The Dresden Files

I had the chance to watch "The Dresden Files" on the Sci-Fi channel tonight, and I'll be the first one to say... It rocked! Admittedly, there were some things on the program that didn't quite match my mental perception of the books... namely, that I thought Bob (the skull) was more of a horndog in the books. Okay, he did ask Harry for details about his night with the lovely waitress, but still... I expected him to be more crude and rude... not the rather elegant, cultured guy the actor playing him seemed to be.

Paul Blackthorne did a wonderful job of playing Harry, showing he can be a bit of an asshat at times (when Murph asks for Harry's first thought on the completely skinned woman she has found, he says, "My first thought is that my car is still booted."- which happened earlier and which he wanted Murph to fix for him), but inside he's a big softy.

I was also somewhat unprepared for the sight of Bob as a full human, seeing as in books, he only appears as the skull, or as the skull with lights in his eyes (when the spirit is inhabiting the skull). But I do guess this was easier for an audience not familliar with the books to see the character, and it gives Harry someone else to be with besides a special-effects enhanced skull.

I also must add that I think the opening credits were wonderful, especially Harry's Hockey-Stick wand, which I loved in the books and think is wonderful here. I do miss Harry's Blue Beetle of a car. The car he currently has looks a little too... good for him. I mean, as a wizard, Harry pretty much does a number on modern electronics, at least in the books.

I do have some unanswered questions, though, which I look forward to the series answering. For one thing, will the series reflect the happenings in the books? Second, will we see the eventual war between the Wizard's Council and the Red Court Vampires? How about the Faerie inhabiting Chicago? Will we see Harry's "Godmother" Lea (for Leannansidhe)? Where is Mister (Harry's 30 lb cat)? And speaking of Bob, again, is he really an ex-human (as the TV series seems to imply), or an air elemental, as in the books?

And I also have a suggestion for the Sci-Fi Channel. If they want to do some more "Modern Magic"-type series, another good one to look into would be Simon R. Green's "Nightside" novels. Another mysterious protagonist with a strange power, this one with the power to find just about anything, although the special effects would cost a lot more for the Nightside series.

In any case, I give this series an A.