‘The Dresden Files,’ 9 p.m. Sunday Sci Fi

Poor Sci Fi.

Thanks to its moody “Battlestar Galactica” remake, the cable channel is finally getting some critical love.

But that has a flip side: All its other original programming, especially with “Stargate SG-1” wrapping up, is going to pale in comparison.

Inflated expectations aren’t the only obstacle that “The Dresden Files” faces.

First, the United States likes its wizards to be cherubic young British schoolchildren. But in this series, based on the novels by Jim Butcher, Harry Dresden (played by Paul Blackthorne, “24”) is a down-on-his-luck wizard-detective with a storefront office in Chicago.

What Harry deals with is the supernatural, the otherworldly. He has a mysterious background, which unfortunately the premiere doesn’t explore much. So who he is and why he does what he does are hard to figure out. Ditto with what his abilities are.

Harry receives help from Lt. Connie Murphy (Valerie Cruz) of the Chicago Police Department, who throws some bizarre cases his way. His main confidant is Bob (Terrence Mann), a medieval wizard who took up the dark arts and was killed by the Wardens (no, the show hasn’t yet explained who they are), who then bound his soul to eternal servitude as punishment. So now he haunts Harry’s apartment.

Blackthorne is a winning presence as Harry, and “The Dresden Files” is an intriguing concept. But with so much unexplained to viewers, it’s just not magical yet.