At its onset, Jessica Forever doesn’t feel like a vampire series. Within its first few minutes, it is bloody, dark, and horrific, but not in a supernatural manner. It’s only after a couple episodes that the web series’ personal mythology comes into full view–and it’s a grisly one.

Jessica Forever is helmed by Westley Cornwell and Luis Garcia, and while it’s a vampire series through and through, its creators were inspired by a different type of supernatural series. “If I had to compare the tone of our show to anything else, it would be The Walking Dead because of the realistic approach to the material,” said Cornwell in a press release. “A big part of this story is about drug addiction and how it affects lives. In the process of making Jessica Forever, we did a lot of research on the subject and it’s a big part of the story that counterbalances the fantastical elements”.

Cornwell and Garcia use strong cinematography to engage viewers even when actual plot details are still unrevealed. Well-composed shots keep the viewer interested and invite him to learn more about protagonist Jessica Huberman (Kate Horn) as she undergoes an initiation into a macabre vampire underworld.