Lions Gate Home Entertainment
Adapted from the novels of Jim Butcher about Chicago-based wizard P.I. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, The Dresden Files aired on Sci-Fi Channel from January through April 2007. British actor Paul Blackthorne plays Dresden, assisted by 400-year-old ghost “Bob” (Terrence Mann), and pragmatic Chicago PD Lt. Connie Murphy (Valerie Cruz).
Several reputable names in sci-fi TV developed Dresden, including exec producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Andromeda), David Simkins (Charmed), and Morgan Gendel (MTV’s Spider-Man). It would have been easy for a series like this to go overboard with mysticism and special effects, but the writers and producers made a concerted effort to ground the show in very human problems and realistic investigation.
Dresden himself is a reluctant hero. He’d give anything for some peace and quiet, but when the magical world bleeds into the mortal one, he feels compelled to intervene because, he says, “I’m the only one who can.” Paul Blackthorne does a fine job reflecting Harry’s genuine concern for his clients.
Though the show disappointed some book purists and failed to make a ratings splash, I felt it had charm all its own. The first (and only) season set includes 12 widescreen episodes on 3 discs, two audio commentaries with Paul Blackthorne, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and director Michael Grossman, deleted scenes, and a making-of featurette.
Gerald So
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