I must confess I just watched this mini-series because I watch any film with monsters in it. I didn't expect anything much, but the 6 episodes of series 1 turned out to be a real surprise which left me wanting a series 2! PRIMEVAL is a flawless combination of comedy elements (with cute dinosaurs) and action elements (with big bad dinosaurs), and it manages successfully to appeal to both kids and mature viewers. The special FX are excellent, and conflicts make the human characters interesting. PRIMEVAL also has a whole bunch of really good ideas: let the creatures appear in the neighborhood, maybe next to your washing machine - not on a distant tropical island! Instead of the typical T-Rex, let's have a little known creature from the Perm age or even a predator from the future (so, they aren't even dinosaurs from the scientific POV). Instead of killing all the creatures, try preserve them and bring them back home to the age they came from, as any change in the past is potentially dangerous. Clever entertainment! Which also shows in the characters, since they are far from stereotypes. Helen Cutter (Juliet Aubrey) for example. On one hand, she saves lives and gives help, but on the other hand she won't speak the truth, is unscrupulous and cannot be trusted. Primeval - haven't seen any better series recently!
93 Reviews
ITV's answer to the Who phenomenon
haresmaggot10 February 2007
Okay, so the dinosaurs are a little hokey, but I really enjoyed the first episode of Primeval. The fact of the matter, you've got to look at it from the perspective that it's a UK-based fantasy series - so you've got to make sure you've taken a huge dollop of irony with the hole thing. I mean Torchwood is set in Cardiff - and making it look like a dynamic city took some hefty salt pinching on the viewer's behalf. So the Forest of Dean being the site of a portal to the past where dinosaurs can hide is really a walk in the park. So,getting past the dinosaur that moved like a Doberman - and the flying dinosaur that seem to have been taking cute lessons from my cat, the cast were interesting. Only Ben Murray and Hannah Spearitt were actors that I immediately recognised. I kind of knew Douglas Henshall's name. But the stand out actor of the first series was James Murray as Stephen Hardy. The tracker and hunter, with a penchant for playing chicken with huge carnivorous dinosaurs, is a good looking bloke. I reckon that he out-charisma-ed everyone off the screen. Ultimately, I laughed my socks off at the machismo, but that didn't stop me enjoying it.
Fun from our friends at ITV
bill-piety5 March 2007
Interesting premise - 'anomalies' popping up in diverse parts of London. These anomalies are naturally (one supposes) occurring portals to the past. The perfect plot devices - they remain for a limited time only. Just long enough for creatures to arrive and create a bit of mayhem. To date these have been prehistoric eras that ensure dinosaurs and other rabid fauna can come through and wreak havoc. We've had a diverse array of battling creatures that include giant centipedes, spiders and dodos. Yes, dodos. But, if you're looking for originality, you can stop reading and look elsewhere. Everything is game for these writers. Episode 4, with our rambunctious dodos, included hilarious thievery from Stargate, SG1.
The cast is adequate with stock characters. The suited bureaucrat who thrives on secrecy and SWAT teams; tousle haired professor who touts various theories; goofy geekoid student who insinuates himself into the proceedings. Et al. All moving under the premise, as with SG1, that all of this can be kept secret from a public sure to panic and riot if revealed. A rather more interesting character is the professor's long lost wife - found to be jumping among timelines and having the ability to predict where and when one will open.
But the bottom line is this: it's fun. It's not great, and it's not replete with originality. But you will probably go back each week for more. After all, what competition is there? Under these criteria I give it 6 out of 10.
The cast is adequate with stock characters. The suited bureaucrat who thrives on secrecy and SWAT teams; tousle haired professor who touts various theories; goofy geekoid student who insinuates himself into the proceedings. Et al. All moving under the premise, as with SG1, that all of this can be kept secret from a public sure to panic and riot if revealed. A rather more interesting character is the professor's long lost wife - found to be jumping among timelines and having the ability to predict where and when one will open.
But the bottom line is this: it's fun. It's not great, and it's not replete with originality. But you will probably go back each week for more. After all, what competition is there? Under these criteria I give it 6 out of 10.
A breath of fresh air!!
rhadeya25 March 2007
Well, what can I say about Primeval? How about, that it's a very welcome breath of fresh air after all those godawful "reality" shows that we've had to deal with over recent years?
Great acting from a cast who gels well together, with at least one character you love to hate (and would happily push through an anomaly!) and several you come to care about throughout the series. With exciting CG dinosaurs and cleverly woven plot lines (which carry through each episode), this is an amazing new series that deserves to go on! Some have commented that the acting is poor, yet I think these guys and girls do extremely well, given that they are acting to CG for a large amount of time, and that is an extremely difficult thing to do.
The plot lines are well thought out and well written, throwing everyday people into the path of prehistoric monsters and seeing how they deal with it. A wonderful combination of acting, writing and our own desire to occasionally escape the "real" world makes this a gripping series that you have to tune into each week.
Great show, can't wait for series 2!!!
Great acting from a cast who gels well together, with at least one character you love to hate (and would happily push through an anomaly!) and several you come to care about throughout the series. With exciting CG dinosaurs and cleverly woven plot lines (which carry through each episode), this is an amazing new series that deserves to go on! Some have commented that the acting is poor, yet I think these guys and girls do extremely well, given that they are acting to CG for a large amount of time, and that is an extremely difficult thing to do.
The plot lines are well thought out and well written, throwing everyday people into the path of prehistoric monsters and seeing how they deal with it. A wonderful combination of acting, writing and our own desire to occasionally escape the "real" world makes this a gripping series that you have to tune into each week.
Great show, can't wait for series 2!!!
Spoiler - could have been much more
ElessarAndurilS12 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I was interested in Primeval after a few episodes and starting to genuinely like it in spite of some huge holes in the plot and the ridiculous story around Helen. My major problem is constant change in characters, especially killing the main one just when I thought it was going to be a show I was growing to truly like. But the lack of character development coupled with constant turnover of characters leaves us with a science fiction show with a premise grounded without story and characters that as soon as you care whether they are even in the show getting consistently killed off. Hard to maintain a following when all you have is a steady stream of nasty creatures popping up and needing to be contained by whoever is in the show at the moment.
Surprising
ComedyOfErrors19 June 2007
Prior to watching it I had low expectations. It sounded like an afternoon kids show but I was very wrong.
