# Venice: The Series
**Venice: The Series** is an American web series, a soap opera in serial-drama form, co-created by [Crystal Chappell](https://www.edgepedia.org/crystal-chappell) and Kim Turrisi and centered on Gina Brogno, a single, gay, self-made interior designer living and working in Venice Beach, California.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) It premiered on December 4, 2009[2](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/12/01/advocate-goes-behind-scenes-venice) and was created in part as a continuation of the "Otalia" storyline from the daytime drama *Guiding Light*, in which Chappell's character Olivia Spencer fell in love with Natalia Rivera, played by Jessica Leccia.[3](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/09/09/crystal-chappell-talks-venice-inspiration) Chappell produced it specifically for the web so that she could tell lesbian stories without network censorship or advertiser interference.[4](https://afterellen.com/crystal-chappell-launches-campaign-fund-final-season-venice-series/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Scripted web soap opera; drama and romance genres, roughly 25-minute episodes in later listings[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) |
| Creators | Crystal Chappell and Kim Turrisi; produced through Open Book Productions[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) • [5](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/) |
| Premiere | December 4, 2009[2](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/12/01/advocate-goes-behind-scenes-venice) |
| Lead role | Gina Brogno, played by Crystal Chappell; Jessica Leccia plays Ani Martin[5](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/) |
| Origin | Inspired by the "Otalia" same-sex pairing on *Guiding Light*[3](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/09/09/crystal-chappell-talks-venice-inspiration) |
| Emmy recognition | Won the 2014 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches - Drama Series; nominated in the digital drama categories in 2017, 2018, and 2020[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695746/awards/) |
| Run | Six seasons and 65 episodes through August 16, 2019 on Vimeo; a seventh season entry dated 2025 also appears in some listings[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) • [5](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and characters
The series follows Gina Brogno, described as a strong, confident, and complex career woman who navigates her relationships through what one description calls an intense yet thoughtful prism.[9](https://laist.com/news/entertainment/new-webseries-paints-venice-as-a-ho) Chappell described her as successful in her work and clueless in love, with the story following her journey through a community of family and friends in Venice.[10](https://eclipsemagazine.com/interview-crystal-chappell-talks-venice-the-series/) The plot involves her love interests, her brother Owen, her father, the Colonel, and a network of other characters.[11](https://www.ratingraph.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series-ratings-38111/)
Jessica Leccia, Chappell's former love interest on *Guiding Light*, played Ani, Gina's ex and possibly future girlfriend. The first season also had Gina involved with attorney Tracy, played by Lesli Kay, and dealing with her disapproving father.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/) The cast drew heavily on daytime soap performers, including [Gina Tognoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/gina-tognoni), Galen Gering, Nadia Bjorlin, Jordan Clarke, and Hillary B. Smith.[8](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/11/06/soapside-advocate-guide-daytime-2009-11-06) Tognoni played Sami, the girlfriend of Gina's brother Owen, with a storyline built around Gina's protectiveness toward her brother.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/) Elizabeth Keener was originally cast as Lara but fell ill during the first-season shoot, and [Nadia Bjorlin](https://www.edgepedia.org/nadia-bjorlin) was called in to take over the part.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/)
## Origin in Guiding Light and Otalia
The series grew directly out of Chappell's experience on *Guiding Light*, where from 2008 to 2009 her character Olivia Spencer, previously written as heterosexual, fell in love with Natalia Rivera. The pairing, known to fans as "Otalia," unfolded over about 18 months in a classic soap love-triangle structure in which the two women began as enemies, became friends, and then fell in love.[7](https://www.austria-canada.com/_files/ugd/5b320e_beeb3f205dcd44509545ea2e146f4716.pdf) Chappell said she received letters from all over the world during the storyline and that the fan response convinced her there was an audience for such stories.[8](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/11/06/soapside-advocate-guide-daytime-2009-11-06)
**The move to the web.** When *Guiding Light* was canceled, going off the air in September 2009, Chappell called her writing and producing partner Kim Turrisi and proposed a web series with an out lesbian lead. She described her intent this way: the character's sexuality would not be the story; the story would be who she is as a person and what her struggles in life are. The underlying message she took from Otalia fans was that the story reflected their ordinary lives, raising children and paying bills.[3](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/09/09/crystal-chappell-talks-venice-inspiration) Chappell also said the show gave her control over how much same-sex romance was shown, something she had not had on broadcast television.[2](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/12/01/advocate-goes-behind-scenes-venice) In her own words from the 2016 funding campaign, she created the series "specifically for the WEB to be able to tell LESBIAN stories without censorship," with no network executives deciding who could kiss, who could live, or who could die.[4](https://afterellen.com/crystal-chappell-launches-campaign-fund-final-season-venice-series/)
## Production and fan funding
Season one was shot in Los Angeles, primarily in Venice Beach, with headquarters in a hotel there.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/) The original plan called for episodes of about six minutes each, twelve episodes per season, and four seasons per year.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/) Online sales of Venice merchandise funded the entire first-season shoot, an early example of direct fan financing for a scripted series.[12](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/) Chappell framed the audience as co-owners of the show, saying the production company's idea was to create shows that belong to the audience and to invite them to share their talent.[10](https://eclipsemagazine.com/interview-crystal-chappell-talks-venice-the-series/)
