Dresden Files Review

[shadowravyn]

So, I know I promised this to you about a month ago, but I'm pretty sure I also promised a review of my first Lunacon, back in '03. So be glad you're getting this now.

In shogunhb's post he sayd the third episode of the series "wasn't as bad as the first 2. Not all that bad at all." You'll notice, he also didn't say that it was good

Comments

[shogunhb]

The reason this episode was so much better than the others is that

[kradical]

Actually, the guy who developed the show is Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who is a fan of the books, has read them and everything, and talked a lot with Jim about developing the series, and Jim is on record as being happy with it.

I know fans like to construct a reality where network executives specifically gather to make them miserable, but the reality is nothing like that.

You don't like the show, fine, but don't accuse the makers of the show of motives they don't have or of being less than they are.

[kradical]

(Sorry if that came across as snotty, but RHW's a friend, so I felt the need to come to his defense.)

[shadowravyn]

I didn't suggest they did it to make us miserable, more that they didn't care enough to do it right. I think this falls under accusing them of being less than they are rather than giving them motives they don't have.

My only question is if your friend is such a fan, then why does the show have very little in common with the books save the names of characters? I understand changing Karrin's first name (since there's a cop with the name Karrin Murphy on Chicago's police force) and why a beat-up Jeep is easier to get access to than an old Beetle, but those are the only changes I understand. Why such drastic alterations to everything?

[kradical]

Because the needs of a one-hour, non-serialized TV show are completely different from those of a series of novels -- which, BTW, is the main reason why they de-powered Harry, which was very wise. With a TV show, you have 20 small problems to solve per year, as opposed to a novel series, where you have one big problem to solve per year. If Harry's sooooooper powerful, he become much harder to challenge on a weekly basis.

I believe this was touched on already above...

[ladyscience]

but yeah, Dexter. Dexter, which was based on only two books, is good show, faithful to the canon, and was still able to stretch within that canon. In my opinion, I think the show was better than the books, especially in terms of character development.

As for the Dresden files... I only read one of the books, so my emotional investment isn't quite as much as for people who have read all of the books. That being said, if I hadn't read that one book, and then watched the show, I still would have said what the hell? The premier didn't make any sense, and was rather on the cheesy side. The characters didn't do anything for me. I could not have cared less if the kid had bought it in the end, and Bob sobbed into his tea.

But, I'm not surprised at this offering from a channel that also makes Yet Another Snake Movie, Part 400 in a Continuing Series of Snake Movies. ;-)