Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Virtual season

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

A virtual season is a fan-driven continuation of a television program. While they are typically written for cancelled programs, they sometimes run concurrently with programs that are still airing original episodes. Virtual seasons can be written by a single author, by several collaborating authors in a fandom or even reproduced episodically in a single video or series of videos.

Examples

  • One of the first virtual seasons was for the TV series Forever Knight, which was cancelled in 1996 and followed by a virtual fourth season ('V4S').
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, which was cancelled in 1997, spawned several virtual seasons, continuing the trend. The Unaired Fifth Season ('TUFS') and Season 5 ('S5') each "aired" on Sunday nights during the 1997/98 television season, while 'Season 6' followed during the 1998/99 season.
  • Millennium was cancelled in 1999, six months short of its millennial climax, so a Virtual Season 4 completed the storyline for fans. In 2005 Virtual Season 5 aired, produced by a different creative team, but using the Virtual Season 4 as canon. A Virtual Season 6, by another creative team, is currently in production.
  • JAG spawned a Virtual Season which was designed to give the fans something to do and read during the summer hiatus. It ran from 2000-2005.
  • Voyager Virtual Season Project ran for 2 years, starting in 2001 and ending in 2003, extending Star Trek Voyager's story an extra two years and into yet another "Lost in Space" adventure.
  • Still Flying was a Firefly continuation which began airing in 2005, continuing the story from where the first season left off.
  • Some fans go so far as to produce fan films like Star Trek, New Voyages.
  • There are also websites that collate many different Virtual Seasons into one place, a "Virtual Network", such as MZPtv, The Black Zero Network, Werewolf Studios (French), The VPN, and Compass.
  • The television series Supernatural has spawned six thriving Virtual Series: The Supernatural Virtual Seasons (2006–present), which is currently in its fourth season; Multus Tempestas (2006–present), which is also currently in its fourth season; Sam the Series (2008–present), which is preparing to wrap up its first season; Diversus Semita (2009–present), which currently resides in the hiatus between its first and second seasons; Carry On (Jan. 18, 2010–present); and Redemption Road (2011–present).
  • The television show X-Files has a currently active Virtual Season: 'Virtual Season X currently in its 18th season. The Virtual Season starts directly after the canon 7th Season X-files episode and does not observe the canon 8th or 9th seasons. It also has its own Mythology and features several Blockbuster episodes.

    • References

    Virtual season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


    Similar Topics