The concept is well imagined and it seems to be aiming at an older audience. Curiously the first two episodes had a zero body count, then they suddenly seemed to change their mind and the bodies started stacking up.
The largely unknown actors put in pretty good performances. Surprisingly ex "S Club 7" member Hannah Spearritt is a capable actress. The DVD extras reveal she is less capable at throwing rocks though - the one she was meant to throw at a creature hits the cameraman! The CGI effects are excellent for a TV series with a strictly limited budget, almost film standard largely thanks to the previous ground breaking Walking With Dinosaurs, with only the occasional wobble.
However while the overall story is engaging the script writer ought to be fired for the details. Our belief in the characters is disrupted at regular intervals when they do something unbelievably stupid just to keep the story running. For example when being told to run for the trees the character can be clearly seen running along side them, and after armed special forces are driven off by creatures they are content to let unarmed scientists face them alone, not intervening even when hearing they are in trouble on the radio. Every episode has such incidents which require forceful suspension of belief.
The characters also need to be developed more and their strengths played to to justify their continued participation in the project, as some of them are tenuous.
Despite these script failings the series shows a huge amount of promise and I am delighted to hear a second series has been commissioned which I will certainly be watching.
I recommend you give it a try. You may be surprised.
The concept is well imagined and it seems to be aiming at an older audience. Curiously the first two episodes had a zero body count, then they suddenly seemed to change their mind and the bodies started stacking up.
The largely unknown actors put in pretty good performances. Surprisingly ex "S Club 7" member Hannah Spearritt is a capable actress. The DVD extras reveal she is less capable at throwing rocks though - the one she was meant to throw at a creature hits the cameraman! The CGI effects are excellent for a TV series with a strictly limited budget, almost film standard largely thanks to the previous ground breaking Walking With Dinosaurs, with only the occasional wobble.
However while the overall story is engaging the script writer ought to be fired for the details. Our belief in the characters is disrupted at regular intervals when they do something unbelievably stupid just to keep the story running. For example when being told to run for the trees the character can be clearly seen running along side them, and after armed special forces are driven off by creatures they are content to let unarmed scientists face them alone, not intervening even when hearing they are in trouble on the radio. Every episode has such incidents which require forceful suspension of belief.
The characters also need to be developed more and their strengths played to to justify their continued participation in the project, as some of them are tenuous.
Despite these script failings the series shows a huge amount of promise and I am delighted to hear a second series has been commissioned which I will certainly be watching.
I recommend you give it a try. You may be surprised.
Enjoyable fluff!
twiggystardust15 March 2007
I didn't expect a great deal from Primeval which is perhaps why I now find myself pleasantly surprised by it. The casting is excellent and story lines, although sometimes far-fetched, are nevertheless highly enjoyable. It's the little gem on Saturday night TV which these days are pretty much few and far between.
For those who are keen to compare it to Doctor Who and Torchwood, I must say I personally don't think it's similar to either of them. Yes, it's the same genre but give the thing a chance! -- I'm not sure half the people who have slated this have even watched it.
At the end of the day, Primeval was never going to be groundbreaking - and, to its credit, I don't think it sets out to be anything of the sort - but it is a great piece of telly fluff that'll certainly keep me tuned for series two.
For those who are keen to compare it to Doctor Who and Torchwood, I must say I personally don't think it's similar to either of them. Yes, it's the same genre but give the thing a chance! -- I'm not sure half the people who have slated this have even watched it.
At the end of the day, Primeval was never going to be groundbreaking - and, to its credit, I don't think it sets out to be anything of the sort - but it is a great piece of telly fluff that'll certainly keep me tuned for series two.
An unexpected surprise.
Superdud320 February 2007
After seeing the trailer for this six-part ITV series. I thought it to be another cheesy attempt to cash in on the current British sci-fi phenomenon. The tag line 'Time For Adventure' was the real put-off for me, though. And I thought it to be another clumsy clone of the massively popular re-make of 'Doctor Who' After watching the first episode (mainly out of pity) I had a change of heart. Sure, the special effects could use some dusting-up, but the show seems to have it all. Massive dinosaur fight scenes for the kids, a love-triangle for older viewers, witty one-liners even a missing wife for all you 'Lost' fans out there. The one thing that worried me, though, is the scenes of Abby jiggling around in her panties due to her humid flat. Now, I have no personal problem against this, but it seems like ITV are just asking for trouble from over-worrying mum's by making a show for kids at around eight on a Saturday night and then going straight on and plonking that in there. My underline: May not be to everyones tastes, but worth a shot for any 'Doctor Who' or 'Life On Mars' fans.
Tourchwood with dinosaurs?
sparkin-112 February 2007
I watched this with some apprehension but I have to say I was presently surprised, I'm sure as the series progresses it will be a hit, good performance for Douglas Henshall as the moody professor searching for his wife. The cute flying dinosaur named appropriately "REX" steels the show I must admit I forgot that ex S Club Hannah was in the program you know what they say about working with Children and animals. A bit of Doctor Who & Touchwood mixed with a few dinosaurs and the time portal what more could BBC do!After seeing next weeks previews I'll be giving the DVD rental for the time being and be tuning in hopefully for more than two episodes.
Primevil
dalsgaard27 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
It's just evil to make you get hooked to this series, and force you to sit through the end. Nothing less. The first few episodes were watchable mostly because of the eye-candy. The animation is superb, and I got to admit... I absolutely love Hannah Spearitt (Abby).
It's like a mix of Jurassic Park, a random horror series, and Stargate without the clever twists. It all seems a bit new in the first couple of episodes, and all the inconsistencies and intelligence-insulting story lines is forgivable.
As the episodes progress, all the holes in the script begin to become all too obvious though. Now, in season 3, it's like watching a science fiction parody. It simply seems like the writers did'nt even bother to go through the script a second time, just passing it along to the director without any thought! Episode 2, and they have hired a woman to do research into mythology behind the 'anomalies', trying to find patterns in order to make educated guesses on when and where the next anomaly will appear. But apparently, she did'nt even bother to give the team that investigates the site any information about it whatsoever.
The prehistoric animals are all messed up. Apparently nothing can scare them, and they attack anything in sight. I remember a scene where a group of citizens got horribly mauled by some worms that went through an anomaly, but when it attacked the heroes, it barely made any mark.
