The Dresden Files

Review by Sandra Bruckner

 

This new series from the SciFi Channel is not exactly what I expected.  In fact, I don’t know what I expected.  I had seen notices of the series starting on the network and that it was about a wizard, but I hadn’t really focused on the storyline at all.

 

I had intended to watch the series premiere, “Birds of a Feather,” on Sunday night – but fell asleep – and I’d forgotten to start the recorder.  Bummer.  I was saved though by SciFi – they have the pilot episode out at their website http://www.scifi.com to view.  (I don’t know about you, but I love the ability to watch TV shows over the computer.  I really hate missing shows like NCIS, CSI, Heroes, Jericho.  CBS and NBC are really doing a wonderful thing by giving viewers a chance to see these shows over the internet.  I wish other networks would do the same.  If they can capture how many viewers come to episodes over the internet, all the better.  Maybe they should look at Nielsen families over the internet.)

 

Anyway, back to The Dresden Files.  You are introduced to Harry Dresden in a couple of ways during the first few minutes of the show.  You hear the adult Harry talking about demons – and you see the child Harry talking about demons in his closet with his magician father.  As the episode progresses, the character of Harry Dresden fills out a bit.  You meet Harry’s client – a young boy, Scott, who is being chased by demons.  He finds Harry in the yellow pages – the only wizard in the phone book!  At first, Harry is skeptical of the boy’s problems.  That quickly changes as the boy sees a demon while at school and rushes to Harry for help.  Harry is reminded by Bob, an air spirit who lives in a skull, that he once was a young boy with a similar problem.  Bob serves much like Harry's conscience at times.  Terrence Mann is terrific in this role, by the way.

 

Since this is the pilot episode, we also meet some the people in Harry's life -- namely Chicago Police Lt. Connie Murphy who seeks Dresden’s help on a case where the victim is totally skinned.  The first victim turns out to be Scott's teacher.  But how can this be?  Harry just saw the teacher at Scott's home! 

 

As they race over to Scott's house, they find that he has been taken.  Everyone assumes the skin walker did it in the guise of Scott's teacher.  However, the teacher shows up at Harry's place seeking the child.  She is evil and wants the child for her own purposes.  But she is working for someone -- and is not about to tell.

 

The performances are very good all the way around.  Paul Blackthorne is wonderful as Harry Dresden.  His scruffy exterior hides the heart of a softie whose purpose in life is to help people in trouble with the underworld.  This is the classic battle between good and evil.

 

The hour passes by very quickly and you are drawn into the story and anxious to learn more about these new characters you’ve just met.   With each scene, more information is provided to those who watch carefully – why Harry’s braclet is important, how are the evil spirits are kept out of Harry’s home (protective chords), etc.  It is a fascinating mix of Harry Potter and your favorite private detective thriller.

 

I highly recommend this show – at least based on this first episode.  I certainly hope that the quality of writing continues to be high and that next segments are as exciting as this first one.  There are a number of questions to be answered – particularly who is Harry’s uncle and how does he fit into this picture. One thing for sure, I’ll not look at ravens (crows) in the same way again!

 

For more information, go to www.scifi.com/dresden/index.html.  There is quite a bit of information on cast members and the series.  The next episode up is  “The Boone Identity”.  The teaser says, “A murdered girl asks Harry to take her revenge.  The catch is that her killer is already dead.