Dresden Files 3/4/07

Cafe Society
1

Is there still enough interest for a weekly thread? I thought last night’s episode was pretty good. The mystery-of-the-week didn’t make much sense, but there were some good moments for Harry and Bob. I am really enjoying Bob, and I’m warming up to Murphy. And it was a nice introduction of Butters!

I liked Harry trying to refer the client to a psychotherapist, and mentioning that he’s sent lots of people there.

We got the first direct reference to the fact that Harry’s presence detrimentally effects electronic equipment. I keep waiting for some comment about why his apartment doesn’t have electricity, and why he drives the old jeep. I also keep waiting for Murphy to turn off her laptop whenever Harry walks in her office.

I thought last week’s episode was just so-so, but I did like TV Bianca. I don’t really care for the Red Court vampires from the books (although I do like the White Court). Someone mentioned that this episode was intended to be the pilot, but it didn’t seem much like a pilot to me.

Previous threads:
Dresden Files 2/18/07
Dresden Files 2/11/07
Dresden Files 1/28/07
Dresden Files 1/21/07

2

As was, I believed, mentioned in one of the other threads, the pilot for Dresden Files was originally supposed to be a 2-hour episode called Storm Front and was more or less based on the first book in the series. SciFi Channel changed their mind and aired an inferior episode first, while the original pilot is being edited down to a one-hour show that had been scheduled to be aired last Sunday but instead they showed the Bianca episode.

I definitely like the way they’re handling Bob. I was disappointed that in the first few episodes aired Bob was rather tame, but now he seems to be the lecherous smart-ass I enjoy in the books.

3

I definitely enjoyed this one. I notice that Harry is using more and showier magic now; hopefully that will appease some of the people who have been complaining that he didn’t do enough. I liked the way they introduced his effect on electronics–a subtle, passive use of it to his advantage. I think he’s been careful enough so far that Murphy hasn’t picked up on it, though I suspect it won’t be long.

Bob was wonderful in this episode, which isn’t surprising since he’s been great every time we’ve seen him. We got a nice piece of TV-Bob backstory this time, though, and Harry got quite a bit to think about. Bob’s message to Murphy is one more step toward her becoming fully aware of magic. Finally, to keep his role from all being gloomy and serious, we had his fashion comment, which amused me greatly.

4

Murphy seemed so baffled by the glowing letters in mid-air – she does know Dresden is a real wizard with real magic, doesn’t she?

5

I believe this was my favorite episode so far, and quite a relief after last week’s episode which felt kinda low-budget to me.

This week the characters felt like they knew what they were doing and were enjoying themselves a bit more.

The running gag with the ambulance guy was funny. “Excuse me, coming through. Excuse me, coming through again. You know the drill. Dude, your house is a death-trap!”

6

[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]
Murphy seemed so baffled by the glowing letters in mid-air – she does know Dresden is a real wizard with real magic, doesn’t she?
[/QUOTE]
Not so far as I can tell. She knows he’s adept at handling strange situations, and he’s pretty darn trustworthy for using methods she doesn’t really know about, but I don’t think she’s ever seen him directly cast magic. The letters in the air were the most blatant evidence she’s had on-screen yet.

For the most part, I get the impression that most normal people will dismiss or gloss over magic and supernatural stuff until they accept it. Even when faced with direct evidence, they push it away and scab over the memory if they don’t want to accept it. Murphy is slowly coming to realize that Harry may well be performing actual magic, and when she accepts it, she’ll see it for what it is.

I think Morgan (the High Council guy, I think that’s his name) said something to Harry in an earlier episode about not being allowed to tell anyone about magic until they ask about it. So that’ll be a fun episode when it comes up.

I’m loving this show, even though I haven’t read the books. I dig urban arcana, and Dresden Files does it very, very well.

7

[QUOTE=BayleDomon]
For the most part, I get the impression that most normal people will dismiss or gloss over magic and supernatural stuff until they accept it. Even when faced with direct evidence, they push it away and scab over the memory if they don’t want to accept it.
[/QUOTE]

That explanation (of why this whole world of magic and supernatural beings exists, yet most people are oblivious to it) is repeated over and over in the books. It’s flat wrong, psychologically and culturally. In contemporary America, people are so hungry for magic that they can convince themselves it’s there when it really isn’t. Many hucksters such as John Edward have make fortunes exploiting that. No, a real-life Dresden could not keep his secrets for long, even if he wanted to.