I could name so many problems with the script, but it's easier to just give the summary: Clearly, the concept of the series was to make a show that had dinosaurs in them which really looked good - and they succeeded. It does look pretty nice. But there is no new ideas, they took it all from various previous shows creating the most uninspired Hollywood text-book science fiction series I have seen in a long time.
The acting is alright, but all the duologue's are boring attempts at creating a would-be chemistry that we all have seen far too many times.
If you're really bored, then watch it. Just know, that after the first season, it may prove more inspiring and exiting to look at a coffee pot.
It's like a mix of Jurassic Park, a random horror series, and Stargate without the clever twists. It all seems a bit new in the first couple of episodes, and all the inconsistencies and intelligence-insulting story lines is forgivable.
As the episodes progress, all the holes in the script begin to become all too obvious though. Now, in season 3, it's like watching a science fiction parody. It simply seems like the writers did'nt even bother to go through the script a second time, just passing it along to the director without any thought! Episode 2, and they have hired a woman to do research into mythology behind the 'anomalies', trying to find patterns in order to make educated guesses on when and where the next anomaly will appear. But apparently, she did'nt even bother to give the team that investigates the site any information about it whatsoever.
The prehistoric animals are all messed up. Apparently nothing can scare them, and they attack anything in sight. I remember a scene where a group of citizens got horribly mauled by some worms that went through an anomaly, but when it attacked the heroes, it barely made any mark.
I could name so many problems with the script, but it's easier to just give the summary: Clearly, the concept of the series was to make a show that had dinosaurs in them which really looked good - and they succeeded. It does look pretty nice. But there is no new ideas, they took it all from various previous shows creating the most uninspired Hollywood text-book science fiction series I have seen in a long time.
The acting is alright, but all the duologue's are boring attempts at creating a would-be chemistry that we all have seen far too many times.
If you're really bored, then watch it. Just know, that after the first season, it may prove more inspiring and exiting to look at a coffee pot.
Refreshing
subscriptions-799 September 2007
Having read the general plot outline I was a bit skeptical about the concept due to some disappointing other movies with the same repertoire. I thought that after Jurassic Park I could only be disappointed. On the contrary, the series' balance between suspense and British humor is very much refreshing. I loved the pilot episode and I certainly will continue watching. The graphics are fascinatingly nice bearing in mind that this is not a heavy Hollywood-Production. In addition, the soundtrack is carefully chosen. All the actresses and actors play their part exceptionally good. Finally, the fact that this is a British series makes the whole concept even more interesting. For those who love the different British accents this is the TV-Seires of choice. Have fun!
Loved it as a kid but...
bradersl79 July 2020
When I was younger, this was by far my most favourite TV show ever! I used to be buzzing for every episode on a Saturday, record it and then watch it again on Sunday! The concept to me was fascinating and almost every episode there would be a new dinosaur and I was always questioning what if this happened for real, especially because it was places in the UK which made it so much more relatable.
I then started to rewatch it this year and I couldn't finish the first season, it just wasn't the same experience that I had when I was younger. As you watch more and more TV shows and films you can start to pick holes in them. This I didn't want to do that (I know I would). It's disappointing but I've stuck with the judgment to just leave it as the great TV show it is in my memories. If they make a reboot of this with up to date CGI and good casting choices (like before) then I would be on board!!
I then started to rewatch it this year and I couldn't finish the first season, it just wasn't the same experience that I had when I was younger. As you watch more and more TV shows and films you can start to pick holes in them. This I didn't want to do that (I know I would). It's disappointing but I've stuck with the judgment to just leave it as the great TV show it is in my memories. If they make a reboot of this with up to date CGI and good casting choices (like before) then I would be on board!!
Not clever enough
Bert4511 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The first episode of Primeval went to air in New Zealand last night and I'm afraid I'm joining the "disappointed" team. I was looking forward to this as a fan of British TV but it quickly lost my vote, and not just because it looks like a cross between Jurassic Park and Stargate. That wouldn't have been a problem if the writers and director had shown any degree of patience with their plot. Instead, they rushed headlong into the story as if in fear of the viewers getting away if they stopped for breath. So there was no tension, no build-up, no clever mind games with the viewer and, by the end of the first fifteen minutes, we already knew far too much - as did the characters. And what the characters discovered didn't scare them anywhere near enough. The main ones are supposed to be serious scientists but they were far too ready to accept things that should have thrown their world-view into chaos. Big, scary creature? Well, clearly it's a dinosaur that's somehow found its way into the present day. Oh, look - big sparkly thing in the forest. It must be a space-time anomaly. We've all heard about those! And yes, let's go through the big sparkly thing despite the fact that we have absolutely no idea what it will do to us or what, if anything, is on the other side. (At least Stargate had the nous to send a mechanical probe through first). And the scenes with the boy were just plain lazy and crude. A dinosaur manages to track the boy right back to his bedroom in suburban England and then proceeds to smash its way through his window and wreck his room without anyone in the other houses noticing. And when his mother comes up to tell the boy off for making so much noise, she doesn't even bother to ask how the bedroom window frame came to be smashed to pieces! Pu-lease! Yes, I know that sci-fi demands a suspension of disbelief but good sci-fi doesn't insult your intelligence along the way. What it should do is challenge your imagination. Primeval doesn't do that - at least not for the adult viewer - so I won't be tuning in next week.
Goood, good, good, oh yes also good
ocika13 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Professor Nick Cutter is investigating the sighting of a dinosaur, apparently. A species which has been extinct for 200 million years. With his team, they travel to the region where it was sighted to explain how it appeared. However, as they investigate the dinosaur, a weird creature seemed to be killing anything on its path. Even I'm Atheist, I might say: "Jesus you are real and thank you for this new episodes, this show looks very very good". Very refreshing, very positive and very original. Excellent young British casting. I was surprised by special effects. It seems that these series has very high budget. I recommended to all Sci-fi fanatics and adventurers :)) "Long" after Jurassic park 2 and 3 painful movies, this is real enthusiastic and successful beginning of a promising story. I'm hoping that they will continue shooting, no I mean please, please, please continue filming.
Wow !!!
tim-haines17 March 2007
Its been called ITVs Doctor Who, it has its critics among the die hard Who fans I'm sure, but there is no getting away from the fact that Primeval is extraordinary and is excellent ( as is Dr Who ). I love the "Star Gate Meets Walking with Dinosaurs theme, it really works. I think they are equal, there is enough disparity in the two genre to not really be able to compare them too deeply, they certainly are not " like for like ".
