Web Series Spotlight: Morganville The Series

Just in time for Halloween this past October, the new online series Morganville The Series, based on the hugely popular Morganville Vampire book series by author Rachel Caine, debuted online, airing six episodes each week.

But first let’s take a look back at how the whole franchise got started. In 2006, author Rachel Caine published the first Morganville Vampires book entitled “Glass Houses”. From that point on, the book series became wildly popular, being translated into languages in 22 countries, and making readers passionate about seeing the book series made into a film or TV show. There are 15 books in the book franchise.

NOTE: You can learn more about the book series here.

In 2009, the book series was optioned for film and TV, but things just didn’t work out despite a lot of effort on the parts of those involved. In 2013, Rachel spoke with Geek & Sundry co-founder, online guru and fan favorite actress Felicia Day about adapting the book series as an online series.

Given the franchise’s worldwide popularity, making “it available simultaneously to everyone around the world would be a huge advantage” (according to the show’s official website). Felicia then introduced Rachel to Blake Calhoun, an award-winning producer and director, and they teamed up to undertake the project. With considerable help from fans who participated in a successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign that raised over $80,000 for production – and with additional funding from Geek & Sundry the web series was on its way.

With six scripts written by Rachel, casting in place and locations chosen in Dallas, Texas for filming, Morganville The Series was ready to go.

The basic premise of Morganville The Series is centered on Claire Danvers, who is trying to get through college, but with popular girl Monica Morrell doing her best to make Claire’s life a living hell, Claire is forced to not only find a new place to live outside of the dorms but to also realize that Morganville is run by blood-sucking vampires.

The cast is lead by newcomer Lindsay Seidel as Claire Danvers and as her three new roommates at the Glass House: Jordan Farris as Shane, a Morganville native, Haileigh Todd as Eve, Morganville’s only Goth girl and Ben Easter as Michael, a talent musician and owner of the Glass House who is more than meets the eye.

The mean girls in Morganville are lead by Monica Morrell (Afomia Hailemeskel), a daddy’s girl and daugther of the Mayor of Morganville; Gina (Jessi Mechsler), Monica’s fanatically devoted best friend and Jennifer (Taylor Murphy), who takes Monica’s lead but whose heart isn’t really into the whole mean girl attitude.

Among the Morganville vampires are Brandon (Gregory Connors), who is one of the meanest, most dangerous vampires in the entire town, who is Monica’s protector; Myrnin (Chase Jeffrey), a brilliant but crazy-in-the-head vampire; Oliver (Robert Picardo of China Beach and Star Trek Voyager fame), the owner of the town’s most popular gathering spot and Amelie (Amber Benson of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame), who is the vampire Founder of Morganville.

Rounding out the cast is Hannah Moses (Nikki Donley) who is a rare thing in Morganville: an honest cop.

The six episodes of Morganville The Series can be found at the show’s official website or at You Tube here.

Fans can also follow the web series on Twitter @MV_The_Series and at their official Facebook site. Plans are currently underway for a season two.