8

[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]
That explanation (of why this whole world of magic and supernatural beings exists, yet most people are oblivious to it) is repeated over and over in the books. It’s flat wrong, psychologically and culturally. In contemporary America, people are so hungry for magic that they can convince themselves it’s there when it really isn’t. Many hucksters such as John Edward have make fortunes exploiting that. No, a real-life Dresden could not keep his secrets for long, even if he wanted to.
[/QUOTE]

I certainly won’t argue the point on an individual level. You’re absolutely right.

I have to wonder about it on a cultural level, though. Assume there was a real-life Dresden. He’s working out of a dingy apartment/shop on the back streets of Chicago. Some people believe, or are willing to believe, and go to him for help. He gets results; maybe they even see him work real magic.

Then, assuming that whatever they needed his help with wasn’t something they needed to keep secret–like, say, hiding from monsters, or having been turned into a werewolf, or faking their own death, or power-struggles with other vampires–they talk about it. People believe it, seize on it, and go looking for Harry…who plays dumb and recommends a psychiatrist, so he doesn’t get in more trouble with the Council. Some people get disillusioned and go home. Others go looking for the proof Harry won’t show them, and stumble into trouble with the darker elements of magic and get eaten for their pains. Some will withdraw and set up websites, or otherwise try to spread the word. Lots of people would believe them…just like lots of people believe in psychics, flying saucers, the Moon Hoax, and any number of other things they read on the web. There would be TV shows about it…just like there are about, say, alien autopsies. Would it actually change the way they live their lives? How much would it affect the lives of the general populace? Would you, personally, believe them?

There are two critical distinctions, I think, that make the excuse somewhat plausible (if not entirely believable):

The first is that unlike Edwards and his ilk (who claim powers they don’t have), Harry actively and persistently denies powers he does have. He lies even to his friends about them. He doesn’t seek publicity and won’t do demonstrations. He neither has nor wants the exposure to spark widespread acceptance.

The second is that in the Dresden-verse, magic is real, and crazy-dangerous. Mundanes who get involved with it tend to get swallowed up, dead or vanished. The sort of people who crave magic in their lives and seek it out would tend toward the top of the menu, while actual magical types mostly seem to have a vested interest in keeping it quiet. As a result, direct evidence–the kind that might spark official interest–is likely to be scarce, although individuals in authority will sometimes learn the truth and turn it to their advantage.

9

Anyone else notice Nicolas Cage is an executive producer for the show?

10

[QUOTE=levdrakon]
Anyone else notice Nicolas Cage is an executive producer for the show?
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but I haven’t checked IMDb to confirm if it’s the Nicolas Cage.

(Just checked, and yep, it’s the actor. Awesome.)

Also, Harry’s actor’s name is Paul Blackthorne, which is about as perfect as you can get for a show like this.

11

[QUOTE=Balance]
The first is that unlike Edwards and his ilk (who claim powers they don’t have), Harry actively and persistently denies powers he does have. He lies even to his friends about them. He doesn’t seek publicity and won’t do demonstrations. He neither has nor wants the exposure to spark widespread acceptance.
[/QUOTE]

Not in the books. He doesn’t go out of his way to publicize, but he is listed in the yellow pages under “Wizard,” he was the primary source for many of Susan Rodriguez’ articles in The Arcane (some of which did get attention far beyond that tabloid’s readership), and he has occasionally appeared on talk shows (usually resulting in technical difficulties). He will discuss the realities of the supernatural world with anyone who cares to listen. The White Council has no problem (officially) with any of this unless and until Dresden starts blabbing about the White Council itself.

12

[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]
Not in the books. He doesn’t go out of his way to publicize, but he is listed in the yellow pages under “Wizard,” he was the primary source for many of Susan Rodriguez’ articles in The Arcane (some of which did get attention far beyond that tabloid’s readership), and he has occasionally appeared on talk shows (usually resulting in technical difficulties). He will discuss the realities of the supernatural world with anyone who cares to listen. The White Council has no problem (officially) with any of this unless and until Dresden starts blabbing about the White Council itself.
[/QUOTE]

True, it’s a lot harder to justify in the books. In addition to the other factors you mentioned, he uses much showier magic in the books than he has so far in the TV series. If you want to justify the claim that people are ignoring or forgetting the real magic they encounter in the book Dresden-verse, I think you have to postulate some major mojo making it happen that way.

