Hair of the Dog

I am gradually working my way through Jim Butcher's series of Harry Dresden novels, this some 17 years after watching and really enjoying this TV series which first aired in 2007. I can clearly see differences in some of the characterisations as well as the tone from one medium to the other, but I'm enjoying the books and they've encouraged me to rewatch the original series after many years.

I've not long completed the second book in the Dresden series "Fool Moon" where Harry pitched up against against werewolves and lycanthropes, but any resemblance between it and this, the the episode of the TV series pretty much ends there.

It was still a good episode though. Bob gets a bigger part, which is a good thing, Harry again puts himself in mortal peril trying to protect a young woman who, in connection with a complex legend I definitely hadn't heard of before, gets bitten by a werewolf posing as a female FBI agent, so that she can then be killed when she turns wolf to become its ninth victim which will free it / her from the curse and return her / it to humanity. The wolf has a partner masquerading as her FBI partner and together they have been setting up the previous eight victims in readiness for the 9th man or in this case 9th woman out.

However the toothy twosome haven't reckoned with Harry who's been brought on to the scene by Murphy to investigate death number eight, setting up a final confrontation at the climax.

This was an exciting episode, with Harry demonstrating some nifty new spells, one where he effectively turns a nightclub mirror into a backwards- time-traveling CCTV and another where he takes up his nose a powder which enhances his sense of smell so much that he can follow any trail. With some nice shock moments and effective transformation scenes, this darker episode, for all its contrived plot points, was a really good one.

I think this is the best episode of the series so far, which is why I rated it nine stars instead of eight like the first two. It is darker, more ominous, and there is more at stake. For one thing, Harry seems to be falling for the victim. Well, the secondary victim. And he ends up in the slammer as a suspected serial killer!

The monsters of the week are identified as lycanthropes, which you or I might just call werewolves. But wizards need their jargon! It also shows Bob getting to do some fieldwork for a change, and he seems to enjoy the change of scenery. There are also some hilarious scenes of Harry and Bob bickering like an old married couple, which was quite amusing.

This episode also indulged in the old "Hey, this is OUR case!" when the FBI wants to take the case away from the Chicago PD. This always cracks me up. What civil servant complains when somebody wants to do their work for them?

But in this case, there was a reason. The FBI team had their own vested interests in the case of the murdered young woman, and her missing roommate, which I will not divulge for fear of spoilers.

My favorite line was when the victim's roommate asks Harry, "Why are you doing this?" She knows he isn't getting paid. His reply is "Cause I'm the only one who can." Gave me memories of Thomas Magnum and Mike Hammer, who spent the majority of their time pursuing justice even if they weren't getting paid for it. Hits you right behind the old ballpoint!

This episode (I think) is also the first glimpse we get of Harry's hockey stick, although he doesn't actually use any of it's special powers.

Overall, a great episode with a large emotional toll on our hero Harry, which moves the arc forward.