We finally have our answer, and it’s just as we suspected: the Dresden Files TV show has been canceled. Read more about the decision at TV Guide.com.
While we wish SciFi could have decided differently, we’re still grateful for the twelve great episodes that aired earlier this year. Largely thanks to the TV show, book sales tripled, and no doubt more new fans will continue to discover the series through reruns and the DVDs. Speaking of which, the DVDs will be released this Tuesday! Buy them here on Amazon.com.
Additionally, fans of Paul Blackthorne will be cheered to learn that he has joined the cast of ABC’s Big Shots.
Discuss this story on the forums here.
Addendum, 2014: This show was canceled in 2007. There’s no bringing it back. The rights have reverted to Jim.
Author: priscellie
Priscilla Spencer has been Jim's creative consultant since 2007. In addition to managing content for Jim-Butcher.com and its social media channels, she beta-reads all of Jim's works, serves as a thematic consultant on the graphic novels and role playing games, and illustrates the maps for his books. The whole "Year of Dresden" thing is largely her baby. Her latest claim to fame is directing the official book trailers for Peace Talks and Battle Ground.
In her professional life, Priscilla is a Producer, Writer, Photographer, and Fantasy Map Illustrator working towards a career in producing TV. She enjoys musical theatre, gluten-free cooking, sci-fi/fantasy, and weightlifting. She aspires to travel the world and pet every dog.
View all posts by priscellie
The books rule…if there was a patron saint of dirty angels, I think it would be Harry Dresden. I guess it was too much to hope that a show that (while not as eloquently and with quite a few trade offs from the book) portrayed folks that beleive in things that go bump in the night as something more than camp, or straining against their babydoll tee breathless waifs. I guess the world is more comfortable with shiny boys and girls that men and women sized people
It is nice to know that the SCiFi channel is no longer second fiddle to any of the big 4 (Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC) and is cancelling shows that don’t need cancelling and are bringing us shows that should never have aired.
While I believe the Dresden Files books are far superior to the show (who cast those people and who wrote the early scripts?), I think the show earned the right to a second season. It was coming into its own and it was definitely far superior to Wrestling (how is is this SCIFi? Oh, yea make believe) and some of the idiotic movies that are telecast (How can Misery be classifed as SciFi–what next Pee Wee’s playhouse?). Of course, what can you expect from a channel that cancelled FireFly and refused to bring it back (even though there was a huge fan outcry) and refused to renew Stargate SG-1?
And what is that crap they are forcing us to watch now? My God they destroyed Flash Gordon. And Pain killer Jane (where is wrestling when you need it?)just bites–I actually fall asleep during the show. We also have Destination Truth(is he going to find anything?), Ghost Hunters (are they going to find anything anymore?–rasping thump nosies don’t do it for me anymore and I don’t care about their staff’s perosnal problems anymore–give me ghosts or get off my TV)and aniMonday (aren’t cartoons for Saturday am?).
The Dresden Files show decided to distance it self from the books which probably cost it at the beginning as did the miscasting of Harry Dresden (nice guy, but not at all what we expected) and some early weak scripts, but the show was defintely improving and Mr. Blackstone started making the charater really work. If Who Wants to Be A Superhero got a second season, why not the Dresden Files?
I hope they (SCI FI) gets a clue because I don’t think another network will pick up the show.
just started to read the books when show got cancelled, i never saw the show but wanted to. oh well ill just watch reruns or buy it of itunes or something
This really bites! I became a fan of the Dresden Files when the display first went up at work (Barnes and Nobles) months before the series was on SciFi. I was hooked instantly!
Then when I found out their was going to be a show on SciFi, I almost wet myself.
Now I’m just pissed because, once again, SciFi had to make the dumbest mistake in the world and cancel it! The show was really getting great! I would actually find ways to get off of work early on Sundays so I could come home and watch it! Now I don’t have Dresden Files AND a job! Thanks SciFi! For screwing over my life.
On a more positive note, the books are still incredible and I’m going to buy the ones that are coming out in hardback too! Then I’ll probably have three sets of the books. Older covers, newer covers and the hardbacks!
P.S. Now we won’t get to see who they would’ve casted for Michael….. or Thomas……….. OR KINCAID!!!!!!!! UGH! THANKS AGAIN SCIFI!!!!!!!!! *note sarcasm*
While I am sad that the show was canceled, I’m glad that it aired at all. Before the show, I had never heard of Jim Butcher or Harry Dresden. I love book series as much as I love good series TV and I’m hooked on Harry. Almost as soon as the season ended, I bought the first 6 books and dug in. I’ve already shared the books with a number of friends and look forward to enjoying the continuing saga of Harry. While USA is not a Sci Fi channel by any stretch, maybe Dresden could find a home there, since Harry is clearly a “character”. If the “Dead Zone” can survive on USA, maybe Harry can too. If not, I hope Jim keeps the books coming.
This is really sad that such a good show gets cancelled! What’s up with this Sci-Fi?
SciFi Channel is really being run in to the ground. They cancel great shows like Stargate SG-1, Dresden Files, and Battlestar Galactica (next season is the last). And then offer us dreck like Painkiller Jane and Flash Gordon. It’s like someone over at SciFi is purposely trying to destroy the channel. It’s nuts.
Although, the thought of a TV series was exciting, I was really disappointed in it, the books are just so much better!
