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"Primeval" (2007) More at IMDbPro »

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40 comments in total

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52 out of 54 people found the following comment useful :-
A breath of fresh air!!, 25 March 2007

Author: Sally Rofle from United Kingdom

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!!!

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34 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :-
ITV's answer to the Who phenomenon, 10 February 2007

Author: haresmaggot from United Kingdom

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.

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27 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprising, 19 June 2007

Author: ComedyOfErrors from United Kingdom

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.

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28 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :-
An unexpected surprise., 20 February 2007

Author: The_Superdud3 from United Kingdom

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.

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24 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
A good effort from ITV, much better than I expected, 17 March 2007

Author: galahadfairlight from Bath

Well, considering ITV don't have a track record with regards serious sci-fi (I can't think of another home grown one they've done), they've got to be commended with Primeval.

I haven't watched all episodes, but I'm going to track them all down on DVD when it gets released on Monday 19th in the UK.

The effects range from cheesy to actually pretty good. Sometimes the dinosaurs or monsters look a little blurry, and in other scenes, the VFX creaters have really excelled.

The acting is strong, I personally didn't have a lot of faith in Hannah Spearrit (one part of S Club Seven), but she's not a bad actress at all.

The story lines are strong, and whilst you could draw parallels with other sci-fi films, I think the Primeval storyline thus far is strong enough for it not to be blasted as a derivative rip-off.

ITV have commisioned a second series, and for that I'm glad, because the BBC can churn out whatever they like, whereas ITV are governed by what draws the advertisers in, so for them to retain it, is positive news.

The level at which Primeval has been pitched is also spot on, its good enough for kids to get into, and its meaty enough for adults to not feel that they are watching a kids show, something that unfortunately Doctor Who can't quite get right.

Its because of the story lines that you can forgive some of the cheesier effects, but its laughable that they are criticised, when you consider the leap in TV effects, I think in the main, Primeval does well enough.

Oh, and Lucy Brown, yum yum! :) Worth watching should ITV repeat it soon on ITV2/ITV3/ITV4, and so long as the DVD price isn't stupidly high, I might buy it as well.

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27 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :-
Breath of fresh prehistoric air, 18 February 2007

Author: Pete_Tranters_Sister from United Kingdom

After the tragic disappointment that was Torchwood, and after noting that one of S-Club's finest was to star in it, I didn't hold out much hope for this programme - I was surprised to find that I loved it. This is mostly to do with the incredible talent of Douglas Henshall who somehow manages to add gravitas to the show even when battling a twelve foot poisonous centipede - no mean feat. I also especially loved Andrew Lee-Potts' sci-fi and conspiracy theory nut. The only disappointing cast member is Hannah Spearitt - her acting ability is fine - but there doesn't seem to be much reason for her to be there and only looks about 12 years old. She also lives in a huge apartment which no zoo-keeper would be able to afford but, hey, with giant insects on the underground (the least of its problems) who am I to talk about realism? Likewise with James Murray - way too pretty to be a lab technician - and seemingly just there to give the odd smug quip. Overall Primeval is immensely enjoyable and I'm actually looking forward to the rest of the series. Yes it's silly, yes some of the lines are a bit duff, but the characters are lovable, the writing is pretty tight and full marks to ITV for not churning out yet another hospital/cop/vet drama.

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19 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Really good ideas and excellent CGI, 23 September 2007
Author: sheenafilm from Hamburg, Germany

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!

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13 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Goood, good, good, oh yes also good, 13 March 2007

Author: Oliver Cvetkovski from Macedonia

*** This comment may contain 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.

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Fun from our friends at ITV, 5 March 2007

Author: bill-piety from San Francisco

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.

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Refreshing, 9 September 2007

Author: subscriptions-79 from Germany

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!

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