did Off Campus Cut the ‘Hands Off’ Rule After Book Changes?

Prime Video’s Off Campus Season 1, based on Elle Kennedy’s book series, made some significant changes from the original source material, The Deal. One of the major changes that upset book fans was the absence of the campus-wide “hands off” rule in the show.

The series follows an elite ice hockey team and the women in their lives as they navigate love, heartbreak, and self-discovery while transitioning into adulthood. The central love story in Season 1 revolves around Hannah (played by Ella Bright) and Garrett (played by Belmont Cameli).

In the book, Garrett institutes a campus-wide hands-off rule after his split from Hannah, which ultimately brings them back together. However, in the show, this plot point was altered. Hannah discovers that Garrett has been threatening other guys to stay away from her, leading to a confrontation between the two. Showrunner Louisa Levy explained that they wanted to keep the essence of the original moment from the book while making Garrett more relatable to the audience.

Adapting a book series for television comes with its challenges, as Levy mentioned in an interview with Today and Us. She emphasized the importance of translating the essence of the story from page to screen while maintaining the audience’s engagement throughout the episodes. Levy highlighted the process of selecting key moments from the book and incorporating them as Easter eggs in the show to keep the essence of Off Campus intact.

Off Campus is currently available for streaming on Prime Video, offering a fresh take on the beloved book series by Elle Kennedy. Fans of the books can enjoy seeing their favorite characters come to life on screen in this new adaptation.