Based on the romance novel series by Elle Kennedy, Prime Video’s “Off Campus” tells a tale as old as time: college freshman Hannah (Ella Bright) enters a fake relationship with hockey player Garrett (Belmont Cameli) in order to make her real crush, musician Justin (Josh Heuston), jealous. But in a twist viewers could see coming from across the rink, Hannah and Garrett develop feelings for one another, igniting a heated rivalry between Hannah’s suitors.
So, does Hannah end up with Garrett by the end of the show’s first season? The short answer is… yes. By the end of Episode 8, Hannah and Garrett are officially back together, though their road to romance is by no means a smooth one. During a hockey game against Briar University’s rival, Garrett discovers that one of the opposing players is the man who sexually assaulted Hannah in high school, so he proceeds to give the guy the beating of his life. Fearing that he’s just as violent as his own abusive father, Garrett then breaks up with Hannah for her own safety.
Fortunately, Garrett still decides to attend Hannah’s music showcase, where she performs an empowering original song about how their relationship has helped her move on from her traumatic past. He meets her out in the parking lot, where they talk things out and decide to get back together.
Belmont Cameli explains Garrett’s change of heart in the Off Campus finale
As for what inspires Garrett to change his mind, actor Belmont Cameli believes that it all comes down to openness. Keeping his concerns about his father to himself only made them fester, and it isn’t until Garrett comes clean with his best friend Logan (Antonio Cipriano) that he finally begins to see himself in a better light — someone worthy of being with Hannah.
“His walls have been so high and so fortified against sharing his story and being seen,” Cameli tells Today of Garrett’s issues. “Obviously, we see him share his story with Hannah, and that’s a big step for him, but he needs to let in his best friends, too, in order to be supported and and to appreciate the sport that he inherently does love. … Opening up to Logan really unlocks for him his love for hockey. It’s a big moment, and so I’m excited to see in future seasons his relationship with hockey blossom just as much as with Hannah and with the guys.”
Will Off Campus Season 2 continue Hannah and Garrett’s love story?
Now that Hannah and Garrett have gotten their happy ending (or something close to it), “Off Campus” will set its sights on another couple when the Prime Video drama returns for Season 2.
“Every season is going to have a main love story that’s going to drive the season, but we also want to honor the fact that there’s happily ever afters in these books, and so once there’s a happily ever after, we don’t want to keep tearing them apart and bring them back together — that’s not fun for any of us,” creator Louisa Levy tells Deadline, confirming that there will be a “passing of the baton” so to speak.
But as Levy clarifies, “We also don’t want Hannah and Garrett to ride off into the sunset and disappear from the landscape of our show. They are still very much present in Season 2 and are a big part of the community of characters that we’re building on the show.”
Which couple will take center stage in Off Campus Season 2?
This brings us to another important question: If not Hannah and Garrett, which couple will “Off Campus” focus on when it returns to Prime Video for Season 2? One obvious choice would be Allie (Mika Abdalla) and Dean (Stephen Kalyn), whose relationship is practically in shambles by the end of Episode 8; after taking some time apart from Dean, Allie hooks up with a guy named “Carter” (Charlie Evans), but it’s revealed in the finale that Carter is actually Hunter Davenport — Dean’s high school hockey rival!
Unfortunately, Levy tells Deadline that she “can’t confirm” which couple will be the focus of Season 2, adding, “We will say more on that once we air.”
Regardless of which couple takes the top spot in Season 2, Garrett’s portrayer insists he will be seated: “I have so much confidence in our whole cast,” Belmont Cameli tells Today. “I’m really excited to watch whoever’s up next and whoever may be after them step into these shoes. Because, I mean, everybody is really prepared for this moment and deserves it entirely.”
How do you feel about the way Hannah and Garrett’s story ended in Season 1 of “Off Campus,” and which couple do you think deserves to be the focus of Season 2? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.