Thursday 04 December

BLOGS

blogCategory
Previous
Back to blog
Next

Why I Love...Primeval

The cast of Primeval
  • Posted at 4:22pm
  • 11 January 2008
  • by LauraPledger-RT
  • 11 comments

It's the show that takes Walking with Dinosaurs to its very extremes. There's no denying we're fascinated by the beasts that roamed Earth millions of years in the past. So as well as being rip-roaring entertainment, Primeval also challenges some dino-related preconceptions.

Chief among these must surely be the much-vaunted belief that the creatures were wiped out by some kind of natural disaster. Instead, it seems far more likely Professor Cutter and his pals are to blame for decimating the dinosaur population. To date, they have variously shot at, harpooned, machine-gunned and run down with a jeep the poor, unsuspecting, prehistoric beasts to cross their path. Heaven forbid any of these people should ever get involved in a conservation project.

To be fair to the team, though, most of the beasts they encounter couldn't be described as friendly. Even the appealingly daft dodos had been infected by a dangerous worm. (Don't let the House production team find out about that - it must be the one and only parasite they haven't featured yet!)

Primeval's creators have taken the risky step of making one creature - Rex, a sort of flying lizard - a recurring character. Rex undoubtedly divides the audience's sympathies. There are those who want to take the adorable reptile home and spend many happy hours watching him flutter about and make cute chirruping noises. And then there are the detractors, who will be hoping against hope he'll meet a particularly painful death in series two.

Rex may lose points for being a mildly annoying nuisance in the Jar Jar Binks mould. But among male fans of the show it's almost certain he gains kudos for needing such a sultry living environment that his dedicated carer, former S Club star Hannah Spearritt, is obliged to wander around her apartment in her underwear. Jar Jar never had that effect on Princess Amidala…

The question that everyone's been asking, of course, is this: does Primeval provide a credible alternative to Doctor Who? Well, it should suit all those little kids running amok in the Natural History Museum, waving plastic dinosaurs around by the tail. (Despite its soft-hearted, vegetarian image, one such diplodocus can do an unsuspecting passing adult a fair amount of damage.)

To keep the big kids hooked, there are surprisingly dark developments - such as the death of geeky Connor's friend - and nagging mysteries. Why has Helen Cutter let her husband believe she was dead for the past eight years? Just how long are the government going to allow the dinosaur-hunting team free rein? And why did we never have professors as cool as Cutter when we were at university?

OK, so a lot of the action takes place in the dark (or underwater), doubtless disguising some of the "joins" in the CGI creatures. And it may not have the weight of history behind it like Doctor Who does - but that just means it can make up its own rules. It isn't held back by having to pander to the fanboys while trying to draw a new audience too.

ITV badly needs some hit shows and, as Saturday-night family entertainment goes, Primeval beats hands down yet another talent show for the talentless, or the enforced madcap cheer of an Ant and Dec vehicle. I for one will be hoping that the mystery of the Primeval anomalies won't be solved for some time yet.

Link to this post
Post a comment | 11 comments

Comments

  • Posted on 05 July 2008
  • at 7:41pm
  • by HUGO

I wish i could have your altougraphs. Im a number 1 fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted on 01 April 2008
  • at 3:58pm
  • by Appygirl

Hi Fingerbones!

You have the right to bash your own county's products but to say that US series are so much beter sorry I can't agree with you. They have their moments but also thier low moments... they may be better in selling themselves and shoving thier way of life and thinking on others but does that mean they are better? I don't think so. They are good when they are good and bad when they are bad - and that goes for any series produces in whatever country by whatever team...

  • Posted on 01 April 2008
  • at 3:50pm
  • by Appygirl

me again -Since my last entery of the 13 January (well I should have know that date means trouble! LOL) I lost my hopes to see Ryan back -well could live with that BUT than since reading an interveiw with the makers and shakers of the series where they plainly tell us that a miliatry character was missing in series two and they will bring in a new soldier to watch the back of the team WHILE they disregard the fact many fans wanted Ryan back (and as they are in a different time line anyway where Claudia is missing and a doubleganger Jenny has taken her place) I feel cheated by them! If they have should low regard for what fans want and like I feel I can't no longer be bother anymore!Thank God Dr. Who will be back this weekend!

  • Posted on 23 February 2008
  • at 3:47pm
  • by Astaroth

If Primeval is to lose a character, could we all please vote for it to be the annoyingly puerile and utterly useless Connor?

