The Dresden Files General Discussion Thread.

[The Romulan Republic]

I do remember this but I also remember that the network pulled this show because it was bringing in a demo they didn't want.

I've heard multiple different theories for why the show failed, but there's no denying, from everything I've heard, that the executives did not treat it well. I remember a video of Jim Butcher speaking at some event, where he basically said they would have last-minute rewrites forced on them constantly. I'll have to see if I can find it.

Anyway... say what you will about the show, from everything I've heard it got almost Firefly-leveled screwed by the network.

That said, that doesn't completely excuse its failings because, while it isn't as bad, in my opinion, as angry book purists make it out to be, it ain't Firefly good either.

Some shows rise above their obstacles. Some sink under them.

[cilantro]

I do remember this but I also remember that the network pulled this show because it was bringing in a demo they didn't want.

I've heard multiple different theories for why the show failed, but there's no denying, from everything I've heard, that the executives did not treat it well. I remember a video of Jim Butcher speaking at some event, where he basically said they would have last-minute rewrites forced on them constantly. I'll have to see if I can find it.

Anyway... say what you will about the show, from everything I've heard it got almost Firefly-leveled screwed by the network.

That said, that doesn't completely excuse its failings because, while it isn't as bad, in my opinion, as angry book purists make it out to be, it ain't Firefly good either.

Some shows rise above their obstacles. Some sink under them.

Oh, because the actual story that I heard was that once the network found out that women were watching it more than men they canned it because they wanted that sweet, golden male 18-45 demo /s

I had no idea what went on in the back ground about the network interfering but that seems to happen a lot on TV. I am not saying that it's a good thing nor that it shouldn't stop but that it doesn't seem that uncommon to happen.

[Independent George]

As Butcher recounted it, SyFy got new leadership just as they were to start filming. Immediately after:

1. Their showrunner was replaced.
2. The actresses cast to play Murphy & Susan were ordered to swap roles
3. The season-long arc was scrapped in favor of a monster-of-the-week format.

[The Romulan Republic]

I hadn't heard about the show runner being replaced.

But it does not surprise me in the least to read that the execs were trying to force a monster of the week show on them- I'd suspected that for a while. I mean, there's a place for such shows, I suppose, but when you have arc-based source material, and a show runner known for working on arc-based shows, and you end up with a series that (despite a few efforts to tie things together) is mostly a monster of the week series... well, its not hard to put two and two together.

Switching Murphy and Susan's actors was the right call though, I think. Murphy has a much bigger role in the show, so it makes sense for, frankly, the better actor to get that part. Talent over appearance, as long as it at least goes both ways rather than just "white washing" roles (which it did here).