The Dresden Files (TV series)
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| The Dresden Files | |
|---|---|
 Left to right: Harry Dresden, Connie Murphy, Bob, Morgan |
|
| Genre | Mystery/Fantasy |
| Creator(s) | Jim Butcher |
| Developer(s) | Hans Beimler Robert Hewitt Wolfe |
| Starring | Paul Blackthorne Valerie Cruz Terrence Mann Raoul Bhaneja Daniel Kash Jonathan Higgins Matthew Knight |
| Country of origin |  United States Canada |
| No. of episodes | 10 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Lawrence Walsh Jack Bernstein Barry Schkolnick Curtis Kheel Jonathan Hackett |
| Executive producer(s) | Nicolas Cage Norm Golightly Robert Hewitt Wolfe David Simkins |
| Running time | approx. 45 mins (per episode) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Sci Fi Channel |
| Original run | January 21, 2007 – present |
The Dresden Files is a TV series based on the books by Jim Butcher. It premiered on January 21, 2007 at 9:00 PM EST on the Sci Fi channel in the United States and on Space: The Imagination Station in Canada. It has also been picked up by Sky One in the UK and began airing on February 14, 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Development
In 2005, the SciFi Channel announced that it had optioned The Dresden Files as a two-hour movie and backdoor pilot. Nicolas Cage executive produces alongside Hans Beimler, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Norm Golightly, and Morgan Gendel. It is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Cage's Saturn Films.[1] Production began during the Fall of 2005. Originally, a Summer 2006 release was anticipated, but on May 23, 2006, a January 2007 airdate and 11 episode pick-up was announced on JBAnnounce, the official Jim Butcher announcement list. It was confirmed the next day by Sci-Fi.[2]
The pilot movie was made from a screenplay by television writers Hans Beimler and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and based on Butcher's novel Storm Front. David Carson directed and shooting took place in Toronto. It was announced in November 2005 that Paul Blackthorne had been cast in the lead role.[3] The two hour pilot was originally intended to serve as the premiere, but certain last minute developmental and casting changes delayed its completion. Episode three (in production order) was aired in its place. Along with the re-shooting of several scenes, the two hour pilot has been cut to an hour and was the eighth episode to air. The full version will most likely be shown later but it will not follow the show's continuity.[4]
[edit] Characters
Casting was confirmed on November 29, 2005 by Robert Hewitt Wolfe:[5]
[edit] Major characters
- Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne) — The main character of the series, Harry is a reluctant hero, a professional wizard who often helps the police with cases involving "unusual" circumstances and others who seek his help. Harry's mother, a powerful wizard, died when he was young. He was raised by his father, a stage magician. Not much else about his upbringing is known, except that when he was about ten, his powers began to emerge, and his uncle Justin Morningway wanted to take him and teach him about his abilities. Harry's father felt it was the best for Harry to remain with him. Bob makes reference to Harry "self-defensing" his uncle to death, though their mutual belief that Justin is dead seems to be in error.
- Lt. Connie Murphy (Valerie Cruz) — The Chicago policewoman who often seeks out Harry's help with cases that are hard to solve and may be supernaturally related. She is dedicated and takes her job seriously, even going as far as seeking out the only wizard in the phonebook to help with cases. Lt. Murphy is a tough, no-nonsense woman who is divorced and has a daughter who she says spends a lot of time with her father because of the long hours she has to work.
- Bob (Hrothbert of Bainbridge) (Terrence Mann) — The old spirit who is owned by Dresden. He was once owned by Dresden's uncle, Justin Morningway before Dresden "self-defensed" him to death. He advises Dresden on both personal and magical matters. Bob is an invaluable source of knowledge which Dresden taps to solve supernatural crimes. In the first episode, Bob is seen redesigning a "Doom Box," which he describes as "a supernatural jack-in-the-box" that contains and amplifies magical energy. The original Doom Box formula was included in a grimoire that Bob wrote while he was alive; the book had been in Justin's possession until Harry burned it. Bob was placed in his skull for eternity for using dark magic to bring back a woman he had loved.
