The Dresden Files: Soul Beneficiary

technomancer writes, Harry gets a client that falls over and dies in his office… or does he.

Easily the best episode so far this season, I do not have a single complaint
or nit to pick. This is everything I was hoping the show would become.

11 replies on “The Dresden Files: Soul Beneficiary”

  1. No Nits?
    Well, I’m surely not so happy. Heck, I was down-right disappointed. Here only one week after I was praising the production they come out with this "One Day Earlier" Bu11 $hit. What a expectation-shattering cop-out. If the director can’t pace and guide the story in such a way that the audience can follow and enjoy the plot, then a cheap trick like that never really helps anything.

    Sorry for the rant, but that crap just leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I never enjoy a show when the director can’t keep the story interestign enough without showing me the middle first. It’s like they know that the beginning is hopelessly inadequate and they are trying to say " Don’t leave your seats… It gets better"

    And then, even worse that that was that the powerful being that Bob was terribly affraid of, turned out to be running an insurance scam. Insurance Scam?!?! Oh, how I was hoping for a clue of sign that there was actually something deeper, but no… just a petty thief when you strip away the deception.

    In my book, this was clearly the worst ep yet. If I were to give it a full B42 rating, I’d ahve to say that the effects were up to par and the acting is continueing to improve, but other than that, I was quite put-off.

    • Re: No Nits?
      I don’t mind the teaser storytelling. It was fun to open with Harry waking up as a confused suburban husband.

      I do, however, agree that it was lame to build our expectations of the ‘powerful dark magic’ Harry would be facing, only to have it be a small-time con artist. If she was so powerful, would she need to drug Harry with a trick ring instead of using her dark powerful magicks? If she can raise the dead couldn’t she conjure up an easier way to make a few bucks than the elaborate insurance scam she’s running?
      It’s like stealing an army tank in order to rob a 7-11.

      For that matter, I’m a little dissapointed in Harry getting caught so easily. If I find the bad guys sitting in my house, I’m not going to take my eyes off either one of them.

      But of course I thoroughly enjoyed any screen time with the lovely Kerry Lai Fatt. If I was Harry, after being kidnapped I would have asked the ladies if they could switch roles and pretend I’m married to Sharon instead.

      • Re: No Nits?
        I didn’t care about the teaser at all, it was what, 30 seconds long?

        As for drugging Harry you missed that that WAS magic. The ‘drug’ was a potion.

        I also think if you’ve got serious necromantic talent, a talent that will get you killed by the wardens if you get caught, the insurance scheme would be a brilliant way to get a LOT of money without attracting attention. Then again I also assumed that her talent was purely necromantic, ie that was really what she could do, otherwise she would have zapped harry etc etc etc.

        • Re: No Nits?
          CRAP completely forgot to spoiler tag my response, sorry to everyone.

        • Re: No Nits?


          I also think if you’ve got serious necromantic talent, a talent that will get you killed by the wardens if you get caught, the insurance scheme would be a brilliant way to get a LOT of money without attracting attention.

          Well, I don’t want to come off like I’m argueing with you, so please understand that if we were speaking in the same room that non-verbal cues would let you know that I am just discussing, non-confrontationally. But, About your point above…

          What part of her awe-inspireing talent is she actually using to generate money? She could easily just use her nifty brain-washing potion to con one man after another to sign over thier insurance, and then just off them. Why use the same guy? She could obviously create another identity easy enough that nobody would know it’s the same woman collecting the money, they showed that. – The point that this makes no sence on it’s own is why I am holding out hope for a follow-on ep that will make this one better. [B5-War Without End, Part 1 was, on it’s own just kinda neet with some new visuals that were nice eye-candy. But Together with parts 2 and 3 is was shown to be some of the best TV I’ve ever watched – IMHO]

          Of course that ties into the teaser. It doesn’t really matter that it was short. It was long enough for us to know that Harry survived until the next day (eliminating any chance of death in his office the previous night). It was long enough to let us know that it was not that oriental woman who was with him (skin tone on the legs), and it was long enough to let us see that he didn’t recognise his surroundings or wife upon waking up.

          So now I’m left hoping that this entire up was just a set-up for a later plot complication. If it is, then all the better, since so few shows are willing to set up plot in advance (and the ones that DO are the better shows out there).

          Either way, I’m along for the ride at this point. I was just supprised to hear your opinion on this one. – I don’t know… Maybe I’ve just got that teaser-editing thing as one of my little peeves. … I should probably just let this go. :/

      • Re: No Nits?


        It’s like stealing an army tank in order to rob a 7-11.

        That’s pretty much how I felt too.

        Now, If you think you’ll need a Big-Gulp on the way to knocking off the federal reserve… they yeah… But like I said, as-is, this ep was disappointing.

        But don’t get me wrong… I’m still a fan of the show in general; one week ep in season one isn’t unexpected.

        +

      • Re: No Nits?

        It’s like stealing an army tank in order to rob a 7-11.

        It’s more like stealing an aircraft carrier to steal the change from a bum, in MY opinion. But hey.

    • Re: No Nits?

      And then, even worse that that was that the powerful being that Bob was terribly affraid of, turned out to be running an insurance scam. Insurance Scam?!?! Oh, how I was hoping for a clue of sign that there was actually something deeper, but no… just a petty thief when you strip away the deception.

      I think Bob’s fear was more pity than anything. To think that those women were using a power that has him punished forever simply because he loved his wife. And these woman were using it for something as frivolous as an insurance scam… I don’t think it was fear, but rather horror…
      Just my thoughts….
      Kris

      PS
      I missed the first 5 minutes due to getting my son to bed.. so I didn’t see the ending teaser.. but yes, I’ve never been fond of those tactics. It’s like reading the last chapter of a book first!!! :(

      • Re: No Nits?

        I’ve never been fond of those tactics. It’s like reading the last chapter of a book first!!! :(

        I’m of two minds on that. I saw some starts like that on Alias that I actually enjoyed. Dropping a character in a huge mess then showing how they got into it can be fun, but not if you give away the whole show. Sounds like they may have gone too far with this one. I mean, come on. Starting a show with the main character dying? That sounds like fun!

      • Re: No Nits?
        I agree with you about Bob’s reaction.

        I think the only thing that did bother me about the ‘preview beginning’ was the fact that it was completely unnecessary.

      • Re: No Nits?
        I was left with the impression of horror, and pity for the man on the part of Bob. I’m left to wonder why this act is such a bad thing. What are the consequences beyond the Council coming after you? Also if you remember Harry asked if was this all about money. She indicated it wasn’t.

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