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.
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Guess I’m slow on the uptake… Just recently discovered they canceled the only show I looked forward to each week! As you’ve all said, at least Jim Butcher is still there so that Harry can carry on. Thanks, Jim… Your books are spectacular!
PS You actually CAN e-mail the SciFi channel at feedback@scifi.com. I did and gave them an ear-full! LOL
I hope someone can develop an internet-based “network” that will take on shows like the Dresden files. The show has a lot of fans, but apparently not enough to keep the network happy. I’d do pay-per-view to see a show I really like.
Firefly only did the 12 episode first season as well before being canned for quote, “lack of interested viewers”, end quote, but demand still grew enough over the next 2 or 3 years to get them to make a movie for it. Hopefully, the same thing will happen to the dresden files.
I am not surprised that Sci Fi cancelled the show. On the whole, it was enjoyable. While it didn’t quite come up to the level I had been hoping for – it would have been nice if they could have come closer to the actual spirit of the novels – it had a life of its own that could have developed nicely if given the chance. However I expect nothing from Sci Fi except disappointment. I have not watched the channel since they cancelled Farscape, which is my favorite science fiction show of all time.
Thanks a lot for Harry and company, Mr. Butcher! I have been a reader since the publication of Storm Front and will continue to read both the Dresden Files and the Alera Codex as long as you continue to challenge yourself and your characters!
I’m sad that the series got cancelled.
Sure, it wasn’t quite like the books but the odd line Paul delivered was Harry. I grew to really like the show and I was looking forward to the TV versions of Mouse and Thomas!
They ran it on Sky One here …I wonder if the ratings were higher?
My Partner just bought me the series on DVD for my birthday so at least I can now watch it in the correct order.
Can’t wait for Small Favour! [Please excuse my UK spelling, old habits etc..]
My thanks to Mr Butcher for such rich world in the Dresden files.
I think the reason they cancled the show was it takes only one third the money to make their “sci-fi orignal movies” than it does to make an episode of a good series like TDF, SG-1, or any other canxed series. I am glad that they made it because of it I have read all the books and am now finishing up Cursors Fury. So Jim keep writing and we’ll keep reading.
I loved the series, and am sorry it got canned. Why is it all the good tv gets canceled? Sheesh.
Love Dresden, books, tv, movies whatever…
Very disappointed to hear this!! It (and BG) was the only reason I watched the sci-fi channel. I’m really surprise to see it canceled.
I tend to watch a lot of movies, and my local blockbuster is pretty picked through. Sometimes I have to look at items that are hiding low on the bottom shelf. There I found the first of the Dresden files.
I love magic, wizardry and such and this fit my genre to a T. Before I had finished watching the first DVD, I ran back to the store before they closed so I could get the 2nd and the 3rd.
The actors are perfect in their portrayals and my complete satisfaction with this story line was only deflated by the fact there are no more.
I don’t watch TV normally, and Sci Fi channel is well known for seemingly taking portions of available material and never exploiting excellent product. It was nice to see Lions Gate on the logo credits, it gives credibility to movies imho.
Time to go find the books!
I loved Bob on TDF. He was my favorite. I got into the Files because I got a kick out of comparing what I normally do (I am a witch)with the series. I have all the books, the dvd etc. Did they film more and it is in a can somewhere. Can they release those on dvd? I got angry when the canceleld Farscape also. I guess if you get continued as a series on that channel that is a sign you are a really shitty production. I mean really look at Flash Gordon. Well I love the books and I miss my Bob fix. I have memorized the whole dvd series dialog. LOL Ok I am a Jim Butcher junky.
Never heard of Jim Butcher until I watched the “Dresden Files”. I look forward to reading the books now.
Sorry the show was cancelled.
Loved the books, series made me love reading again after quite a few years, my book collection has grown by a large amount due to the Dresden Files, which I happened to find by watching the series. Enjoyed the TV series but prefer the books personally, that said I hate the fact they cancelled the TV series.
Long live Jim Butcher
P.S I love the Codex Alera series so far.
While admittedly not the books in any form, i found the series to be and enjoyable watch. Yes, they ignored many of the parts that made the books great, but if you look at the series in the same way as an alternate reality of the same character, it actually becomes as entertaining seeing the slightly different personality. And after all, we are watching and reading science fiction, so how big of a stretch is it to do that?
My dad gave me the books recently because he’d seen the show and read them afterwards. I was really excited to learn that the show was coming out on DVD (I don’t have cable) and rushed to rent it. I was very disappointed. They ignored everything that made the books fun to read; the smart-ass cracks, the romance, Bob, the adventures in general. I got through 3 episodes I think and couldn’t watch any more. Jim, I think your books are fantastic! My fiance wants to be Harry for Halloween (I’m working on putting a costume together). :o) That said, I cannot say I’m sorry to see the show go, hopefully someday, somewhere, someone will make a better one. This is my new favorite series of books, please keep it up! (btw, if you ever want someone to make a computer animated series, please keep us in mind, my fiance is going to school to be an animator! He was even talking about possibly doing a 5 minute short for his portfolio.)
I love the books and enjoyed the TV series. I had hoped the Sci-fi channel would pick it back up, especially after having watched “Flash Gordon”. I can’t believe they decided to do that show and not keep “the Dresden Files”.
Somehow, the TV series lacked the spark that the books had; While I got the reasons for some of the changes, the lack of some essential plot points made it come off a bit dull at times. I could really have done with them sticking just a little closer to the plots of the books, if not the details of the characterization (not too fussed about jeep versus VW bug, but the utter lack of the sword of Damocles made the show seem a little washed-out to me.
I got into the book series after watching the tv series. The book series is much better, though the tv series was good too. One of the things that really stands out on the tv series is that there was very few instances where Harry ever really did any magic. The tv series was simplistic compared to the books.
I think the books would be better deplicted in anime or american animation, something like the old Spawn series on HBO. It could stick closer to the plots laid out in the books and actually show Harry using fire magic and such without having to have a hugh special effects budget.
Just got DVD. Heard it had the original 2-hour Storm Front Pilot but it’s not there, just the 44 minute version aired on TV. I’m a little disappointed, but it’s to have the whole run since it probably won’t be broadcast anywhere else.
I first heard of Harry Dresden with the previews for the TV show. My husband and I enjoyed the show and were craving more Dresden once the season was over. Bless my husband for checking into the books. He laughs at me now, because every new book in the series is “the best Dresden book – EVER!!!” They definitely get better as the series goes on – partially the writing style, but more-so because of the characters, and the references back to other situations in previous books. Although the books are very careful to give the basic intros to all the characters (in case someone comes in starting with a book other than the first one), the nuances to other plots is facinating and makes the read much better. While I’ll miss the TV show, after reading the books, what I’d really like to see is a TV show that REALLY depicts the characters and stories from the books. Thank you and keep up the good work!