It would also be quite nice to think that, were such monstrous entities (the prehistoric creatures I mean, not Connor ... though when I think about it ....) ever to be encountered here, the forces employed to deal with them would be rather more intelligent and efficient than the idiot team led by a 'professor' who appears to have the IQ of an Amoeba.

It really is pretty dire, isn't it.

  • Posted on 09 February 2008
  • at 5:50pm
  • by shevstar

I really like Primeval. The acting isn't great, but its fun and gets your adrenalin pumping! I'm surprised that they keep managing to think of new creatures each week though! It manages to keep me captivated in lots of ways - the creatures, the love type thing going on between Connor and Abi, its great! I'm a real fan of it. Anyone know if there's gong to be a series 3?

  • Posted on 03 February 2008
  • at 9:32pm
  • by rockyB
Yesterday I had my adrenilin fix for the week with "Primeval"! Of course it is far fetched and a bit ham-acted - all these programs are. I cannot really comment on the present Dr Who, as I gave up on that very quickly; far too over-hyped and over-done. Two things do 'get' me about "Primeval" though: 1. When is someone going to give the team some risk assessment training, so that they do not continue to charge unprepared into dangerous situations? And will someone PLEASE send Connor on an army firearms course! A few days on a range with the rain blowing and an army Seargent bellowing at him might remove some of the glamour of guns. 2. When is someone on the team going to start questioning why (mainly) predators go charging into these anomalies, when generally any creature would steer clear of sudden flashing lights? This must be especially true of the annelid worms; even a small amount of oxygen diffusing into the carbon dioxide would surely be the equivalent of a room full of sulphur dioxide boiler fumes to us! Perhaps the flashes at the end of the last two episodes gives a hint. Never mind the questions, the program makes a break from poring over text books. We all need a break from reality at times - as long as there is enough there to not make it total nonsense.
  • Posted on 02 February 2008
  • at 12:06pm
  • by Fingerbones
Primeval is actually quite bad. The best thing about it for me in the last series anyway, was some of the mannerisms the monsters had. The acting and dialogue is truely awful and the new Claudi Brown's character is well let's say shame the character's not expendable. I don't know if I can be bothered to watch anymore episodes in the hope it might get better.As for Dr Who. I really don't know what all the fuss is about. It was enjoyable and tacky in the old days. The recent 'phenomena' is nothing but a sort of common soap dressed as Sci-Fi while OTT or just plain acting (same goes for Torchwood).Thank god for the few (not all) decent US Sci-Fi series which when they're on a good run wipes any the the UK's efforts. ThereI said it - and it had to be said!
  • Posted on 26 January 2008
  • at 6:06pm
  • by s6owl

Comparing Doctor Who to Primeval is riduculous. Primeval has nothing on Doctor Who. After 45 years exciting and entertaining audiences of all ages the world's greatest sci-fi series is still going strong. Primeval is just a dramatic version of Nigel Marvin's Prehistoric Park. A waste of special effects. The Who team use effects to create incredible planets, unbelievable aliens and monsters and outstanding adventures. Doctor Who can beat a whole Primeval series with just one episode - Blink. Now that's sci-fi at it's best!

  • Posted on 21 January 2008
  • at 4:59pm
  • by Ionaclio

I can't stand the programme one little bit! I have at least stayed in the room when it has been on for the past 2 weeks but next week I think I will go and cut my toe nails while it is on. I hate Primeval as much as I hated Jurassic Park.

  • Posted on 13 January 2008
  • at 9:47pm
  • by hellojed

The bulk of this show is taken up with 4 people running around trying to catch or kill prehistoric creatures. I like the show but find myself recording it and fast-forwarding through the boring chase scenes and watching the whole show in about 20 minutes. It lacks depth and plot.

  • Posted on 13 January 2008
  • at 1:06pm
  • by Appygirl

I loved series one - but as I am from Belgium I haven't seen series two...

So I hope series two will live up to the first one... alto I not happy they killed my favourite character Capt. Ryan and I hope they will be able to bring him back (it's after all a series about travelling through time!) for series 3?

Post a comment

Do you have something to say about this post? Does it ring true for you or have you got different ideas? Share your thoughts…

Post a comment

(first or nickname only)

Please do not include any personal or personally identifiable information about yourself or others (including email addresses). All information you submit about yourself or others can be viewed by others.

Thank you for your comment

Thank you for your comments. All comments will be looked at by a moderator, however, due to the numbers of comments we receive, we can't promise that all will be posted on the site.

Post another comment

More


Advertisement