Growing up, I always idolized the television shows that defined the generation above me. 90210, the OC, Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and more were the peak as a middle schooler; and while I thoroughly binge watched them, I didn’t fully relate to them.
Now as a college student, I get to enjoy a new generation of young adult television that speaks to my taste and experiences. In the last few years and the years to come, there is a slate of amazing shows outlined by ensemble casts, dynamic storylines, and the kind of romance that gives you butterflies.
Finals were not the only thing that took over my mind this May! As a long time fan of Elle Kennedy’s work as an author, the Off Campus series has been a long awaited release for me. The five-book series entails the evolving love stories of couples from the fictional Briar University hockey team. The first book “The Deal” centers around Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham, played by Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli respectively. Their love story unfolds through a deal that they will fake-date to attract the attention of Hannah’s crush while she tutors him to improve his grade in philosophy.
Everyone loves a romantic trope, and in each of Kennedy’s Off Campus novels, she dives into a new relationship that is often centered around a “secret relationship” or “secretly falling for one another”. The characters navigate complex relationship dynamics, but in Hannah and Garett’s case, the truth is often much simpler: true love. Their personalities and outward interests couldn’t be more different as Hannah is a classical composition major working three jobs just to afford tuition while Garett is an affluent hockey star with a contentious home life, but what is under the surface compliments each other perfectly. Their pasts can be hard to swallow with both facing trauma in their own right, but they support each other through their healing together.
Fans have especially fallen for the dedication of the female leads like Hannah and Allie, played by Mika Abdalla. Both young women are boldly intent on following their passions in the arts: Hannah as a classical film composer and Allie as an actress. Later on in the series, we will be introduced to Grace Ivers, a staple at Briar’s radio station who is set to be played by India Fowler, as well as Sabrina James, a hard-working law student. These women have their own goals that transcend their romantic relationships, and the boys are avid supporters of their partners’ livelihoods.
Furthermore, masculinity being refined by empathy and attention their partners’ romantic and sexual comfortability is at the forefront of Off Campus. Iconic scenes like Garett confiding in Dean and asking for advice in making Hannah feel safe comes with a great lesson for all young people in new relationships: total trust is essential.
Each character in Off Campus has a strong, individualized storyline with tangible goals, inspirations, hobbies, and interests that make it easy for audiences to fall in love with them. Hockey may be the men’s livelihoods but they enjoy simple pleasures like Tucker’s obsession with cooking or John Logan’s side-hustles. Similar to television shows that proceed Off Campus like Friends or Dawson’s Creek, this series has an ensemble cast of characters whose friendships are the grounding force of the show but their individuality is what sets them apart. This new generation of television aimed towards a Gen Z audience has a similar structure to former television with a new-age focus on representation and modern relationships in a digital age.
Even in Off Campus, social media is an important factor as it propels the facade of Hannah and Garett’s fake relationship at the start of the season. John Logan’s younger sibling, Jules, runs Briar’s gossip account that regularly covers the movements of the school’s hockey team sweethearts, and their posts help to solidify the lie.
Although, it’s important to note that while Off Campus is the latest release in modern YA television, it is not the first. In fact, it is only one of a litany of new television seeking to catch the attention of young adults today. From comedies like Overcompensating to mysteries like We Were Liars to prequels like the upcoming series, Elle – these and more sit among a genre breaking ratings.
Most notably, the recently released television series, Heated Rivalry, took the world by storm, amassing an average of 10.6 million viewers per episode in the United States, according to Warner Brothers Discovery. The final episode, released on December 26, 2025 and entitled “The Cottage”, has become the most-watched scripted title ever acquired from another platform in HBO Max history. The hockey romance is another book-to-screen adaptation, written by Rachel Reid, and follows the love story of hockey rivals, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov. While they keep their romance a secret from the public due to perceived homophobia in the sport of hockey, other relationships from the Game Changers book series forge a path for acceptance that fans hope to see through further seasons of Heated Rivalry.
Alongside Heated Rivalry, book-to-screen adaptations seem to be especially popular with Gen Z and Millennial audiences with similar shows. XO, Kitty on Netflix amassed 12.9 million views overall in its first four days on the streamer; The Summer I Turned Pretty season three premiere garnered 25 million unique global viewers in the first week, which is a 40% increase from its previous season; and Off Campus has officially reached 36 million viewers in the first two weeks of its release on Amazon Prime Video.
The beautiful thing about young adult television is that it is not only for one demographic but is open for enjoyment across all ages and audiences alike; television and entertainment is that it lives on in the hearts and minds of viewers who pass it on to future generations. One day, I hope to hear from younger audiences that they are enjoying the same media I did when I was young and that their interpretation and influence keeps evolving the art of storytelling.