- Morgan (Conrad Coates) — Morgan is a Warden of the High Council, the governing body of the wizarding community, and is assigned to the Chicago area. He is a stickler for the rules, powerful, and will often confront Harry because of their differing ideals and personalities.
[edit] Recurring characters
- Det. Sid Kirmani (Raoul Bhaneja) — Lt. Murphy's partner on the Chicago PD, he is perennially skeptical of Dresden's abilities.
- M.E. Waldo Butters (Matt Gordon) — a Chicago PD medical examiner who has assisted Lt. Murphy on several strange cases.
- Justin Morningway (Daniel Kash) — a warden of the High Council and Dresden's uncle, believed to be dead.
- Bianca (Joanne Kelly) — one of the most powerful vampires in Chicago, and a member of the Red Court.
- Ancient Mai (Jane McLean/Elizabeth Thai) — the High Council's "top dog" who handles contact with other supernatural powers.
- Laura Ellis (Natalie Lisinska) — a waitress in a local diner, Harry's love interest in several episodes.
[edit] Minor magical characters
- Scott Sharp (Dylan Everett) — a ten-year-old adoptee with magical talent who was targeted by a skinwalker.
- Heather Bram (Kathleen Munroe) — a recently-converted lycanthrope who has left Chicago to face her new condition on her own.
- Sirota (Kim Coates) — an earth-bound demon responsible for converting humans into hellspawn.
- Sharon Mirell (Kerry Lai Fatt) - a former Chicago PD coroner who practices the very dark art of reanimation.
- Dante Arrias (Nathaniel Stephenson) — a magically-talented college student who temporarily wielded the power to create doorways.
[edit] Departure from novels
Several major changes were made for the series, including:
- Harry's "Blue Beetle" Volkswagen has been replaced with a WWII-era Willys Jeep.
- While Bob exists as a disembodied voice emanating from a skull in the books, he can appear in a (spectral) human form that emerges from the skull in the series. He is also the ghost of a human wizard, rather than a spirit of air and intellect as in the books.
- Murphy's name was changed from Karrin to Connie to avoid confusion with real-life Chicago police officer Karyn Murphy. Her character history was also altered significantly, including a daughter, Anna, who does not exist in the books.
- Justin Morningway (known as Justin Du Morne in the novels) is Harry's uncle rather than simply a Warden who took him in after his father was killed. A scene at the end of "Birds of a Feather" indicates that Justin is alive rather than emphatically dead, as he is in the books.
Jim Butcher released the following statement on his website bulletin board in response to fan criticism of the changes: "The show is not the books. It is not meant to follow the same story. It is meant as an alternate world, where the overall background and story-world is similar, but not all the same things happen. The show is not attempting to recreate the books on a chapter-by-chapter or even story-by-story basis."[6]
[edit] Episodes
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ SciFi Channel press release. "Nicolas Cage does some detective work for Sci Fi Channel", the futon critic, October 11, 2005. Retrieved on 2005-10-12.
- ^ SciFi Channel press release. "Dresden Gets SCI FI Pickup", SCI FI Wire, May 24, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-26.
- ^ SciFi Channel press release. "Paul Blackthorne casts a spell over Sci Fi", the futon critic, November 9, 2005. Retrieved on 2005-11-11.
- ^ Robert Hewitt Wolfe. "Questions for Robert Wolfe", Jim-Butcher.Com Community, January 28, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
- ^ Robert Hewitt Wolfe. "DF: Our Actual Cast!, Yes, real names and stuff! Plus trivia!", Ex Isle Forums, November 29, 2005. Retrieved on 2005-11-29.
- ^ Jim Butcher. "Ah HELL NO", Jim-Butcher.Com Community, February 12, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
[edit] External links
- Jim-Butcher.Com
- SCIFI.COM | The Dresden Files
- The Dresden Files at TV.com
- The Dresden Files at the Internet Movie Database
| The Dresden Files (TV series) | ||
| Episodes | Birds of a Feather | The Boone Identity | Hair of the Dog | Rules of Engagement | Bad Blood | Soul Beneficiary | Walls Storm Front | The Other Dick | What About Bob? | Things That Go Bump | Second City |
|
| Characters | Harry Dresden | Connie Murphy | Bob | Morgan | |
