Highly Recommended viewing: The Dresden Files

You know, I really wasn't convinced to begin with, but now I'm absolutely loving the SciFi Channel's adaptation of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.

It all started off rather horribly. The season pilot was - in this particular Dresden-fan's ever-so humble opinon - absolute dross.

Mind you, with the benefit of hindsight, I think I can see why. Imagine the scene at the production meeting, as the guys behind the show try to work out how to sell the series to the network...

"So, what are the major themes of this one again?"

"Let's see: black magic, horrific murder, ritual sacrifice, the occult, the undead rising..."

"A-ha. And the lead character?"

"Well, he's this guy who's an incredibly powerful wizard. He's a good guy at heart, but he's got a dark side, and he hides from his true nature on the grounds that if he unleashed the full force of his magical powers he could probably, like, destroy the world or something. So he's basically conflicted. Screwed up. Human."

"Aaa-ha. So, no clear-cut white hat, then?"

"Well, no. More kinda grey... and patchy... with scorch-marks..."

So, the guys behind the show make a special effort for the pilot. Harry becomes a good wizard, through-and-through. He works with the cops, he solves a mystery, he saves his cop-buddy from possession by a demonic body-snatcher (read: foreign hijacker) and an All-American kid from a really nasty kid-eating monster (read: paedophile) and comes out of it covered in glory, and in just enough of his own blood for a purple heart. Hoorah! Apple-pie for all! The network buys the series...

...at which point, thankfully, the script writers throw away all that crap and get on with telling the real story of Harry Dresden.

We're up to episode five (or six, I'd have to check the Sky+ box) in the UK and so far the rest of the series has been bloody fantastic. Elements of the back-story and plot from the books is gradually being introduced, with just enough of a twist here and there to keep things fresh and interesting. Bob is working really well as an all-English eccentric ex-sorceror. Which is good. I mean, Bob - this Bob, I wonder? - is meant to be several centuries old, so I'm glad they haven't given him a Brooklyn accent or something. And, most importantly, Harry and Lt. Murphy's relationship has been restored to its proper love-hate status, which has worked so well throughout the seven-book series to-date.

Having said all that, I can understand why someone coming fresh to the series without any prior knowledge of the books might find it a little inaccessible in places. The producers have made quite a few fan-nods in terms of back-story, so there are a few things that you know from reading the books that you might not immediately realise from watching the show. For instance, fan-viewers know that Morgan has the power and the authority to kill Harry if he so much as puts a black-magic flavoured footstep out of line... which adds a nice tension to their scenes, but might not come across so well if you're a newbie.

So, my advice if you're struggling: read the series, record the show. Then come back and see if your appreciation of its finer points isn't raised through the roof...

March 23, 2007 | Filed Under Books, TV | 2 Comments

Dresden Files trailer #2 on YouTube

The second trailer for the Sci-Fi Channel's forthcoming series adaptation of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files is now available to watch at YouTube:

Hmm. I'm still not 100% convinced. I think I'd have to see more of the look & feel of the bad guys and a lot more principle character interaction before I'm completely sold.

Thanks to George Walkley of Jim Butcher's UK publisher, Orbit Books, for the heads-up.

December 13, 2006 | Filed Under TV | Leave a Comment

Preacher series due from HBO?

Good ol' boy Joe Gordon over at the FP Blog has big news via the Hollywood Reporter: HBO are developing a one-hour series based on the Preacher [Amazon] comics by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, about the Texan minister, who becomes possessed by a heaven-born creature so awesomely, terrifyingly powerful that even God does a runner from it.

Colourful dialogue from Preacher, 'Gone to Texas', copyright DC Comics No word as to potential casting just yet, but the HR tells us: "Mark Steven Johnson, the writer-director behind comic adaptations Daredevil and the upcoming Ghost Rider, is writing the pilot, while Howard Deutch is attached to direct."

And apparently both messrs. Ennis and Dillon are attached to the project as executive producers, which means that it might retain at least some semblance of the original spirit of the comics series, which can only be a good thing. And, as Joe G points out, with HBO's track-record there's a good chance that the original spirit of mayhem, violence and seething sexual tension (not to mention the colourfil dialogue) will also be kept intact. Although given Howard Deutch's apparent track record to-date, anything could happen with it...

Still, one to keep an eye on, definitely. And go read the graphic novels in the meantime, you won't regret it.

December 1, 2006 | Filed Under Comics & GNs, TV | 1 Comment

Hey kids, Jackanory's back!

Great news, folks. After a ten year hiatus (too long! too long!) the BBC has brought back classic kids' story-telling series Jackanory.

Showing this week is a three-part adaptation of Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's fantasy tale Muddle Earth [Amazon]. The first part was on CBBC at 4.30 today, with further installments on Wednesday and Friday, although if they do it properly they'll repeat the whole thing on Saturday morning, just before Swap Shop. I'm pretty sure that's how they used to do it when I was a kid.

Of course, this being the twenty-first century and all, the new Jackanory is a blended live action and animation spectacular, with narrator John Sessions appearing in a variety of CGI guises (mind you, I remember being impressed when Jackanory did The Hobbit back in the '70s and Derek Jacoby wore a sling to do the voices for the dwarves after the Battle of the Five Armies - gotta love those '70s SFX) although I must admit I'm only judging by the trailer so far; I'm setting all three up on Sky+ for a run-through at the weekend.

Anyhow, if you ask me there should be a statutory requirement for anyone with children old enough to watch television (that's what, about three months onwards these days?) to sit them down and make damn sure they enjoy every single episode. Who knows, if more kids watched television shows about story-telling, instead of moronic game-shows full of little more than gunge, pop music and sugar-fuelled screaming, then perhaps a few more of them would still be reading books in their teens, instead of hanging around on street corners in day-glo hoodies, mainlining Tango and beating up old ladies with foam hammers. Eh?

November 27, 2006 | Filed Under Books, TV | Leave a Comment