**Crowdfunding the later seasons.** In May 2016, after three years without new episodes and a season-four cliffhanger over whether Ani would marry Lara or run away with Gina, Chappell launched an [Indiegogo](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiegogo) campaign to fund a fifth and final season. Perks included set visits, internships, lunch with the cast, posters, autographs, and t-shirts.[4](https://afterellen.com/crystal-chappell-launches-campaign-fund-final-season-venice-series/) The season eventually produced was not the last: season five ran in 2016 with nine episodes, season six in 2019 with eight, and the final listed episode aired on August 16, 2019.[5](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/) • [1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series)
## Reception and awards
The series won the 2014 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Approaches - Drama Series, credited to Chappell as executive producer, Christa Morris as co-executive producer, and Hillary B. Smith as supervising producer.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695746/awards/) It later received Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series in 2017 and 2018, a 2018 nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Digital Drama Series, and a 2020 nomination for Gregory Zarian as Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Digital Drama Series for playing Nate.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695746/awards/) At the Indie Series Awards, Jordan Clarke won Outstanding Supporting Actor and Hillary B. Smith won Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2011, and the show took three LA Web Fest Outstanding Achievement Awards in 2010, for drama series, lead actress, and theme music.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695746/awards/)
Academic work on lesbian web series treats the show as an Emmy-winning series to which audiences of the Otalia storyline migrated, noting that the physical affection missing from the broadcast storyline found its way into the new characters.[7](https://www.austria-canada.com/_files/ugd/5b320e_beeb3f205dcd44509545ea2e146f4716.pdf) Fan events such as the 2010 Venice Night Out in New York City drew crowds that included both LGBTQ viewers and self-identified straight women, some of whom had never followed soaps before.[13](https://afterellen.com/venice-season-two-comes-out-to-new-york/)
## Distribution
The series was distributed through Vimeo, with TVmaze listing the web channel as Vimeo from 2009 to 2019.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) The official site later announced that the show had found a new home at VenicetheSeries.vhx.tv, noting that Vimeo On Demand would no longer be available as of November 20, 2026, and that existing subscriptions were non-transferable.[14](https://www.venicetheseries.com/) Listings disagree on the total run: TVmaze and Simkl record six seasons and 65 episodes ending in 2019, while Moviefone lists seven seasons and 66 episodes with a single-episode season 7 dated 2025 and a last-air date of February 14, 2025.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series) • [15](https://simkl.com/tv/529374/venice-the-series) • [5](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/)
## References
1. [Venice: The Series, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/43666/venice-the-series)
2. [Advocate Goes Behind the Scenes of Venice, Advocate.com (December 1, 2009)](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/12/01/advocate-goes-behind-scenes-venice)
3. [Crystal Chappell Talks "Venice" Inspiration, Daytime Confidential](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/09/09/crystal-chappell-talks-venice-inspiration)
4. [Crystal Chappell launches campaign to fund a final season of "Venice: The Series", AfterEllen (May 18, 2016)](https://afterellen.com/crystal-chappell-launches-campaign-fund-final-season-venice-series/)
5. [Venice: The Series, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series/bMlGApI8g21xvWonrPMr14/)
6. [Venice the Series (2009– ) Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1695746/awards/)
7. [Female Identities in Lesbian Web Series (academic paper)](https://www.austria-canada.com/_files/ugd/5b320e_beeb3f205dcd44509545ea2e146f4716.pdf)
8. [Soapside Advocate Guide to Daytime, Advocate.com (November 6, 2009)](https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2009/11/06/soapside-advocate-guide-daytime-2009-11-06)
9. [New Webseries Paints Venice as a Hot Bed of Steamy Action...With a Purpose, LAist (December 5, 2009)](https://laist.com/news/entertainment/new-webseries-paints-venice-as-a-ho)
10. [INTERVIEW: Crystal Chappell Talks Venice the Series, Eclipse Magazine (September 2009)](https://eclipsemagazine.com/interview-crystal-chappell-talks-venice-the-series/)
11. [Venice the Series (2009–) ratings, Rating Graph](https://www.ratingraph.com/tv-shows/venice-the-series-ratings-38111/)
12. [AfterEllen.com visits the set of "Venice", AfterEllen (November 4, 2009)](https://afterellen.com/afterellencom-visits-the-set-of-venice/)
13. ["Venice" Season Two comes out to New York, AfterEllen (October 27, 2010)](https://afterellen.com/venice-season-two-comes-out-to-new-york/)
14. [Official Venice: The Series website](https://www.venicetheseries.com/)
15. [Venice: The Series, Simkl](https://simkl.com/tv/529374/venice-the-series)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › LGBT-related web series*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license