I don't try to compare the two any more, just enjoy them for what they each are. I wont be missing Primeval any time soon, and I do very much hope there will be more of the same to come from this source in future years.
And NO !!
I am not THE Tim Haines.
I Wish !!!!
I don't try to compare the two any more, just enjoy them for what they each are. I wont be missing Primeval any time soon, and I do very much hope there will be more of the same to come from this source in future years.
And NO !!
I am not THE Tim Haines.
I Wish !!!!
Great idea, good start, bad progression
Samiam317 March 2010
So this is where BBC dinosaurs have come in ten years. Walking with Dinosaurs is without doubt the smartest prehistoric programme TV has offered. Slowly creator/producer Tim Haines and his studio, have made the transition from science, to show times. Primeval gets off to a good start but after one season, It gets clumsy, unstable and ridiculous, with little to hold onto but a few laughs.
The show is ridiculous from the start but at least it winks at its own absurdity. Starting in London's Forest of Dean, professor Nick Cutter and his team are investigating the reported sighting of a creature unlike anything from the modern era. One thing leads to another and soon they find that bizarre holes in time and space have opened gate ways from prehistory to the modern era. With the financial aid of Home office, Cutter sets up a Research Center to track down the plethora of creatures that are showing up all over England. Meanwhile Cutter is also searching for his wife. Helen Cutter was lost eight years ago, presumed dead, and now it turns out that she's been time travelling. worse still she knows things about the future that she wants to prevent, even if that means resorting to bringing down the Cutter's team.
Primeval is essentially Ghostbusters, meets Jurassic Park meets, 24. The first six episodes are actually pretty good despite some scientific inaccuracies and little plot holes, but these holes get bigger. The trick to Primeval is that it doesn't take itself seriously, but it gets carried away, and before long, the show starts inventing it's own creatures, throwing in too many bad plot developments, and silly dialogue.
Considering the contrived ways that several characters are bumped off, it's pretty obvious that half the cast wanted out of the series. I don't blame them. They have little to do other than run around in circles.
Even at it's worst, Primeval is still watchable, but barely. It holds onto a few quirks and running gags, and it has you tuned in, if only to see what crazy idea the show thinks up next episode.
If it interests you, I suppose it's worth a rent, but I don't expect anyone to fall in love.
The show is ridiculous from the start but at least it winks at its own absurdity. Starting in London's Forest of Dean, professor Nick Cutter and his team are investigating the reported sighting of a creature unlike anything from the modern era. One thing leads to another and soon they find that bizarre holes in time and space have opened gate ways from prehistory to the modern era. With the financial aid of Home office, Cutter sets up a Research Center to track down the plethora of creatures that are showing up all over England. Meanwhile Cutter is also searching for his wife. Helen Cutter was lost eight years ago, presumed dead, and now it turns out that she's been time travelling. worse still she knows things about the future that she wants to prevent, even if that means resorting to bringing down the Cutter's team.
Primeval is essentially Ghostbusters, meets Jurassic Park meets, 24. The first six episodes are actually pretty good despite some scientific inaccuracies and little plot holes, but these holes get bigger. The trick to Primeval is that it doesn't take itself seriously, but it gets carried away, and before long, the show starts inventing it's own creatures, throwing in too many bad plot developments, and silly dialogue.
Considering the contrived ways that several characters are bumped off, it's pretty obvious that half the cast wanted out of the series. I don't blame them. They have little to do other than run around in circles.
Even at it's worst, Primeval is still watchable, but barely. It holds onto a few quirks and running gags, and it has you tuned in, if only to see what crazy idea the show thinks up next episode.
If it interests you, I suppose it's worth a rent, but I don't expect anyone to fall in love.
Fresh counts in food ... and television
A_Different_Drummer25 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This show took me by surprise, and that's hard to do. As clever as the current crop of TV writers may THINK they are, they are essentially riffing on someone else's stories. (Like the man once said, there are only 4 basic plots anyway). And then along comes this. It was fabulously clever. Temporal anomalies. Beasties popping through. All kinds of strange dynamics among the group, strange motives, conspiracies, love triangles. When Juliet Aubrey turned out to be bad, that was good. When Hannah Spearritt ignored the protocols and "adopted" one of the creatures, that was ever better (and later episodes put the little guy's life in jeopardy more than once). The high rating is for the concept, the execution, and holding interest over several seasons. On DVD or streaming, this should be more fun than a barrel of hammers. And here is a tip -- I peeked at the IMDb page for the sequel, which was little more than an attempt to resurrect a dead show in North America using complete unknowns (something they tried to do, believe it or not, with THE AVENGERS decades ago). The few episodes I saw were wretched. Avoid it.
Strong start but after season 3, I'm out!!!!
tankace30 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Primeval was everything I was dreaming when I was twelve years old ,it had time travel, dinosaurs and in general prehistoric beast, science and good drama. The first and second seasons are close to be some of the most amazing television program I had seen and I was pump of my mind when the third season started and here we go down hill very ,very fast and in just 10 episodes these amazing world got tangled and lost its steam.
The main reason for that was it focus too much after season 2 to the drama among the people and yes some drama is good but ,when your series started with hunting prehistoric creatures ,which came out of anomalies in time and space then I am pretty sure that audience will lose its stem. And it lost indeed ,because people want to see how we react when dinosaur come out of the blue and attack us and not the relationship of the leader with his wife and her lover / left hand of her husband. Also don't forget the evil company ,because what it is a science fiction series with out a villainous organization? Better.
In short when you are in your teens may look nice but nowadays I think that it was like so many show which started strong and in the middle they should have ended it the ordeal ,but no because we deed viewers. If you program doesn't worth the time, them it won't happen and the scientific inaccuracies which after season 3 when through the roof don't help.
So a nostalgia killer sure and if you want to study who to make a good time travel series watch it in order to see what not to do and the Doctor Who to see what to do.
The main reason for that was it focus too much after season 2 to the drama among the people and yes some drama is good but ,when your series started with hunting prehistoric creatures ,which came out of anomalies in time and space then I am pretty sure that audience will lose its stem. And it lost indeed ,because people want to see how we react when dinosaur come out of the blue and attack us and not the relationship of the leader with his wife and her lover / left hand of her husband. Also don't forget the evil company ,because what it is a science fiction series with out a villainous organization? Better.
