The Dresden Files: Season 1

I wasn't a fan of Butcher's Dresden books. I thought they were clumsily written and uninspired. So when I first heard of The Dresden Files TV show, I thought, "I'll pass." When I bought a new iPod and visited the iTunes store to see what I could download, I saw The Dresden Files. This time I thought, "It's only $1.99 for the first episode. Why not?" I watched it in bed one night, my little ear buds in and the iPod screen about six inches from my face. I was mesmerized. Something about the show really clicked with me. The next morning I told my wife about it. "I know you're going to think I'm nuts, but I really liked The Dresden Files. I watched and episode last night. It was compelling and well acted. It had an air of magic about it, and not because it's a show about a wizard who has a shop in Chicago." We found The Dresden Files DVD set at a local store and bought it. For the last couple of weeks, we've watched an episode a night, totally engrossed. Completely hooked. We haven't seen a show this well done in many years. It's on par with LOST for its believable, smart, witty characters. It's on par with Buffy the Vampire Slayer for its otherworldly milieu. Everything about the show, from its setting in Chicago (actually filmed in Toronto, but it looks like Chicago, one of my favorite cities) to its hapless lead character, a wizard named Harry Dresden, to its cast of fascinating supporting characters (Bob, the ghost who lives in his skull, Murphy, the attractive but smart police woman, and many others) is first-rate. This is an extraordinary television series. Which can only mean one thing: It got canceled. Apparently, the morons at the Sci-Fi Channel didn't pick up the series for a second season. I'm not even sure it was given the chance to have a complete first season since there are only 12 episodes in this DVD set. Why a network wouldn't want a show this exceptional is beyond me. But The Dresden Files is in very good company. Consider Firefly, the brilliant sci-fi Western created by Joss Whedon. FOX was the moronic network that time, dropping it after less than 14 episodes. or consider Carnivale, the jaw-dropping series axed by HBO after two seasons. I've never figured out why networks are so stupid. They complain ad revenues are down, along with viewership. Yet, they cancel the shows that are the most well done and best loved. It makes no sense at all. I wish I could be in charge of a network, just for a week. I wouldn't ax any shows. I'd ax the axers, get rid of every MBA bean-counting suit who wouldn't know a well-made show if it drove up next to his Bimmer at a stop light. Anyway, The Dresden Files is superb. The dialog is witty. The characters are the most "real" and believable I've ever seen in a TV series. And the stories are compelling. I can't recommend The Dresden Files highly enough. Please do yourself a favor and buy the DVD set of the first season before it's out of print.

It's too bad the Dresden files only lasted one season. This was an awesome show. The story lines ,the special effects and characters keep you wanting more. I had to get the DVD set just in case I can't get it on cable

Awesome show

The films of the TV series are based loosely on the books but are nonetheless compelling and fascinating viewing. The principal characters are all present in the TV series, although in some cases (such as Bob the spirit in the skull, Bianca the vampire and Old Mai) they are modified from their characters as they appear in the books. Morgan is not bad. He has the detestation of Harry perfectly acted, and yet is forced by his position on the White Council to give what can only be called unwilling assistance to Harry at various times. Lieutenant Murphy is quite well done and she has the correct abrasive nature with Harry but still manages to show some respect and "unwilling liking" for him. They work as a good team, just as they do in the books, even if there is abrasion all the time. It would be impossible for a 3/4hour long episode to create, in that time period, one of the 10 books published - so the movies take an aspect of the books that perhaps might be a chapter or several chapters, and make that into a full episode. Each episode is a complete story and they are very nicely rounded off. It is very pleasing that the series does not descend into "gory details" very much at all. You know a particularly horrific thing has happened and you can see the corpse, but you are thankfully not shown the blood and details which too often is used to "sell" movies these days. The Dresden Files stands on its own merit and doesn't need anything more except its stories to help. If there is one flaw with the Zone 1 version I received from Amazon, it was that it was lacking in subtitles. The PAL version available in Australia does have excellent subtitles and is much better for viewing by those with hearing impediments. On the other hand, the Zone 1 version has a large amount of extra material about the making of the series which seems to be partially lacking in the Australian release. The dvd series is an excellent way to tempt a newcomer to read Jim Butcher's books and the dvd and book series complement each other very nicely because neither is exactly the same and the books are far more complex in their stories and overall structures. I highly recommend the Dresden Files disk as an exciting journey through the worlds of magic and fantasy and the only reason this review did not give 5 stars is the lack of subtitles on the disk.....But to a person with normal hearing, consider it a 5 star rating. Excellent viewing, good actors, great stories, and if what I hear is correct, an enormous pity that a second series is not in production.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Prompted me to buy the rest of the books (17 total). Pros: The actors playing Harry & Murphy are VERY well cast - with good "chemistry". The actor playing Bob is equally well cast - and an absolute pleasure to watch. The actors playing Morgan, Mai, & Harry's uncle also provide strong support. Very well written, and well portrayed - throughout the series. Cons: It's only 1 season - it was just getting more interesting when it was cancelled.

Excellent series. DVD shipped in timely manner. Haven't watched all disc's yet, but product a described.

Great series!

This TV series was surprisingly well done -- not perfect, but well done. I was sad when I viewed the last episode. Supposedly it takes place in Chicago but was actually filmed in Canada. With that said, it was well done and it felt like Chicago the whole time. I loved the scenes of Chicago landscapes and really took a liking to the characters. I REALLY took a liking to the characters! If this program was returned to syndication, I would be a fan. Is it the best series ever? Not at all, but I found myself looking forward to the next episode and often viewed several at a time. For some strange reason, episode eight (8) -- if I remember correctly -- was really the first episode and was disappointingly out of sync. However, that was a small problem. Watch number eight first perhaps. You will see a different office and his ghost friend was missing. His confidant (the ghost) becomes very important in the whole. There was a bit of romance which added to the programs. Some of the stories were better than others and number one was "scary" (preview before letting your kids see it)! It is complete fantasy but very entertaining. I wish there was more!