The Dresden Files cancelled after one season

By ShinyMedia on August 8th, 2007 6 comments

Sky One seemed to advertise it all the time, but now sci-fi import The Dresden Files is officially no more. The show, focusing on the adventures of wizard-private eye Harry Dresden, was based on the popular books by Jim Butcher, but after disappointing viewing figures in the US has been axed after only 12 episodes.

Some critics blamed the series for deviating from the books, but fans have set up many websites and petitions to try to resuscitate it. If this sounds like you, add your support at “Save the Dresden Files” and the “Dresden City Renewal Community“. Star Paul Blackthorne hasn’t been left twiddling his thumbs for long, having already signed on to join the cast of ABC’s Big Shots.

Will you miss this show or was it just more sci-fi nonsense? If a show based on popular novels can’t find a large enough fanbase to preserve it did it deserve to go or is it another case of TV bosses cancelling a programme prematurely? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

[via Mercury News]

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Category: Imports, Sci Fi, Sky One

Tags: book series, Harry Dresden, Jim Butcher, Sci Fi, Sci-fi Channel, show cancelled, Sky One, The Dresden Files, wizard/ private eye

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Pale

Oh, absolutely a case of premature cancellation! I really don’t know what went so wrong that Sci-Fi decided to cancel it. I know a lot of people who loved it, and as for myself I found the show (barring a bit of an unsteady first few episodes, MORE than made up for by the rest of the season, particularly the last few episodes, which were truly incredibly and had some of the best plots I have seen in a long time) to be delightfully witty, charming, dark, and oddly easy to relate to given its roots in the supernatural.

What I think I enjoyed the most about The Dresden Files was how, even in the darkest of circumstances, the heart and humanity of the show always shone though. Even surrounded by evil forces beyond the characters’ comprehension, there was always that drive to be good, to try as hard as one could to fix things when everything went wrong, and to let go of a past far too dark to hold onto.

And who could not delight in the ever-sharp witted ghost that is Bob? I feel sorry for those viewers of the Dresden Files who only saw the first few episodes and then dismissed them. They really missed out on some magnificent TV later on.

Truly a show I will miss, and DEEPLY, at that, if it is not brought back with the help of these anti-cancellation efforts.
elizabeth

holy s–t what is wrong with TV these days is that you get this amazing series then trash it after one season instead they put back on c–p that no-one cares about like battle star galactica witch is pointless and dull so dull that people go into coma’s watching it why am I paying my money for this I must be nuts Dresden files made me love sci fi again it was witty and modern I loved it and hoped it would get a second season yeah right my hopes dased if anyone bothered to check they would see there was a million and one fans that the show got in just one short season imagine if you can then if it got a second better season ? ill let sci-fi work it out
http://dresdencity.org/Renewal/Donations/Donations.html Steve

‘Win Harry’ DVD Raffle Promotion Launches!

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Attention
For more information, contact: Steve Gahm
Email: shgahm@hotmail.com

New Home 4 Dresden
(August 9, 2007) – The first season of SciFi Channel’s original television series The Dresden Files (produced by Lionsgate) ended its run in mid-April. Since that time an avid fan base has been actively campaigning for a second season of the show through online petitions, discussions in various online forums, and letters and postcards to SFC, NBC/Universal, and Lionsgate.

Despite these efforts, on August,3 2007 SFC stated on their SciFiWire news outlet that The Dresden Files series would not be returning for a second season.

Today the New Home 4 Dresden campaign (see

http://dresdencity.org for further details) is announcing a ‘Win Harry’ DVD Promotional raffle that will take place now thru 9/8/07. Raffle tickets are being offered for just a $1.00 donation for a chance at winning the complete Season One 3-DVD set of The Dresden Files.

The goal of this DVD Promotional raffle is to impact the financials of Lionsgates’ Home Entertainment division by purchasing large quantities of DVDs and to convince them that The Dresden Files is worth their future investment. The best part for the fans is an opportunity to win a random drawing that will deliver them their favorite show on DVD, with extras and commentaries, for very little money while at the same time supporting the series finding a new network/home. Fans can show support by collecting as many raffle tickets as they can at

http://dresdencity.org/Renewal/Donations/Donations.html.

The Dresden Files, starring Paul Blackthorne as Chicago private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, is based on the popular books by author Jim Butcher and features fast-paced, unique stories that blend the best of traditional detective work with the supernatural…as well as just enough humor and wit to make things more interesting.

The show, which also stars Broadway veteran Terrence Mann as Harry’s ethereal assistant Bob and Valerie Cruz as Chicago police detective Lt. Connie Murphy, has won numerous fans due to its clever mixture of drama, comedy and edge-of-your seat suspense.
Eric Hall

I really liked the show and was ready for its return. Though most of the shows that I like seemed to get cancelled. I guess if you don’t fall into the “sheeple” mode of TV viewing you won’t have much to watch for very long. I thought SCIFI was my last bastion of TV shows, it is getting as bad as the rest of network TV, how much cop/lawyer/reality and weak a$$ sitcom drivel can people watch? Evidently-a lot! As an avid reader I find myself reading even more, probably just as well, heck no one can cancel a book after it’s been published. Well, I for one find my self dismissing or not watching most TV shows, little point, most won’t last long any way. I find my self watching less and less network TV now several of the “cable” channels too. Well there is plenty to read-plus you don’t have to sit through commercials.
Gena M

I can’t believe The Dresden Files have been cancelled. I’m running behind I see and just found out that the show will not return this fall. The first couple of episodes I was a little disappointed because it was not like the books, but then I just started enjoying the show on its own. My whole family liked the show. I will especially miss Bob. I will never understand what it is that makes some shows so popular and others not but I thought Dresden Files deserved another season.
Mel

I started watching The Dresden Files last March – April on Sky in the UK.

I have never read the books didn’t even know there were any, but I really enjoyed the series and I was looking forward to Series 2. I have just found out that it’s been cancelled and I am well gutted!!!

It’s seems that all the good shows are cancelled and we have to put up with CRAP reality TV.

Bring Back THE DRESDEN FILES for godsake!!!

TV bosses never give new ideas a chance to grow.

It maybe that you get poor rating to start with, because people don’t know about the show, but let it carry on and it alway gets better and better.

They always pull the plug TOO early and never give it a fighting chance to prove itself.

I repeat……

Bring Back THE DRESDEN FILES for godsake!!!

On another Note:

Do American TV People ever consider viewing figures outside the UK? We get hooked on good TV programmes and then they’re snatched away from us. Yet when there are good UK shows the U.S. want to use they remake them! Why can’t they watch our show instead of remaking them?