In short when you are in your teens may look nice but nowadays I think that it was like so many show which started strong and in the middle they should have ended it the ordeal ,but no because we deed viewers. If you program doesn't worth the time, them it won't happen and the scientific inaccuracies which after season 3 when through the roof don't help.
So a nostalgia killer sure and if you want to study who to make a good time travel series watch it in order to see what not to do and the Doctor Who to see what to do.
13 years on
evandenis-948486 October 2020
Admit it, you've always wanted to see a mammoth on the M4
teacher_ged27 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
If you haven't seen this yet, here's what you get:
1. A fairly hokey premise. "Anomalies" are temporary and randomly appearing portals to other time periods, which somehow (except for the finale in season 5) limit themselves to the South-East of England. Although several of the main characters are supposed to be scientists, there is no scientific discussion of the physics behind this, and the government department responsible for dealing with them seems remarkably uninterested in such questions, and remarkably happy to let a tiny motley crew of random amateurs take on the task of keeping the country safe from prehistoric incursions (nowhere is credibility strained more than in the repeated ritual of these would-be frontliners appearing at the scene of an incursion, tranquillizer guns waving). More surprisingly still, none of these "scientists" seems to have read War of the Worlds, or to have any notion that the threat from microscopic organisms would likely be far greater than that posed by huge, lumbering reptiles with fangs. There is never any suggestion that characters passing to and fro from other time periods might need to be quarantined. Ho-hum.
2. Some effort seems to have gone into scriptwriting in seasons 1-2 (arguably 1-3) but by 4 and 5 it's mostly on the level of kneejerk clichés borrowed from American series: "Talk to me!", "Let's DO this!" and "It's too late - the EM surge would have fried the data!" That said, there are some nice comic moments, mostly centering around the character of Connor Temple. Lucy Brown gets some of the best lines ("There can't be that many different types of venomous predator under the Aldwych" - "You should see the last tube home on a Friday night!") as befits the most photogenic character in the cast. Still, the acting is mostly good enough to mask the scriptwriters' shortcomings most of the time.
3. The camera-work has come under attack, but I think a decision was taken somewhere along the line to keep the budget from going through the roof by using lots of intercuts, split-second takes and tight editing in the action scenes, thus allowing the monsters' presence to be more suggested than shown. The monsters' screen time, if you pay careful attention, is extremely restricted and limited to very short takes and a few expensive set-pieces, like the wonderful "mammoth on the motorway" (whose disturbed head movements are a treat to behold, reminding me irresistibly of a former Irish room-mate of mine towards the end of a night on the town). The technique works, and I don't have a problem with it. The monster scenes are a lot better than we have any right to expect in a TV series.
4. The monsters, as I said, are wonderful, but after a while you can't help wondering why they seem to need to stop and roar every few seconds. Mostly, an encounter with a monster goes like this: monster appears, knocks cars about, disarms prey, prey cowers awaiting violent death, instead of killing prey monster does some gratuitous roaring (or bellowing or screeching), by which time someone else has turned up in time to shoot monster. You'd think they'd learn to save the roaring till later.
5. A clearly improvised plot arc, full of annoying loose ends. We never learn why Claudia becomes Jenny, and are left wondering how the appearance of mutated bats in the Permian era could have led to someone ending up millions of years later with a different surname and a slightly different taste in lip gloss and shoes. This whole "alternative timeline" idea bristles with possibilities, but none of them are exploited. The "sociopathic brother" idea in series 5 is also pregnant with possibilities which in the main aren't taken up. The actor is up to it, but the script won't let him develop into a really memorable villain, and like so many other characters and ideas, he's just sketched in and then frogmarched out of the script through a glittering hole in the air. And if you're going to transport us back to Victorian England, we want more than an establishing shot of smoking chimneys, a room full of sacks, and a horse and carriage. Did the budget not allow for anything more rewarding than this?
6. Equally frustrating is the careless characterisation. Connor Temple starts out as a dino freak with a database of every extinct creature, that he's been "building since 14". A couple of episodes later, suddenly he's an electronics geek. THen he's a wizard programmer. It's as if the writers didn't quite grok that not all nerds belong to the same species. Similarly, Jenny Lewis appears initially as someone quite unlike Claudia Brown, but in a very short time she's indistinguishable from her in all but a few small details of clothing. As for Helen Cutter... the less said, the better.
7. Excellent entertainment. I couldn't stop watching right to the end. But then, I'm a sucker for dinosaurs in contemporary London settings. Give me that, and any excuse is good enough. Oh, and just for the record, I fell in love with one of the actresses. So there's that too.
1. A fairly hokey premise. "Anomalies" are temporary and randomly appearing portals to other time periods, which somehow (except for the finale in season 5) limit themselves to the South-East of England. Although several of the main characters are supposed to be scientists, there is no scientific discussion of the physics behind this, and the government department responsible for dealing with them seems remarkably uninterested in such questions, and remarkably happy to let a tiny motley crew of random amateurs take on the task of keeping the country safe from prehistoric incursions (nowhere is credibility strained more than in the repeated ritual of these would-be frontliners appearing at the scene of an incursion, tranquillizer guns waving). More surprisingly still, none of these "scientists" seems to have read War of the Worlds, or to have any notion that the threat from microscopic organisms would likely be far greater than that posed by huge, lumbering reptiles with fangs. There is never any suggestion that characters passing to and fro from other time periods might need to be quarantined. Ho-hum.
2. Some effort seems to have gone into scriptwriting in seasons 1-2 (arguably 1-3) but by 4 and 5 it's mostly on the level of kneejerk clichés borrowed from American series: "Talk to me!", "Let's DO this!" and "It's too late - the EM surge would have fried the data!" That said, there are some nice comic moments, mostly centering around the character of Connor Temple. Lucy Brown gets some of the best lines ("There can't be that many different types of venomous predator under the Aldwych" - "You should see the last tube home on a Friday night!") as befits the most photogenic character in the cast. Still, the acting is mostly good enough to mask the scriptwriters' shortcomings most of the time.
