Question: I heard a rumor that Sci Fi is thinking about renewing Flash Gordon, despite the lousy ratings and being a lousy show, because of its cult following. It seems a little strange to me that they would renew such a downright awful show when The Dresden Files, which was much better and had much better ratings, lingers on without renewal even though there are lots of fans out there asking (and even begging) for it. If any show deserves renewal, it's Dresden, not Gordon. Is there any truth to this rumor? On another Dresden-related note, will fans ever get to see the two-hour "Storm Front" episode?
Answer: Got a bunch of similar e-mails all at the same time earlier this week asking this same two-part question. Hmmm, Internet fan conspiracy, anyone? I can't address the specifics of the Dresden Files episode — which I believe was a trimmed version of a longer episode originally intended as the pilot — except to say I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Sci Fi to step up where this show
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Question: I'm not sure you actually get why we "greedy" fans are so upset about the Battlestar Galactica scheduling issues. Unlike all the long-hiatus shows you mentioned in your recent column, these episodes will have already been written and filmed, even gone through postproduction, and the Sci Fi Channel would be simply refusing to show them, just to package the DVDs separately and stretch the shelf life of their flagship show. Yes, patience is a virtue and we'll get the episodes eventually, but this would be a terrible marketing move. Heroes had a significant ratings drop after just a few weeks on hiatus, and the network responded with the exact opposite strategy: no midseason breaks at all. As you said, this meant a longer wait between seasons for Heroes fans, but that's the price for a full, unbroken run of episodes that hooks people and tells a complete story. Meanwhile, the way to send Galactica out with a bang is... to go off the air for eight months (already), then insert an ...
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Question: : I know that you love The Dresden Files, as do so many of us out in TV land. We fans are very disappointed that the Sci Fi Channel would cancel this fine show that garnered good ratings. Instead, we are stuck with wrestling, superhero reality shows and other programming well outside of the sci-fi genre. We are hoping Lionsgate, which makes the show, will shop it around to other networks. USA Network would be a great place for it, given their "Characters Welcome" slogan. Anything you can do to help get the word out would be greatly appreciated!
Answer: "Love" may be putting it a big strongly, but I certainly enjoyed what I saw of The Dresden Files (I was especially keen on its star, Paul Blackthorne), and I admit I was surprised when the channel didn't rally more strongly behind it. Beyond the fact that reviving a show that has been canceled is incredibly rare, in this case further complicated by the fact that Blackthorne already has a new job (on the ABC series Hot Shots), it
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Paul Blackthorne may not be a household name... yet. But the British actor, who recently starred as Harry Dresden on the now-defunct Sci Fi Channel fantasy series The Dresden Files, has guest-starred on Medium, Deadwood and Monk. He’s also racked up recurring roles on 24 and ER. Next up? The chameleon actor will play a Wall Street CEO and costar with Michael Vartan, Christopher Titus, Joshua Malina and Dylan McDermott on the new ABC drama Big Shots. “He’s what’s described as a corporate raider,” Blackthorne tells TVGuide.com. “He’s somebody that buys up companies, sells companies, just an all-around outrageous moneymaker.”Blackthorne’s story arc kicks off on Oct. 4 for nine episodes. “He’s someone that these other guys are slightly wary of in a business sense,” reveals the actor. “It also seems our man is circling around Dylan’s ex-wife, the one he still has the hots for.”Just don’t pin your hopes on Bla...
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After months of fielding questions from fans desperate to know if Sci Fi was ever going to make a decision on the fate of its clever private-eye/fantasy hybrid The Dresden Files, it's official: The show isn't returning for a second season.A shame, but hardly a surprise, given the reticence to discuss the matter every time I brought it up to Sci Fi or NBC Universal Cable execs during the recent TCA press tour. In their world, it's all about "running the numbers" (in other words: looking at the ratings and budgets, etc.) and to them, Dresden just didn't seem to measure up.This confirmation came my way the same morning that there are reports in the trades that Paul Blackthorne, Dresden's very appealing star, has joined the cast of ABC's Big Shots in a recurring role as what's being described as the show's "fifth CEO... a sophisticated, iconic tycoon that the [other] four (Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Christopher Titus, Joshua Malina) aspire to be."At least he's landed on his feet. ...
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