Off Campus season 2 has just officially announced its release date, and the completely altered storyline is causing outrage
Here Are 6 Teen-Focused Shows to Watch Next on Prime, Netflix, and HBO Max
The hit ice hockey drama was renewed for a second season back in February—fill the Briar-shaped hole with these binge-worthy series while you wait.
To say that Off Campus has been a success would be an understatement. In the first few weeks since its release, it has become the third-most-watched debut series of all time on Prime Video. Based on the book series by Elle Kennedy, the show is set in the world of college ice hockey, with each of the seasons focusing on a different player and their romantic story.
While season 1 focused on the characters Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) and Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), the second will follow Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Kalyn) and Allie Hayes (Mika Abdalla). But with filming for the show’s next series only starting earlier this week, it sounds like we might have a year-long wait until we find out what happens next at Briar University with our favorite ice hockey players and “puck bunnies.” These are the shows—some new, some nostalgic—to binge until then.
1. Heated Rivalry
Heated Rivalry | Official Trailer | HBO MaxCosmopolitan UK
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This one is a bit of a no-brainer. If you enjoyed the machismo and athleticism of Off Campus, then you’ll love Heated Rivalry. Another show based on a popular book series, this one focuses on two stars in Major League Hockey—Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov—who find themselves drawn to each other. Famed for its super-hot sex scenes, the show has sparked conversations around homophobia within the sport, and has made major stars out of its leads, played by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.
Stream on HBO Max
2. One Tree Hill
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Star athlete tutored by a smart, sports-hating girl? Check. Star athlete falling for the charms of smart girl? Check. Star athlete facing immense pressure from a not-so-great dad? Check. Smart girl who is also a talented singer and songwriter? Check. One of the closest comparisons to Off Campus is millennial favorite One Tree Hill, which features many of the same classic romance tropes—albeit in the world of high school basketball, not college ice hockey. A huge phenomenon when it first aired from 2003 to 2012, it made household names of its cast, particularly Chad Michael Murray. It deserves a rewatch for the soundtrack and fashion alone—and with nine series to get through, it might just take you through to Off Campus season 2.
Stream on Netflix
3. Dawson’s Creek
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While less about sports—its leading men were not part of the jock crew—Dawson’s Creek is the archetypal teen show, full of the angst, sex, and drama that has made Off Campus so palatable. Set at a typical American high school in the fictional coastal town of Capeside, it follows the intertwining love lives of Dawson, a dreamer with a love of Steven Spielberg; Joey, an orphan from the wrong side of town who is also Dawson’s best friend; Pacey, a romantic class clown; and Jen, the glamorous bad girl fresh from New York, who was kicked out by her parents for bad behavior. It also features one of the archetypal tropes of the genre—the frenemies-to-lovers theme—which plays out between Joey and Pacey.
Stream on Netflix
4. The Summer I Turned Pretty
Amazon Prime
As another book-to-screen adaptation, The Summer I Turned Pretty might be the first teen show in recent years that captured the attention of older audiences, with its final conundrum—which Fisher brother should Belly choose, Conrad or Jeremiah?—becoming a major pop cultural moment. It follows the aforementioned Belly as she grows into a beautiful young woman, catching the attention of the family friends she has spent every summer with since she was a little girl. While Conrad is the brother she’s always had a crush on, he fumbles it and Jeremiah swoops in instead. Much heartache ensues. The action certainly skews younger with the first two seasons set during high school, but by season 3, the characters are all at college or graduated—helping to scratch that Off Campus itch.
Stream on Prime Video
5. Gossip Girl
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If you’re looking for a bit of teen nostalgia, then you can’t do much better than Gossip Girl. Set on the Upper East Side’s glamorous private school world, it follows a group of New York friends who all seem to date each other interchangeably. The Jules character in Off Campus—who was created exclusively for the TV show—seems to be inspired by the eponymous Gossip Girl blogger with their penchant for sharing all the insider juice on the campus gossip account, Fifth Line.
Stream on Netflix
6. Friday Night Lights
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Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights never really took off for U.K. audiences, perhaps in the way it should have. Despite its low viewership figures, it was a critical success—launching the careers of several stars, including Michael B. Jordan, Jesse Plemons, and Taylor Kitsch—and is well worth a revisit. Another teen TV show of the late 2000s, it is based on a nonfiction book of the same name and follows the lives of a group of high school football players and their coach. If you’re craving more locker-room chats and girl drama, then this one is for you.
