The Dresden Files is a television series based on the fantasy book series of the same name by Jim Butcher. The series follows private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden as portrayed by Paul Blackthorne, and recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in modern-day Chicago. It premiered January 21, 2007, on Sci Fi Channel in the United States and on Space in Canada. It was picked up by Sky One in the UK and began airing on February 14, 2007.
The Dresden Files | |
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Based on | The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher |
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No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 12 |
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Running time | 45 minutes |
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Original network | Space, Sci Fi Channel |
Original release | January 21 (2007-01-21) – April 15, 2007 (2007-04-15) |
The series ran for a single season of 12 episodes, and has since been released on DVD. Sci Fi Channel announced on August 3, 2007, that The Dresden Files would not be renewed for a second season.[1]
Casting was confirmed on November 29, 2005, by Robert Hewitt Wolfe:[2]
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
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1 | "Birds of a Feather" | Michael Robison | Peter Egan | January 21, 2007 (2007-01-21) | 103 | 1.732[3] |
Believing monsters are after him, a young boy searches out the help of the only wizard listed in the Chicago Yellow Pages - Harry Dresden. | ||||||
2 | "The Boone Identity" | James A. Contner | George Mastras | January 28, 2007 (2007-01-28) | 104 | 1.891[4] |
The ghost of a murdered girl can't rest until justice is brought to her killer — unfortunately, he's already dead. | ||||||
3 | "Hair of the Dog" | Michael Nankin | Laurence Walsh | February 11, 2007 (2007-02-11) | 105 | 1.17[5] |
Lt. Murphy requests Dresden's help in solving a series of bizarre murder cases. He discovers werewolves are involved - they're the victims. Loose adaptation of book #2 of The Dresden Files, Fool Moon.[6] | ||||||
4 | "Rules of Engagement" | Michael Grossman | Curtis Kheel | February 18, 2007 (2007-02-18) | 102 | 1.41[7] |
As Harry attempts to save the latest damsel in distress from a vicious Hellion, he finds they share a surprising connection. | ||||||
5 | "Bad Blood" | Rick Rosenthal | Jack Bernstein | February 25, 2007 (2007-02-25) | 107 | 1.12[8] |
Bianca (guest star Joanne Kelly), the most beautiful—and most dangerous—vampire in Chicago hires Dresden. Someone is trying to kill her, and she needs Dresden to find out who and why. | ||||||
6 | "Soul Beneficiary" | Ken Girotti | Peter Egan | March 4, 2007 (2007-03-04) | 108 | 0.94[9] |
When a man who has been having premonitions that he's about to die drops dead in Dresden's office, Harry is plunged into a bizarre murder plot that ends up revealing a dark secret from Bob's past. | ||||||
7 | "Walls" | John Fawcett | Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe | March 11, 2007 (2007-03-11) | 106 | 1.17[10] |
Harry investigates a group of thieving college students who have discovered a supernatural method to bypass the most sophisticated of security systems. But there's madness in their method, because it is slowly killing them off, one by one. | ||||||
8 | "Storm Front" | David Carson | Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe | March 18, 2007 (2007-03-18) | 101 | 1.35[11] |
A grisly crime scene leads Harry to the middle of a gang war, and a nasty reminder of the perils of black magic. (This was edited down from the pilot episode.) | ||||||
9 | "The Other Dick" | James Head | George Mastras | March 25, 2007 (2007-03-25) | 110 | 1.00[12] |
While taking classes to get his P.I. license, Harry finds his teacher - another local private investigator - murdered using supernatural means. Harry reluctantly joins forces with the deceased teacher's assistant (guest star Claudia Black) to find the killer. | ||||||
10 | "What About Bob?" | David Straiton | David Simkins | April 1, 2007 (2007-04-01) | 109 | N/A |
Harry's latest lover sneaks out of his place with Bob's skull and delivers it to Dresden's uncle Justin Morningway – who died by Dresden's own hand five years ago. Dresden learns that death isn't all it's cracked up to be – especially where his uncle is concerned. | ||||||
11 | "Things That Go Bump" | Michael Grossman | Robert Hewitt Wolfe | April 8, 2007 (2007-04-08) | 111 | N/A |
Ancient Mai and Morgan seek refuge at Dresden's place after they are ambushed by one of Mai's enemies. But once inside, they discover that they're now all trapped by a powerful spell, and the walls are closing in. | ||||||
12 | "Second City" | Nick Copus | Barry M. Schkolnick | April 15, 2007 (2007-04-15) | 112 | N/A |
Minutes after leaving a store, a former gang member is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Meanwhile, Murphy's father comes to Chicago, and he has a bone to pick with her – named Harry Dresden. |
In 2005, the SciFi Channel announced that it had optioned The Dresden Files as a two-hour film and backdoor pilot. Nicolas Cage executive produced alongside Hans Beimler, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Norm Golightly, and Morgan Gendel. It was produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Cage's Saturn Films.[13] Production began during the Autumn 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.[14]
The pilot film 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.[15] A 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 pilot had been cut to an hour and was the eighth episode to air. A third version of the pilot, now movie length, was broadcast late at night on March 7, 2008 by SciFi Channel. Besides restoring cut scenes from the original version of the pilot, it incorporated footage from throughout the season, placing it outside of the main series' continuity.[16]
Most notable in the re-edited version of the pilot was the fact that Bob, played by Terrance Mann in the series as a full apparition, was limited to only a disembodied voice who was centered around the familiar rune covered skull with animated lighting to symbolize the spirit within, more akin to the Bob of the novels. This re-editing was done later in the series as Mann did not join the series until after the original filming of the pilot had already been concluded. The full pilot version of "Storm Front" was not included in the original DVD release of the complete series.
In a forum post Jim Butcher stated, "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". He continued by saying viewers should not expect a duplicate of the books, and those expecting it would be disappointed.[17]
In August 2007, The Dresden Files was released by Lions Gate Entertainment onto DVD.[18]
In the 2008 film The Eye, Jessica Alba's character is watching television after her sight is restored. An episode of The Dresden Files appears briefly on the television.[19] This appears to be a cross-promotion between Lionsgate Television and Lions Gate Entertainment (the distributor of The Eye).
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The Cinder Spires series |
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