theVPN Year In Review - 2015

[Brady Brown]

(graphic by Brian Melanson)

As 2015 comes to an end, we here at theVPN think it would be nice to go back and reminisce about all of the amazing milestones and accomplishments that occurred on the site this year, as well as how we continued to grow as a community. First, let’s look at the new series that joined our ever-growing lineup: Screenwriters Paradise, theVPN’s first ever spin-off show, follows the story of two aspiring screenwriters, Andrew and Joshua, who are attempting to make their mark in Hollywood, just like Alex and Alisha on their sister show Audition. We also had 101 Ways to Survive High School, a comedy about a group of friends trying to survive high school and bring their newly revived drama club back to its former glory. Next was Paradise Lost, a supernatural drama, focusing on the Nephilim, about the long-standing battle between good, something that has been raging since the dawn of man.

Along the same lines, a long-awaited series finally made its debut. Reality, a science fiction, adventure drama about two criminals who are forced to travel across different dimensions to capture other felons after a government experiment goes wrong, premiered at the end of this year.

Adding new shows to the line up really brought something for everyone to read, across an array of genres. Several other VPN shows also completed other seasons. By the end of 2015, Jack Malone’s Watchtower, the longest-running show on the forum, completed its third season. Brady Brown’s Audition completed its fourth sequence, as well as helped launch its new sister show Screenwriters Paradise, and also ended the year with a special creator commentary. Brown’s other series, The Super Teens, also returned this year for its second season. The first half aired for a total of nine episodes, and is expected to return next year to finish its sophomore run. Furthermore, Alex Matthew’s M:SCU is on its way to completing its first season, and Hellbound, created by Chris Davis and Jack Malone but now showrun by Davis, is on its way to its second sequence premiere.

This year also brought with it several exciting new pitches, which can be seen in the pitching thread on the forum. We are truly blown away by the ideas presented this year, and cannot wait to see the new, fruitful concepts that will be pitched in the years to come. Also, a buzz of new activity regarding discussion on TV, films, and virtual series also continued to bloom, and we hope with the exciting projects coming across all mediums, that even more activity can surface.

As we look back at theVPN during 2015, we must also look forward. In 2016, the return of several shows can be expected: 101 Ways to Survive High School will be entering its sophomore season, while Screenwriters Paradise will be returning with a second sequence. Also, Watchtower and Audition, the forum’s two longest running series, are expected to return for their fourth and fifth season/sequence, respectively. As mentioned above, The Super Teens is expected to return by next summer, and M:SCU is expected to finish its first season. Paradise Lost is also looking for a hopeful premiere date, while Hellbound is also searching for a proposed sequence two premiere date. Winchester has been optioned for a reboot, and more news on The Path Not Taken has recently been brought to light.

Moving forward, you can expect new and engaging projects coming to theVPN. VSGuide is expected to make a return, while several ideas for podcasts have been discussed. For right now, however, goodbye 2015, it’s been great. Now, let’s see what 2016 has to bring to us.

Written by: Brian Melanson and Brady Brown