3. The camera-work has come under attack, but I think a decision was taken somewhere along the line to keep the budget from going through the roof by using lots of intercuts, split-second takes and tight editing in the action scenes, thus allowing the monsters' presence to be more suggested than shown. The monsters' screen time, if you pay careful attention, is extremely restricted and limited to very short takes and a few expensive set-pieces, like the wonderful "mammoth on the motorway" (whose disturbed head movements are a treat to behold, reminding me irresistibly of a former Irish room-mate of mine towards the end of a night on the town). The technique works, and I don't have a problem with it. The monster scenes are a lot better than we have any right to expect in a TV series.
4. The monsters, as I said, are wonderful, but after a while you can't help wondering why they seem to need to stop and roar every few seconds. Mostly, an encounter with a monster goes like this: monster appears, knocks cars about, disarms prey, prey cowers awaiting violent death, instead of killing prey monster does some gratuitous roaring (or bellowing or screeching), by which time someone else has turned up in time to shoot monster. You'd think they'd learn to save the roaring till later.
5. A clearly improvised plot arc, full of annoying loose ends. We never learn why Claudia becomes Jenny, and are left wondering how the appearance of mutated bats in the Permian era could have led to someone ending up millions of years later with a different surname and a slightly different taste in lip gloss and shoes. This whole "alternative timeline" idea bristles with possibilities, but none of them are exploited. The "sociopathic brother" idea in series 5 is also pregnant with possibilities which in the main aren't taken up. The actor is up to it, but the script won't let him develop into a really memorable villain, and like so many other characters and ideas, he's just sketched in and then frogmarched out of the script through a glittering hole in the air. And if you're going to transport us back to Victorian England, we want more than an establishing shot of smoking chimneys, a room full of sacks, and a horse and carriage. Did the budget not allow for anything more rewarding than this?
6. Equally frustrating is the careless characterisation. Connor Temple starts out as a dino freak with a database of every extinct creature, that he's been "building since 14". A couple of episodes later, suddenly he's an electronics geek. THen he's a wizard programmer. It's as if the writers didn't quite grok that not all nerds belong to the same species. Similarly, Jenny Lewis appears initially as someone quite unlike Claudia Brown, but in a very short time she's indistinguishable from her in all but a few small details of clothing. As for Helen Cutter... the less said, the better.
7. Excellent entertainment. I couldn't stop watching right to the end. But then, I'm a sucker for dinosaurs in contemporary London settings. Give me that, and any excuse is good enough. Oh, and just for the record, I fell in love with one of the actresses. So there's that too.
Wilhelm Scream
lothos-370-69002011 May 2014
This series could be called Wilhelm Scream the series. The scream usually occurs in films and is used subtlety as in Star Wars or Lord of the rings when someone dies. Primeval has decided to use it in every episode, this becomes very old very quick. The special effects are OK, not terrible and not great, but considering Jurrsaic Park was made 14 years earlier and looked much better, it's hard to be generous even when comparing a film to a TV series. The acting is quite good, and the chartcers are believable, but the but given the sensational subject matter, episodes still manage to drag.
All in all, there are much better sci fi shows out there, this is farely child friendly and is the most likely target audience.
All in all, there are much better sci fi shows out there, this is farely child friendly and is the most likely target audience.
Ranks up there with "Fringe" as one of the best SF TV series ever
bevinchu-18 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Warning! Spoilers Ahead!
"Primeval" ranks up there with "Fringe" as one of the best time travel/alternate universe genre SF TV series ever made. Far, far better than paint by the numbers shows such as "Quantum Leap." I still can't believe however that the creators of the show killed off every one of their leading characters.
Killing off the adorable Claudia Brown by changing the time line was bad enough. Admittedly they reincarnated her, sort of, as Jenny Lewis. But then they wrote her out of the show too by having her resign.
Killing off the unflappable, too cool for school Stephen Hart and even the living, beating heart of the show Nick Cutter was just too much. That is no way to keep a franchise going.
I suppose the creators of the show should be given credit for their ruthlessness. The shockingly unexpected deaths of these beloved main characters leave holes in our hearts. They evoke the inner emptiness that accompanies the loss of a loved one.
But unless the actors wanted out for career reasons, killing their characters off was definitely a bad move.
"Primeval" ranks up there with "Fringe" as one of the best time travel/alternate universe genre SF TV series ever made. Far, far better than paint by the numbers shows such as "Quantum Leap." I still can't believe however that the creators of the show killed off every one of their leading characters.
Killing off the adorable Claudia Brown by changing the time line was bad enough. Admittedly they reincarnated her, sort of, as Jenny Lewis. But then they wrote her out of the show too by having her resign.
Killing off the unflappable, too cool for school Stephen Hart and even the living, beating heart of the show Nick Cutter was just too much. That is no way to keep a franchise going.
I suppose the creators of the show should be given credit for their ruthlessness. The shockingly unexpected deaths of these beloved main characters leave holes in our hearts. They evoke the inner emptiness that accompanies the loss of a loved one.
But unless the actors wanted out for career reasons, killing their characters off was definitely a bad move.
A lengthy review of an almost forgotten cult classic TV show (with only minor spoilers)
walkingwithprimeval21 July 2022
Even if you've never actually watched it before, chances are anyone who's ever lived in the U. K. between 2007 and 2011 has most likely seen a bit of PRIMEVAL at some point in their lives (or just heard of it, at the very least). Hailing from ITV and being branded as the channel's first foray into the sci-fi genre, PRIMEVAL was originally conceived by producer Tim Haines, co-creator of the astounding Walking With... documentaries. Along with his writing partner Adrian Hodges, Haines set out to put his passion project in motion by placing these long-extinct ancient animals in the contemporary setting of a drama programme that'd be more familiar to the home-viewers. To great effect, PRIMEVAL practically became an overnight success, with the show not only earning high broadcast ratings with audiences in Britain but also attaining a particularly strong following over in the U. S.. With 5 Series in total, the show ran its course and had a decent enough lifespan before eventually being put on life-support once the quality took a significantly big dip with the later couple of seasons. But on the whole, has the show stood the test of time? Short answer... yes!