Even so, the question of how the general populace would react stands, I think. How much of what various people assert on talk shows affects your daily life? Even if a lot of people take it to heart, how exactly will it change things?

13

[QUOTE=Balance]
If you want to justify the claim that people are ignoring or forgetting the real magic they encounter in the book Dresden-verse, I think you have to postulate some major mojo making it happen that way.
[/quote]

Well, Butcher might have copied the policy of the Ministry of Magic in the Harry Potter novels, and put the wardens in charge of going around and altering the memories of mundanes/muggles who have witnesses supernatural phenomena . . . but he doesn’t; and he makes it clear that the Laws of Magic forbid using magic to invade or alter the minds of others. So that major mojo is pretty much ruled out.

[QUOTE=Balance]
Even so, the question of how the general populace would react stands, I think. How much of what various people assert on talk shows affects your daily life? Even if a lot of people take it to heart, how exactly will it change things?
[/QUOTE]

Hard evidence of the existence of magic and/or supernatural beings and/or phenomena would change things for everybody. After all, the scientific revolution has, since 1700 or before, changed things for everybody, and all scientific thinking would have to be reexamined in the light of the new evidence. Furthermore, the revelation of the existence of the world of magic would challenge the doctrines of many religions, and in any case almost certainly would spawn a dozen new religions in the first five years.

14

So far I have found the series to get better and better. This week’s was very good. Last week’s was OK, and I thought a needfully tame introduction to the vampire factions.

15

I really enjoyed this episode, especially the drugged-up-Harry fight. I enjoy TV Bob as much as book Bob, but I kind of wonder if TV Bob is lusting after women.

16

[QUOTE=Eleanor of Aquitaine]
Is there still enough interest for a weekly thread?
[/QUOTE]
I would gladly read it, but I have only read the first book, so I still don’t understand most of what is going on.

17

There are a few differences between the books and the TV series, mostly due to budget and filming constraints. There is a forum at www.jim-butcher.com which has a section on the TV series and there is a lot of discussion of the differences there, some of which is very reminiscent of that of the LotR books-versus-movies. I don’t have any problem with any of the changes, since I understand the reasons for most of them (the hockey stick as a staff being one of the few exceptions).

I suspect that as the series continues the book and TV “Dresdenverses” will diverge more and more. But I’m pretty happy with the series so far…although the friend who introduced me to the Dresden books has said that she’s lost interest in the TV series already. :frowning: So I guess I’ll have to either join the Butcher Board or hope that there’s enough interest here for a weekly thread.

18

Never read the books, so I’m just going off the show.

I like the vampire episode–I liked the darkness of it. But then, I’m a sucker for certain types of mental suffering, like Harry seemed to be going through.

This episode was the most meant-to-be-funny one yet, and it really was funny. It was a nice change of pace episode.

After the last two episodes, which I thought were the best yet, I’m officially hooked.

Not so fond of the cliffhanger element, but then, I never am. And I was hoping the guy who keeps dying would be shown to have done one of the women wrong somewhere. One could say they implied that he was married to the blonde before she fell for the other woman, but it wasn’t ever explained out, only that she needed to be married to him each time for the insurance.

19

[QUOTE=Eleanor of Aquitaine]
Is there still enough interest for a weekly thread?
[/QUOTE]

Keep 'em coming. I’m reading them.

I’m thinking they’re setting up a Big Bad for the season. At least that’s how it felt.

I agree, but It’s impossible not to like Terry Mann. He brings much more to the table than an animotronic skull would.

20

I’m enjoying both the both the books and the television series, as separate but related entities. Overall I think I prefer the more low-key, camoflaged nature of magic in the tv series, but I’ve got to admit, the image of Harry riding a reanimated Sue the T-Rex up Sheridan Road tickles me to no end.

Question on this week’s episode: was “Nancy” a willing participant in the scheme to keep killing and reanimating her “husband.” It seemed like she was in the kitchen scene, but overall, I wasn’t so sure.

I’m looking forward to watching all the episodes in the order they were intended to air. Having Murphy’s “Don’t lie to me ever again” ultimatum occur in the second episode made her slightly annoyed but basically accepting reaction to the words written in the air this epsiode come across as weak.

I love Bob-the-weepy-romantic and Bob-the-lech both. As much as I joke about wanting “The Bob Files” I realize he could easily become too much of a good thing, but show of hands: who wants a Bob & Winnifred flashback episode?!