Web Wednesday.

On this week's "Web Wednesday" we are going to take a look at yet another puppet themed web-series. Let's check out Transylvania TV.

Gordon Smuder in his famous orange shirt.

Transylvania TV, or TVTV as it is sometimes called, is the brain child of Gordon Smuder and Michael Heagle. They have dubbed it a "Retro Monster Comedy Series that is really not for kids". Gordon Smuder, who is the voice and puppeteer for Furry J. Ackermonster, is a prop builder and manager of a SFX studio from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has performed puppetry for years appearing in many TV commercials. His first work to appear on National TV was during the show "On The Lot" on FOX. He did puppet work for contestant Andrew Hunt's first film challenge "Spaced Out".

Michael Heagle in his not so famous hat. 

Michael Heagle is a filmmaker from Mukwonago, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee where he received a BFA in Film. His major works include "Go To Hell" from Troma and "Planetfall" a SciFi western. He is also a faculty member at the Art Institute International, Minnesota's school of Visual effects and Motion Graphics. He is the voice and puppeteer for Dwayne Frankenstein.

Furry J. Ackermonster.

Originally TVTV was intended as an actual TV series. The original pilot aired on WUCW-23 (a CW affiliate and the original home of Mystery Science Theater 3000)  on October 12, 2007. It was not picked up for series. So Heagle and Smuder decided to turn the show into a web series. They began in 2008 and are currently in the series' third season.

 

 

Kim Ho-Tep and Batfink.

In 2010 TVTV appeared on TGWTG. The partnership did not last long. TVTV soon announced its connection with Blip.tv which means the show is available via Roku, Boxee, TiVO, and Vizio. On October 22, 2010 Transylvania TV returned to WUCW with the one hour made-for-TV special "Transylvania Television True Meanin' of Halloween Special".  Recently an agreement had been reached with KVQT, a low-power digital TV station in Houston, TX, to broad cast a five episode Half-hour version of the show. This was to be aired in October, 2011.

The Vampire Volodymyr Le Shoc.

The plot of the series is very simple. It revolves around a small failing Television station in Transylvania. It is  owned and operated by The Vampire Le Shoc. His trusted underling Batfink (a character based on 1960's stereotypes like Ed "Big Daddy" Roth) urges him to hire an American TV Executive. Instead the hire Furry J. Ackermonster. A recent graduate of the University of Monstersota. It turns out to be a good decision. From there the series becomes a series of short comedic vignettes with overlapping story lines. To be honest I was left somewhat cold by the show at first. The very short episodes left little in the way of an impression. Then I saw the Halloween Special and got it. The special was so well done and entertaining that I would recommend it to anyone.

Dwayne Frankenstein

The production values, puppet work, and writing are all top notch. This is not two hand puppets in front of a green screen or a single bunny talking about movies while high. (Joking aside you should check out those two post to find out about some more cool web shows.) This is more. This is a full blown show just waiting to happen. Give it a shot. If you like buy something from the website and help the guys out. It is worth your time and money.

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