Watching from seasons 1 to 3, you get a good sense of the large scope and epic scale this ambitious production was on. Back then, there wasn't really much like it in terms of a well-balanced mixture between complex science-fiction and high-end action in British television programmes. The most high-concept thrilling TV entertainment with hard-hitting emotional beats and lighthearted levity moments we got at that time was with stuff like Doctor Who, but that leaned more toward meaningful sci-fi plots and thought-provoking cautionary tales rather than scenes of pure fast-paced action set-pieces with a sense of fun, which is mainly what PRIMEVAL's eye-catching spectacle was all about and it excelled at nailing that aspect by delivering on what was promised to us with great effectiveness (which has basically been the driving-force behind its universal appeal). Other groundbreaking elements would include the main focal point of the entire show - the creatures; the dated photorealistic CGI used to depict them admittedly is slightly hokey by today's standards but still pretty darn spectacular, considering these were TV visual-effects and not something made for a big-budget movie. And of course, they did the smart thing of having constructed practical props for convincing interactions between the human cast. These primitive technological advancements in providing small screens with topnotch VFX value is probably a contributing factor in what helped revolutionise the television industry to where it's at nowadays.
First season is simple and straightforward; time-portals (dubbed "anomalies") start opening up all over the country and a crudely-assembled team of lab scientists, animal handlers and government officials are put to the task of learning more about this strange and fascinating new phenomenon as they also must fend off the prehistoric (and sometimes futuristic) creatures that make their merry way through. Second season is even better with an intriguing conspiracy plot-line; trying to keep the massive secret of something that's potentially life-threatening from the whole planet, our team now find themselves in the midst of a nefarious betrayal as they struggle with the ever-growing challenge of not letting the anomalies become public knowledge. Third season is where things start to go off the rails a bit and take a slight dive as it's an extremely mixed bag; an unfocused narrative-structure with a poor resolution at the end, the team's adventures this time around have some highs and lows in this muddled odyssey of conflicting tones, rushed ideas and bizarre creative decisions (due to many of the cast members departing the show halfway through its run, last minute rewrites are to blame for these inconsistencies). The fourth and fifth seasons I'll just talk about together as they basically feel like the same exact thing anyways; feeling like one long continuous streak of nothing but an unsatisfactory change-up, this finale definitely leaves an awful lot to be desired, especially since it's not as awe-encompassing as it's showrunners probably would've liked it to have been (you could even call it a slight disappointment).
The overarching storyline of discovering new things about the rising surge in anomaly cases is conveyed excellently throughout the entire series, showing how the co-creators put a lot of effort into their programme's world-building. Everything to do with this fictional universe's internal logic was surprisingly well-thought-out, right down from its very inception with the writers remembering to stick to these sets of rules for almost every episode. Although on the contrary, some plot-lines felt lacking and underdeveloped, like with the future exploration narrative of season 3's uneven structure. Not to mention, the cliffhanger climaxes of each season were always the most frustrating part for me with them often feeling rushed and being left unresolved, such as the aforementioned third season. While there's certainly plenty of plot-threads revolving around government cover-ups and numerous creature incursions throughout a majority of the series (plus mythical inspirations from folkloric legends), there sadly aren't as many to do with the environmental impact the temporal anomalies have on the natural world. Sure, there're few and far between, but nothing tremendously substantial enough to be deemed noteworthy. Explaining how a widespread historical phenomena such as unpredictable magnetic events and rips in the fabric of reality would drastically affect the Earth's balance of nature in modern-day would've been an interesting subject to explore further, than what little they inevitably ended up doing with regard to it (you'd think there'd be numerous geological disasters going off on a regular daily basis globally).
Of course, the series touches upon how the characters' actions in the past can severely affect how the present world turns out when they travel through the anomalies; with some changes being insignificant and barely noticeable while others, on the other hand, are quite far-reaching and can leave you in a fit of mind-boggling confusion as to the altered state of the 21st Century's new timeline (the paradoxical ramifications can go from minuscule to major). Can't forget to mention, it also vaguely alludes to the fact that since the anomalies have been active for some amount of time in the far distant past, it manages to give a plausible explanation for why the extinct animals aren't anywhere near as accurate as their real-life counterparts from actual prehistory, assuming it's made the fossil record evolve differently somehow (so people can stop their whinging and whining about how the show isn't 100% faithfully accurate, because it was never meant to be). And as for indulging in a little speculative evolution, the ideas presented range from either being completely feasible or totally unbelievable; this goes for most of if not all the fantastical make-believe critters invented for their elusive future worlds (some of which borrowed certain elements from Dougal Dixon's own hypotheses).
As with any moderately long-running TV series, PRIMEVAL had its heyday as it came and went at exactly the right time. Not pulling in the same high viewing figures meant the buzz from the masses just wasn't there anymore, leaving an abundance of potential behind (could've been exciting). Continuing its legacy for a brief period, a Canadian spin-off series was produced following in the wake of the original show's cancellation, with PRIMEVAL: New World swapping out family-friendly entertainment for a more grittier vibe by establishing a darker mood. While this spiritual successor has been criticised for its episodes being just "inferior clones" trying to imitate the original series' plots, I still enjoyed and appreciated this version for what it was attempting to do in the long run (I especially preferred some of the newer designs and lifelike portrayals for most of New World's creatures more-so than many of the unrealistic aesthetic choices made-up for the older ones).
I'd describe PRIMEVAL as a solid 7/10 show, although my rating would've been a lot higher if it'd actually managed to keep up with its initially consistent quality (then I'd possibly have given it an 8/10). I like to imagine that in some form or another, whether it be on a streaming service format or traditional television again, PRIMEVAL will hopefully make a triumphant comeback (but I won't hold my breath for the chances of that happening anytime soon).
Watching from seasons 1 to 3, you get a good sense of the large scope and epic scale this ambitious production was on. Back then, there wasn't really much like it in terms of a well-balanced mixture between complex science-fiction and high-end action in British television programmes. The most high-concept thrilling TV entertainment with hard-hitting emotional beats and lighthearted levity moments we got at that time was with stuff like Doctor Who, but that leaned more toward meaningful sci-fi plots and thought-provoking cautionary tales rather than scenes of pure fast-paced action set-pieces with a sense of fun, which is mainly what PRIMEVAL's eye-catching spectacle was all about and it excelled at nailing that aspect by delivering on what was promised to us with great effectiveness (which has basically been the driving-force behind its universal appeal). Other groundbreaking elements would include the main focal point of the entire show - the creatures; the dated photorealistic CGI used to depict them admittedly is slightly hokey by today's standards but still pretty darn spectacular, considering these were TV visual-effects and not something made for a big-budget movie. And of course, they did the smart thing of having constructed practical props for convincing interactions between the human cast. These primitive technological advancements in providing small screens with topnotch VFX value is probably a contributing factor in what helped revolutionise the television industry to where it's at nowadays.
