Curse of the Lycans

Curse of the Lycans is a supernatural comedy drama that ran for 8 seasons spanning 77 episodes. The series initially began in 2011 as a fun, silly series created by Aaron Markley for fun with his brother Carter and cousin Cierra. As the series progresses, the series becomes more professional and a bit darker while still managing to mix in humor. The series stars Aaron Markley as Zeke Hale, Carter Toole as Tommy Hale, Cierra Ashley as Michelle Papperman, and Taniya Toole as Mashawna Hale.

Series Timeline
Centuries ago, mad scientist Victor Frankenstein created the vampire species which leads to the creation of doppelgängers. His descendant, vampire-witch hybrid, Johanna has twins with her mortal boyfriend Thomas. After Thomas is killed by Johanna’s over-controlling witch mother, Elenora, she knows that she must run away with her dhampir sons Tommy and Zeke. Unfortunately for Johanna, Elenora finds them and banishes the toddlers to different time periods.

Years later, Tommy and Zeke have both been adopted by Nicole Hale. On the night of a full moon, Tommy, Zeke, and Michelle are bitten by a werewolf alpha granting them the powers of lycanthropy. The three vow to use their powers to save the world from the forces of evil. Following the alpha’s death, Zeke becomes Tommy and Michelle’s new alpha forming The Lycans Pack.

Throughout each season, Tommy, Zeke, and Michelle face many villains and even the apocalypse. Tommy and Zeke do end up meeting their birth mother, Johanna, albeit as a villain. However, they have since grown closer to her and have become allies.

Cierra Ashley announced that she would be departing the series after its third season. Her character, Michelle, is written out in the second episode of Season 4 after getting accepted into a prestigious Chinese boarding school. Ashley returns as Michelle to guest star in a couple of episodes in the first half of Season 5. After the announcement that Season 5 would be the show’s final season, Ashley returns as a series regular for the final 12 episodes of Season 5. Taniya Toole, who previously appeared in the show’s third season as Mashawna, is also upped to series regular for the final 12 episodes. In the season 5 finale, Tommy and Zeke rescue Michelle from the Underworld.

Due to the reveal of Tommy having healing magic, Markley decided to renew the series for a sixth season after all. Markley, Toole, and Ashley all return as series regulars. Taniya Toole does not return. Season 6 is sub-titled: Back in Action. Season 6 focused on Cruella DeVille, who is a witch, trying to kill Tommy and Zeke for their werewolf fur coats. As part of her evil plan, Cruella resurrects Victor Frankenstein and his brother Igor and uses them as her henchmen. Tommy and Zeke are freaked out when they realize that Victor and “Iggy” are their doppelgängers.

Towards the end of Season 6, Tommy is forced to shoot Michelle with the cure for werewolves affectively turning her human. Tommy feeds her his half vampire blood to heal her wounds from the curing bullet. She is later poisoned by Ursula, the Sea Witch making Michelle a vampire.

The series was renewed for a seventh and an eighth season in January of 2017. It was later announced that the series would undergo a soft reboot in Season 7. On January 15, 2017 it was announced that Cierra Ashley would not return for the seventh season. Filming for Season 7 began in October 2017 and wrapped in January 2018. Filming for the eighth and final season of the series began immediately after Season 7 and wrapped filming in March.

The seventh season subtitled: Next Gen takes place over 20 years after Season 6. The season is about Tommy and Zeke’s doppelgänger children Tommy Jr. (Toole) and Ben (Markley) trying to save their parents from ghouls and their fight against the Headless horseman, Rob. Taniya Toole makes a cameo appearance reprising Mashawna. Ashley returns to reprise Michelle in the season finale. In the finale, Michelle gets possessed by Rob. The fight against Rob continues in Season 8. The series finale aired November 3, 2018.

Sequels
In March 2018, a spin-off series, Curse of the Immortals was announced. Curse of the Immortals is about Victor Frankenstein and his family of original vampires. The series began filming its first season April 20, 2018 and wrapped October 3, 2018 and premiered on October 31, 2018. The series ran for 2 seasons and was succeeded by another spin-off: What the Hex in 2020.