I am so glad they aired the show … it was by far my favorite. Someone please tell me why the Sci Fi channel descided to cancel the show! What in God’s name were they thinking! The best show out there and they decide to cancel it! They will never find a show it replace it … after all what are they going to replace it with Flash Gordon …that show SUCKS! Sci Fi REALLY needs to reconsider. I wonder if we can send a message to Sci Fi channel? Well … at least we had a full season. I bought it as soon as it came out. I can honestly say … I’m hooked on Harry!
i am glad the series aired on scifi(even for just one season)! now i am reading the books, probably would have never heard of harry dresden if it wasnt for the tv show.
Sci-fi screwed up cancelling this… Best show on tv.
Well, I’ve been a Dresden fan since book two, which I picked up, along with its prequel, after hearing that Butcher lived in OK and had the same Journalism Prof as I did. I love the stories, and I’m bummed that the show isn’t being renewed.
Of course, I was kinda bummed that the show had departed so far from the books to begin with, but I got over it.
Guess I’ll get over this by looking forward to the next book.
Its unfortunate that sci-fi canx the show, although it did differ from the books, it had its own charm, and like alot of people here have already mentioned, if it wasnt for the show I wouldnt have read all the books thusfar. So to those asshats at sci-fi, I hope you got your taste of the Harry Dresden death curse. Kerbloowie!
Though I understand that many of our fellow readers were not so happy about how much the TV series diviated from the original books, I sincerely appreciate that the TV series motivated me to finish all 9 books during this summer as my summer reading project; I wanted to know how the original influenced the TV series. I would never touched the live of Harry D. if the show was never aired….I wish I could see more development of the TV version…
Well, another loss for the home team, this show had a class all its own, sure the books are better,
but what next?
now the big 4 are trying sci-fi, a vampire cop? bionic woman? been there watched that, and if they dont improve flash gordan we will be stuch with that for years
Ashten wrote:
They cancel great shows like Stargate SG-1, Dresden Files, and Battlestar Galactica (next season is the last).
NOOOOOOOO! That’s it. I am smashing my TV and becoming a hermit.
I am not surprised Scifi canceled The Dresden Files, they cancel all the good stuff, and keep the crap. The show wasn’t perfect, but I was enjoying it, damn it. This show also led me to reading the books. At least we still have those to look forward to.
Color me late, I just learned of the shows cancellation and I have to say that I am surprised and then not so surprised.
Surprised because I wanted the show to have legs and find its pace in the second season. I think it really could have.
Not so surprised because this is the Sci-Fi Channel folks, and obviously they would rather toss money into their craptacular DVD movie of the week “Giagantor Ice Spiders From Mars” than actually produce quality television.
To hell with the Sci Fi Channel I say! Surprised we’re even getting one last year of BSG. To think Sci-Fi picked up Flash Gordon over the possibility of Caprica. Idiots! Once BSG is gone I take it the Sci-Fi Channel landscape will be a very bleak one indeed.
Lastly, I was also one who picked up the book series once I heard that the show was going to be made. I have read the first seven and dearly enjoy the hell out of them. Thank you Jim Butcher!
Long Live The Dresden!
Gunslinger
I’m sad the show was canceled but glad that it was on at all as it led me to the Dresden files books. This is the best series I’ve read in a while. I am only at book four but loving every minute. Sci Fi channel should have given the show a chance to grow. You could see that the potential was there for it to become a really great show.
Reflecting on this a month later, I think it’s more evidence that GE doesn’t really have a plan for how it manages NBC/Universal. Ever since the days George Lucas first brought us Star Wars – and probably further back to Siegel and Shuster – the entertainment concept was a franchise, that could be developed into a narrative (comic books or paperback), then with a radio serial (showing my age, here) or a television programme, eventually graduating to the silver screen, and in today’s world, the video game franchise. Lucas’ Star Wars clearly is master of its many domains, but other much more recent additions would have to include J.K. Rowling’s work, the Matrix franchise, and many others.
Clearly, the Dresden Files has all the buzz of a very workable franchise – however Jim wishes to develop it. Sci Fi was clearly in the catbird seat, able through NBC/Universal’s arms to option films, authorize comic materials, and look at gaming. Perhaps it was because GE doesn’t really own a publishing division that it didn’t see the value in developing the show (or perhaps it was because it sees Pearson Plc as too much a rival), but now the same tired formula seems to be premiering a series on Sci Fi, moving it to Sleuth, and then finally sending to Chiller.
Related to Dresden, the cancellation of Painkiller Jane, while perhaps not quite as well-developed as Dresden Files, marks another questionable move by Sci Fi to drop a potential franchise, to attempt to resurrect an old one – Flash Gordon. One wonders how long this has been in the making – at least a few years, I should guess – but I wonder if NBC/Universal will be doing any better with Hearst Corporation than it did with Pearson (Jim’s de facto boss, as it owns the Roc imprint).
Regardless, we can all only hope Jim has ridden the Sci Fi wave as far as he could with enjoyment, and I for one am eagerly waiting for him to be chained back at his desk and give us new Harry Dresden stories to read. In the meantime, there’s this Codex thing I’ve been meaning to get to …
Sorry to hear the show got canceled. I’m a sucker for these little niche series and I thought this one had pretty much everything I was looking for. The writing and the acting were top notch, production values were excellent, and most of all we fell in love with the characters. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the major networks are trying supernatural series this fall. I think that Harry Dresden showed them that a supernatural series can have the potential for excellent programming.
Divorced from knowledge of the book series, I have to say that I didn’t really see anything wrong with the television series. It was spot on, telling a great story every week. The Philip Marlowe radio series didn’t follow the book series, but both were still great without detracting from each other. I think the same is true of The Dresden Files.