Recation Thread: First episode of the Dresden Files

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2007-01-21 10:03pm

It just finished up here on the eastern seaboard of the US, so let the discussion begin.

Pretty good begining, but I have not read the book series, so I do not know of all the changes made.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2007-01-21 10:08pm

Well, from what I know, the cop is different now.

It's on in a few hours, but it seems like the first episode has nothing to do with the plot of the first book,based on the description. I'm just wondering if they're going to translate the ongoing plotline from the books as well as individual book plots, or if they're going to make up a lot of the plotlines.

Some of the book plots would work as mini arcs in a season, while the major plot is carrid on over seasons. If it lasts that long.

Skelron · Post by **Skelron** » 2007-01-21 10:26pm

Storm front, the first book, is the plotline for eppy 5. This will be the eppy format version of the program that was originally a 2 hour made for TV movie, now cut down to an a hour. (Also they have changed Bob, at first he was going to be a Fre spirit, but that would have been too expensive for a series, so it needed reshooting.)

The series should be viewed as an alternate timeline, that is, we have the Bookverse and we have the TV verse. The TV verse on the whole will follow it's own course, but nothing stops them borrowing from the books.

And lastly, so what did people think who have been able to see it?

SylasGaunt · Post by **SylasGaunt** » 2007-01-21 11:06pm

I liked it. Some good twists and turns.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2007-01-21 11:14pm

I only just went out and bought the first two books and read them, so I had a very fresh take on the series.

The first one was actually a very good intro. You see what happened in the past to Harry, but not all of it. You see echoes of it in what's happening to the boy.

The Ravens were a total surprise. I did enjoy the makeup job on them, and the trick with the side-blinking eyes only added to the inhumanity. The actual villian was also nicely done, even to never seeing the true shape of it. Nice trick with the box, as well. "Pop!"

For the pilot, I think it's showing a LOT of promise. Bob as a ghost is interesting. Harry getting laid is funny. The 'money walks, bullshit talks' attitude and concern over paying the bills is also very Harry. But why no basement apartment?

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2007-01-21 11:21pm

It certainly shows promise.

I'm curious why the kid was eating such a crunchy banana sundae, though.

Gaidin · Post by **Gaidin** » 2007-01-21 11:26pm

LadyTevar wrote: For the pilot, I think it's showing a LOT of promise. Bob as a ghost is interesting. Harry getting laid is funny. The 'money walks, bullshit talks' attitude and concern over paying the bills is also very Harry. But why no basement apartment?

I think the reason is because it was such a different medium. In the book Dresden has the most whacked out bug you'll ever find. The author occasionally draws attention to the details(four different colors minimum) for comedy's sake, but treats it like nothing more than a ride for the rest. They shifted to the ww2 era jeep because they didn't want focus on that joke every time he went somewhere.

Could be the same idea for the house. Because, I mean, his apartment in the book is literally a dark cave...near enough anyway. Especially with the way he's got it decorated. Put that on the screen and it won't look homely enough for the audience to 'zone it out' enough for it to be the background and will just see "wow that's a shitty place to live" every time.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2007-01-21 11:33pm

Gaidin wrote:
LadyTevar wrote: For the pilot, I think it's showing a LOT of promise. Bob as a ghost is interesting. Harry getting laid is funny. The 'money walks, bullshit talks' attitude and concern over paying the bills is also very Harry. But why no basement apartment?
I think the reason is because it was such a different medium. In the book Dresden has the most whacked out bug you'll ever find. The author occasionally draws attention to the details(four different colors minimum) for comedy's sake, but treats it like nothing more than a ride for the rest. They shifted to the ww2 era jeep because they didn't want focus on that joke every time he went somewhere.

Could be the same idea for the house. Because, I mean, his apartment in the book is literally a dark cave...near enough anyway. Especially with the way he's got it decorated. Put that on the screen and it won't look homely enough for the audience to 'zone it out' enough for it to be the background and will just see "wow that's a shitty place to live" every time.

That's a good point, as well as the fact a basement apartment has a very low ceiling, which is BAD for camera angles. I totally missed the VW/Jeep switch, but it may have been as simple as Jeep offered more money for the Product Placement.

What they didn't really go into, however, was the reaction electronics should be having around him.

Slayen · Post by **Slayen** » 2007-01-21 11:39pm

LadyTevar wrote:
What they didn't really go into, however, was the reaction electronics should be having around him.

As someone who hasn't read the books, what reaction should electronics be having?

Gaidin · Post by **Gaidin** » 2007-01-21 11:43pm

Slayen wrote:
LadyTevar wrote:
What they didn't really go into, however, was the reaction electronics should be having around him.
As someone who hasn't read the books, what reaction should electronics be having?

If Dresden is emotionally stable they won't do much unless they're severely twenty-first century. If he's pissed or overly happy(see sex...) things as simple as light bulbs start blowing around him(guy keeps fifty extra bulbs in his office in the books).

