[Fandom] The Dresden Files - TV Series
So, one of the gifts I received from chrisbrad was the entire series of The Dresden Files on DVD (it says the first season, but it must have been packaged before cancellation was certain). I was prepared to hate it, or at least be disappointed, as generally happens with adaptations of books to any sort of filmed media.
Now I've watched the first DVD, and I am disappointed in a way, but not... not totally. Surprisingly.
Here's the deal: it isn't the books. That's to be expected, but it's done in such a way that... well, it's still good for what it is, which is a TV series. The only story so far in the first four episodes that even remotely resembles a plot from the books was the episode "Hair of the Dog," which took part of its plot from Fool Moon. An incredibly small portion, and almost unrecognizable; in fact, it was really more of an element of the plot taken and plopped in the middle of its own, original plot.
So far, it's very episodic; things happen that are related to that episode and that episode only, and there's very little sign of an over-arching plot, except with the inclusion of Harry's "uncle," Justin (I say "uncle" because Justin was not his uncle in the books, and while I can see why they made this change for the series, it's the sort of thing that will always irk me at least a little).
So, like, Justin isn't dead? Because in the books, that's the one thing any other author would have done way before now, but in 12 books of unrelenting awesome, one thing has remained constant: Justin DuMorne is very dead. Apparently, Justin Morningway, isn't. I think. It's not really explored in detail yet, and that is another thing that irks me about the whole Justin plot so far, and actually irks me more than changing him to Harry's uncle, why the name change??? What purpose does it serve to change Justin's last name from DuMorne to Morningway? Seriously, what?
The name changing is also an issue with the White Council, which is renamed to the High Council, like there's never been a High Council in like every single thing having anything remotely to do with fantasy ever.
It's these sorts of small things that make me roll my eyes, and don't really have many big issues with the series so far. The biggest issues I have, which haven't stopped me from enjoying the series so far, are with the casting and/or characterization of Harry and Bob.
I can understand why they chose to make Bob the spirit of an actual wizard rather than a formless spirit of Air and intellect. Giving him an actor and a face makes the character easier to film, for the other actors to work with, and probably easier for the audience to relate to. I still believe it would have been possible to keep him as the spirit from the books and make him a character worth interacting with. In that, I feel the makers of the show were a little lazy. Also, for me, having an actual old man making lecherous comments is entirely more creepy than a spirit without the capacity to do anything about it, I'm just saying.
As for Harry. Well. Paul Blackthorne does a passable job as Harry. He's got the snarky part down, though it's not nearly as prevalent and hilarious as Harry in the books. And Blackthorne isn't my mental image of Harry, either. I've always pictured Harry younger, because it's insinuated in the first book that he's still rather young, especially for a wizard, somewhere in his mid to late twenties. Blackthorne is older, and to be honest, he's closer to my mental image of Harry circa Changes. Older, wiser, still snarky but slightly less inclined to pure, light-hearted humor.
Then again, Butcher himself has said the TV series is to be considered an alternate universe Dresden Files, so maybe that's why this stuff hasn't turned me completely off it yet. Word of God! It's okay!
(Dresden Files fans, don't you just love how genre-savvy Harry and the rest of his cohorts are? I mean, not only the fact that Harry uses the word "fandom," and you guys have no idea how I squeed at that one, but also the whole scene in Changes where they're all discussing which members of the Fellowship they all correspond to... hilariousness! XD)
Anyways... the episodic nature of the series, and the changes in characterization they've made, pretty much means the series will never be made of pure, unadulterated awesome the way the books are, and never would have been even if it had been renewed.
But the weirdest part of all of this is that when I reach the end, I have a feeling I'm going to actually be disappointed there was never a second season.
Though, what I'd really like to see would be a kick-ass awesome movie with a younger Dresden, his proper tools (a drumstick and a hockeystick, really?), a blonde Murphy, a pure spirit Bob, and Harry's backstory properly intact. Because I am a purist that way.
Now I've watched the first DVD, and I am disappointed in a way, but not... not totally. Surprisingly.
Here's the deal: it isn't the books. That's to be expected, but it's done in such a way that... well, it's still good for what it is, which is a TV series. The only story so far in the first four episodes that even remotely resembles a plot from the books was the episode "Hair of the Dog," which took part of its plot from Fool Moon. An incredibly small portion, and almost unrecognizable; in fact, it was really more of an element of the plot taken and plopped in the middle of its own, original plot.
So far, it's very episodic; things happen that are related to that episode and that episode only, and there's very little sign of an over-arching plot, except with the inclusion of Harry's "uncle," Justin (I say "uncle" because Justin was not his uncle in the books, and while I can see why they made this change for the series, it's the sort of thing that will always irk me at least a little).
So, like, Justin isn't dead? Because in the books, that's the one thing any other author would have done way before now, but in 12 books of unrelenting awesome, one thing has remained constant: Justin DuMorne is very dead. Apparently, Justin Morningway, isn't. I think. It's not really explored in detail yet, and that is another thing that irks me about the whole Justin plot so far, and actually irks me more than changing him to Harry's uncle, why the name change??? What purpose does it serve to change Justin's last name from DuMorne to Morningway? Seriously, what?
The name changing is also an issue with the White Council, which is renamed to the High Council, like there's never been a High Council in like every single thing having anything remotely to do with fantasy ever.
It's these sorts of small things that make me roll my eyes, and don't really have many big issues with the series so far. The biggest issues I have, which haven't stopped me from enjoying the series so far, are with the casting and/or characterization of Harry and Bob.
I can understand why they chose to make Bob the spirit of an actual wizard rather than a formless spirit of Air and intellect. Giving him an actor and a face makes the character easier to film, for the other actors to work with, and probably easier for the audience to relate to. I still believe it would have been possible to keep him as the spirit from the books and make him a character worth interacting with. In that, I feel the makers of the show were a little lazy. Also, for me, having an actual old man making lecherous comments is entirely more creepy than a spirit without the capacity to do anything about it, I'm just saying.
As for Harry. Well. Paul Blackthorne does a passable job as Harry. He's got the snarky part down, though it's not nearly as prevalent and hilarious as Harry in the books. And Blackthorne isn't my mental image of Harry, either. I've always pictured Harry younger, because it's insinuated in the first book that he's still rather young, especially for a wizard, somewhere in his mid to late twenties. Blackthorne is older, and to be honest, he's closer to my mental image of Harry circa Changes. Older, wiser, still snarky but slightly less inclined to pure, light-hearted humor.
Then again, Butcher himself has said the TV series is to be considered an alternate universe Dresden Files, so maybe that's why this stuff hasn't turned me completely off it yet. Word of God! It's okay!
(Dresden Files fans, don't you just love how genre-savvy Harry and the rest of his cohorts are? I mean, not only the fact that Harry uses the word "fandom," and you guys have no idea how I squeed at that one, but also the whole scene in Changes where they're all discussing which members of the Fellowship they all correspond to... hilariousness! XD)
Anyways... the episodic nature of the series, and the changes in characterization they've made, pretty much means the series will never be made of pure, unadulterated awesome the way the books are, and never would have been even if it had been renewed.
But the weirdest part of all of this is that when I reach the end, I have a feeling I'm going to actually be disappointed there was never a second season.
Though, what I'd really like to see would be a kick-ass awesome movie with a younger Dresden, his proper tools (a drumstick and a hockeystick, really?), a blonde Murphy, a pure spirit Bob, and Harry's backstory properly intact. Because I am a purist that way.