First season is simple and straightforward; time-portals (dubbed "anomalies") start opening up all over the country and a crudely-assembled team of lab scientists, animal handlers and government officials are put to the task of learning more about this strange and fascinating new phenomenon as they also must fend off the prehistoric (and sometimes futuristic) creatures that make their merry way through. Second season is even better with an intriguing conspiracy plot-line; trying to keep the massive secret of something that's potentially life-threatening from the whole planet, our team now find themselves in the midst of a nefarious betrayal as they struggle with the ever-growing challenge of not letting the anomalies become public knowledge. Third season is where things start to go off the rails a bit and take a slight dive as it's an extremely mixed bag; an unfocused narrative-structure with a poor resolution at the end, the team's adventures this time around have some highs and lows in this muddled odyssey of conflicting tones, rushed ideas and bizarre creative decisions (due to many of the cast members departing the show halfway through its run, last minute rewrites are to blame for these inconsistencies). The fourth and fifth seasons I'll just talk about together as they basically feel like the same exact thing anyways; feeling like one long continuous streak of nothing but an unsatisfactory change-up, this finale definitely leaves an awful lot to be desired, especially since it's not as awe-encompassing as it's showrunners probably would've liked it to have been (you could even call it a slight disappointment).
The overarching storyline of discovering new things about the rising surge in anomaly cases is conveyed excellently throughout the entire series, showing how the co-creators put a lot of effort into their programme's world-building. Everything to do with this fictional universe's internal logic was surprisingly well-thought-out, right down from its very inception with the writers remembering to stick to these sets of rules for almost every episode. Although on the contrary, some plot-lines felt lacking and underdeveloped, like with the future exploration narrative of season 3's uneven structure. Not to mention, the cliffhanger climaxes of each season were always the most frustrating part for me with them often feeling rushed and being left unresolved, such as the aforementioned third season. While there's certainly plenty of plot-threads revolving around government cover-ups and numerous creature incursions throughout a majority of the series (plus mythical inspirations from folkloric legends), there sadly aren't as many to do with the environmental impact the temporal anomalies have on the natural world. Sure, there're few and far between, but nothing tremendously substantial enough to be deemed noteworthy. Explaining how a widespread historical phenomena such as unpredictable magnetic events and rips in the fabric of reality would drastically affect the Earth's balance of nature in modern-day would've been an interesting subject to explore further, than what little they inevitably ended up doing with regard to it (you'd think there'd be numerous geological disasters going off on a regular daily basis globally).
Of course, the series touches upon how the characters' actions in the past can severely affect how the present world turns out when they travel through the anomalies; with some changes being insignificant and barely noticeable while others, on the other hand, are quite far-reaching and can leave you in a fit of mind-boggling confusion as to the altered state of the 21st Century's new timeline (the paradoxical ramifications can go from minuscule to major). Can't forget to mention, it also vaguely alludes to the fact that since the anomalies have been active for some amount of time in the far distant past, it manages to give a plausible explanation for why the extinct animals aren't anywhere near as accurate as their real-life counterparts from actual prehistory, assuming it's made the fossil record evolve differently somehow (so people can stop their whinging and whining about how the show isn't 100% faithfully accurate, because it was never meant to be). And as for indulging in a little speculative evolution, the ideas presented range from either being completely feasible or totally unbelievable; this goes for most of if not all the fantastical make-believe critters invented for their elusive future worlds (some of which borrowed certain elements from Dougal Dixon's own hypotheses).
As with any moderately long-running TV series, PRIMEVAL had its heyday as it came and went at exactly the right time. Not pulling in the same high viewing figures meant the buzz from the masses just wasn't there anymore, leaving an abundance of potential behind (could've been exciting). Continuing its legacy for a brief period, a Canadian spin-off series was produced following in the wake of the original show's cancellation, with PRIMEVAL: New World swapping out family-friendly entertainment for a more grittier vibe by establishing a darker mood. While this spiritual successor has been criticised for its episodes being just "inferior clones" trying to imitate the original series' plots, I still enjoyed and appreciated this version for what it was attempting to do in the long run (I especially preferred some of the newer designs and lifelike portrayals for most of New World's creatures more-so than many of the unrealistic aesthetic choices made-up for the older ones).
I'd describe PRIMEVAL as a solid 7/10 show, although my rating would've been a lot higher if it'd actually managed to keep up with its initially consistent quality (then I'd possibly have given it an 8/10). I like to imagine that in some form or another, whether it be on a streaming service format or traditional television again, PRIMEVAL will hopefully make a triumphant comeback (but I won't hold my breath for the chances of that happening anytime soon).
Pretty good to start with but ran out of ideas
TheLittleSongbird18 June 2011
When Primeval first started it was pretty good and very interesting in its concept. However, in my view the show is getting worse and worse. The special effects are great, I like the theme tune and Andrew Lee Potts does what he can. But sadly, I wish I can say the same for the rest. The first series was good, after that it was clear the series was running out of ideas. There is a lack of atmosphere, because the scares are so predictably done. Then there is the camera work, which is very frantic and rushed to the point it is dizzying, the writing is now clichéd and banal and the story lines are dully paced, lame and unoriginal. Other than Potts, the other acting is often lacking and it doesn't help that I can't connect to the characters. So overall, to start it wasn't bad, now other than the effects and two or three other things it is rather dull and unoriginal. 3/10 Bethany Cox
brief panties? It's all good.
Australian115 April 2007
One commented about Hannah (Abby) walking around in brief panties... I am sure young viewers will not think much of it since she looks so young and they are probably used to see sisters or close friends doing the same. I don't think there is anything wrong with those scenes, she is very cute and plays her role well. All the cast does a pretty good job with their character. As another commented, it's a good change, I have had my fill of hospitals, cops, NCIS and soap opera. It's time for Sci-Fi again.
I enjoyed the 5 episodes I saw so far and I'll watch the last one soon. Last I hope it is not! I have no idea how this 6 episode series will conclude, but I hope they leave it open for a return.
I enjoyed the 5 episodes I saw so far and I'll watch the last one soon. Last I hope it is not! I have no idea how this 6 episode series will conclude, but I hope they leave it open for a return.
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