He was on a talk show once and had to spend most of his concentration on maintaining a field that kept that from happening to the cameras and stage lights. He didn't get to answer many questions, needless to say.

Bug-Eyed Earl · Post by **Bug-Eyed Earl** » 2007-01-22 12:12am

Anyone else think that

hey showed Justin as still being alive

a little too soon? There's the talk in the books about a background player manipulating all of the events, and now I wonder if the producers had a little chat with Jim about this. I doubt it, though. and I don't think the character I mentioned is big time enough to fill that role, and besides, the show is going its own way.

Bug-Eyed Earl · Post by **Bug-Eyed Earl** » 2007-01-22 12:13am

FUCK- I meant to put the part in quotes as small text. Could someone fix that?

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2007-01-22 02:03am

I liked it, but it seemed very pilot-ish. I hope it gets better.

Though, after Harry got his shield bracelet ripped off and the girl died, I would have expected him to scramble after it in case something attacked, as subsequently did happen. After all, there was a reason why the wards or whatever were ripped off.

Utah Jak · Post by **Utah Jak** » 2007-01-22 03:01am

I was surprised by the quality of the show. I usually don't get excited about pilots, but this was top notch.

Jason von Evil · Post by **Jason von Evil** » 2007-01-22 03:31am

Interesting show. I liked it, especially the way they handed magic and the ravens. According to Wikipedia, that Bob character changed (he was a talking skull in the book, from what I understand) because they couldn't make a talking skull look realistic.

Oh and Nicholas Cage is one of the executive producers, so instant +10.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2007-01-22 03:36pm

Nicholas Cage is a Producer for this?

Ok.. now I know that the show's got promise.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2007-01-22 03:47pm

Perhaps I'm a bit dense, but how does Nick Cage being producer HELP the show's case? Has he EPd other good shows?

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2007-01-22 05:00pm

The Wicker Man (2006) (producer), Lord of War (2005) (producer), The Life of David Gale (2003) (producer), Sonny (2002) (producer), Shadow of the Vampire (2000) (producer)

Some good, some bad.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2007-01-22 07:36pm

I like the fact that Nick Cage is executive producing mostly because he's a comic book geek...

I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode, though I was a bit disappointed that they're starting off with an original episode rather than one of the book stories.

Personally, I hope that by the time they get to Dead Beat, they do it in full glory as a multi-parter...

Mr. Coffee · Post by **Mr. Coffee** » 2007-01-22 09:08pm

1. Dresden ain't friggin tall enough.

2. Where's his fucking duster?

3. What the hell happened to the Blue Beatle?

4. Why is Murphy a brunette that's damned near as tall as Harry?

5. Where the fuck is Mister at?

Other then that, I actually kinda liked it. Hopefully Sci-Fi doesn't screw this up.

Gaidin · Post by **Gaidin** » 2007-01-22 10:30pm

Mr. Coffee wrote:1. Dresden ain't friggin tall enough.

2. Where's his fucking duster?

3. What the hell happened to the Blue Beatle?

4. Why is Murphy a brunette that's damned near as tall as Harry?

5. Where the fuck is Mister at?

This answers most of those...

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2007-01-22 10:57pm

What the unholy fuck did they do to Bob? Its like they Buffy-ized him and made him like Giles. Which is horseshit. Bob's personality is basically a horny fratboy who happens to have hundreds of years of magical knowledge. This is a character who, after Harry tells him about wiping out a scourge of vampires, losing his hand, discovering he has a brother, learning his mother was murdered and his mentor lied to him for decades, and that he has a massive killing curse after him, only responds by asking for more details abou Murphy's ass. And what the FUCK is he doing serving as Harry's concience, telling him to help the boy? THis is Bob, who explicetly is said to not understand or care about the difference between right and wrong, and was annoyed that Harry didn't steal a baby and offer it to Mab instead of taking a case.

The person manifestation vs permenant skull I can deal with. The utter butchering of the character I cannot.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2007-01-22 11:03pm

Except for the horny frat boy part, I think they thought that his moral grey-ness would make viewers dislike him. Though in truth it makes him badass.

To be fair, Bob has something of a conscience. There was that deep dark magic he didn't want to pull up from his memory.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2007-01-22 11:06pm

neoolong wrote:Except for the horny frat boy part, I think they thought that his moral grey-ness would make viewers dislike him. Though in truth it makes him badass.

To be fair, Bob has something of a conscience. There was that deep dark magic he didn't want to pull up from his memory.

Eh...this version of Bob *did* say that he just didn't want to have to deal with Harry moping about for months.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2007-01-24 04:58am

Robert Hewit Wolfe as a producer. Excellent. *tents fingers* I'm not overly concerned with the changes to the book. Hair colour on the characters isn't that big of a deal, and truth be told, I'm only find the books somewhat entertaining. I'm much more concerned with if they can produce a good tv show.