Amac Productions

Well, well, well… Apparently, we don’t do rom coms in movies anymore. We get whole TV shows now.

This is not a bad thing. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just wild.

We can no longer cram all the tropey goodness into two hours. We need like 8. And we’re going to work this one like Bridgerton with each season getting a new couple. Are you ready?

Let’s go.

Honestly, this show isn’t that bad.

I’m also writing up my episode reviews after binging the whole thing. I will try to keep it in line with each episode, but I’m just letting you know, I might stray as I discuss because it turns out this show is more well thought out and done than I expected.

Listen, I’m not knocking rom coms.

They just have a very specific formula they follow.

But that’s literally the reason I like them so much. I know the ending before I start and it makes the wild ride and the ups and downs bearable because you know everything will work out. It’s like junk food for my brain. I don’t need to overthink it. It’s just a good time and that’s what I want from my rom com.

So I’m not going to critique it like I would a regular show because I just wanted a good time while I was super tired last week. And this was that. Then – I thought – I should share my thoughts with you guys!

Let’s dive in.

This story and season revolves around Elle Kennedy’s first novel in the Off Campus series, The Deal. About Garrett and Hannah, a hockey player destined for the NHL and a musician trying to figure out how to make it out of school without going broke.

It’s a typical trope of fake dating for each other’s mutual benefit.

But one of the things I love is how easily Hannah agrees to this insane plan and slips into it with Garrett. Like sure, and immediately starts flirting. Damn.

Usually, I feel like there’s more convincing with this trope. But honestly, Hannah was harder to convince to just tutor him. But tutor him and maybe get a boyfriend? Sure, she’s in.

So while it appears that Hannah seems vanilla and sweet, she’s actually revealed her more clever nature before the end of the first episode. I also really love that she’s never something she’s not.

She’s pretty clear on her stance with hockey players. Where her focus needs to be. But isn’t against having fun or trying to date a guy. She just literally has no clue how to do it.

Which seems fair, given while I was watching the first episode it appeared that Hannah was triggered by seeing someone. Whether or not that was an assault, attempted assault, or just something equally awful – I did not know at the time. We later come to find out the reason for all of this, but that’s jumping ahead.

Regardless, I want to give kudos to the young actress for immediately conveying that something terrible has happened in Hannah’s past in relation to romance or guys in general. Making her more skittish when it comes to these types of things.

A completely understandable thing.

However, she also wants to move forward with her life. Fall in love. Have sex. Have some normal college experiences without being completely terrified. And I think Garrett offered her a way to do that and she just took it.

I liked that.

I also enjoyed that when it was suggested that they give alcohol to Hannah for some liquid courage, Allie was quick to shut that down on her friend’s behalf. And it made me just absolutely adore Allie more than I already was.

Because I’ve had friends who annoyed when I choose not to drink. And they’re no longer my friends.

But I’ve also had an Allie in my life who was the opposite to the friends who had come before and never cared or pressured or made a big deal out of whether I drank or not. And was quick to shut anyone else who tried to make me feel bad. Still friends with them though.

Those people are invaluable.

And I love that we can normalize not drinking is fine! It doesn’t make you less fun or a party pooper.

Clearly, Hannah and her friends were having a good time together.

Just because they were together.

On the other side of things, we have Garrett.

And I think that the scene after he sleeps with Kendall is supposed to be like ‘what an ass’ moment. And maybe he is a bit of an ass. But it also appears that he’s told her this before and she hasn’t been listening to him. Which to me – makes her the ass.

He admits that he’s been clear about his intentions and only wanting casual. But she has decided she wants more and somehow thought he was on the same page even though it appears by both his account and yours that he’s told you no. So I’m not sure how this was supposed to make Garrett look bad. Am I missing something?

Because I’m very much of the mind that anyone can do or sleep with anyone they want as long as we’re honest about things.

Like Dean.

By all accounts he appears to sleep with any woman in the nearby vicinity. However, at no point does he appear to be leading any of them on. Everyone seems pretty clear that Dean is only there for sex.

Which I also agree with Dean and not Tuck and Logan during the disagreement about Kendall being his girlfriend. Sleeping together all semester when he’s clearly placed a boundary isn’t dating. Dating requires time. Energy. All the things he asked her about himself.

Major. Favorite band. Coffee. Color. Literally any of those things you would know if you were dating the other person.

One that he will be able to easily list about Hannah. Because he does date her.

I don’t know. I don’t usually take the guy’s side but to me, it felt like she was the one disrespecting him.

And it’s going to come up again later when she’s mad that he’s crushing on Hannah and wants to be with her because he made such a big deal out of no time for a girlfriend thing. Well, guess what? People change! I am not the same person I was a year ago.

It freaking happens.

I once said I would never call my significant other silly pet names. And guess what?! I was freaking wrong! Okay? I fell in love and shit happened.

It’s a pretty good first episode overall, but I would have literally chosen anything else to be their first meeting. Because her staring at him in the shower felt pretty odd given her history.

It did feel in character for him to be smug about it.

Oh, and one final thing, I love that Garrett is already completely in love with her. He might deny it all he wants, but she has his attention now. And I think he’s hoping that by spending more time with her, he might be able to get it out of his system. Get the grade and avoid falling in love.

Exempt it’s going to be exactly what makes it worse.

His search to find her name. Going through her Instagram. Listening to her sing. Her being the only thing that brought him out of his funk while he was playing. He’s completely smitten.

Even Logan noticed it.

And Logan has clearly noticed Hannah.

Ah, college love. Everyone is interested in someone and there’s a good chance they’re interested in someone else.

Oh god, this reminds me of something that happened at work once between several of the younger employees and it was so freaking weird for a while until the aforementioned friend who never pressured me about drinking told everyone to get their shit together. Which was a valid crash out after two awkward weeks.

I do not miss this.

Well, off to the next episode!

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