# Primeval - new series



## jackokent (Feb 10, 2007)

Sorry if i've posted this in the wrong place, I can't find anyway to post TV series that aren't on the list.

Anyway, anyone heard much about this series starting this evenning.  From what I can see it's about some dinasaur hunters meeting creatures from the past.

Cult - News - In Video: First look at ITV's 'Primeval' - Digital Spy

here is a link to the trailer.

It looks quite good, apart maybe for the dodgey green sock puppet in the tank.  I heard somewhere it was set in Forest of Dean, my stomping ground, so can't wait to see it.


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## jackokent (Feb 10, 2007)

*Re: Pimeval - new series*

Oh dear,

not a good start.  It's called PRIMEVAL not Pimeval.  Sorry all


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## The Ace (Feb 10, 2007)

*Re: Pimeval - new series*

Amazing, the baddy isn't a T. Rex, but a gorgonopsid, a permian therapsid.   Pity they keep calling it a dinosaur, it was, actually an ancestor of the mammals.


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## jackokent (Feb 10, 2007)

*Re: Pimeval - new series*

Ace, you are clearly far more knowledgeable than I am on these things.  That element of it passed way over my head.

But that aside, I think it looks really promising.  I certainly enjoyed this first episode.  Thought the characters were quite good fun and far less annoying than the torchwood ones.

The animals weren't too obviously animated and the action was OK.  I'd give it a 7 out of 10.


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## williamjm (Feb 10, 2007)

*Re: Pimeval - new series*

I thought it was reasonably entertaining. There were a few plot holes (why don't they do anything more to investigate the anomaly than sending a couple of people through who then wander around and then don't take any samples or photographs?), but it wasn't the sort of show I was taking entirely seriously anyway, so this didn't matter too much.


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## jackokent (Feb 10, 2007)

*Re: Pimeval - new series*



williamjm said:


> There were a few plot holes (why don't they do anything more to investigate the anomaly than sending a couple of people through who then wander around and then don't take any samples or photographs?),


 
That's a really good point. I never thought of that.  Clearly I shouldn't give up my day job and become a Governemnet scientist. 

As you say however, these things often don't stand too much analysis.


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## Dave (Feb 10, 2007)

Altered title of thread. Didn't watch it. It sounded interesting, but I expected it would be something for the kids. These posts make it out to be more adult for a change!


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## Talysia (Feb 11, 2007)

I didn't think it was too bad.  It'll be interesting to see how the series turns out.


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## The Ace (Feb 11, 2007)

Is it just me, or do those permian animals always look a little unfinished around the hindquarters ?


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## nixie (Feb 11, 2007)

I missed it last night, when is it on again?


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## The Ace (Feb 11, 2007)

New episode Saturday 9pm ITV


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## nixie (Feb 11, 2007)

I was thinking of a repeat of first one


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## Pyan (Feb 12, 2007)

Just watched Episode 1 - not bad, not bad. 

One thing bothers me - not just in this series, but all this type of series.

*Why doesn't any character ever seem to have read any science fiction?
*


Spoiler



the first time I saw the spinning twinkly thing in the forest, my immediate reaction was:- *Rift!!  *_- _as, I suspect, just about everyone on this forum did. Yet no-one in the cast, including the geeky assistant seemed to have any idea what it was! 
Blurry picture of large carnivore attacking truck? Strange flying beastie (was that based on fossil evidence, by the way? I don't ever remember seeing a hexapodal-based reptilian before  ) found nearby? Has no-one seen_ Jurassic Park_? Surely one of our heroes, especially as they were all pre-history experts, must have done - it's been around for over ten years, if _Primeval_ is set in the present-, and would have had suspicions, at least. It's frankly totally improbable to me when any sort of referential pre-knowledge is totally ignored.
The other thing that made me laugh out loud was the scene when the Home Office had taken over the site of the Rift - here were all these soldiers, armed to the teeth, with a security barrier set up around the site: and where do our heroes stand? _Between the security cordon and the Rift!
_Great if another hungry  gorgonopsid had come through!



Ah well. Still, better than the last episode of _Torchwood_! And the trailer for next week looks promising.


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## palooka (Feb 12, 2007)

It did seem to rather rely on various characters' complete lack of planning in order to set up its setpieces.

Having said that, unusually good for a uk sff series. Perhaps we're getting there (then again so were British Rail but never actually got there!)


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## Coolhand (Feb 12, 2007)

I actually quite enjoyed this in a popcorn-SF-lite kind of way. I mean yeah it was fluff with a million plot holes but unlike Botchwood it wasnt "throw a chair at the screen" annoying. 

Next week's ep is all prehistoric spiders though, so I think I'll skip that one, being arachnophobic and everything...


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## jackokent (Feb 12, 2007)

Dave said:


> Altered title of thread. Didn't watch it. It sounded interesting, but I expected it would be something for the kids. These posts make it out to be more adult for a change!


 
Thanks for correcting the title Dave.

I thought it would have been enjoyable for adults and for children but then I'm just a big kid.


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## Pyan (Feb 12, 2007)

Coolhand said:


> Next week's ep is all prehistoric spiders though, so I think I'll skip that one, being arachnophobic and everything...



Don't worry, Coolhand - the screen on most TVs is strong enough to stop them!



Mind you, some aren't......


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## Coolhand (Feb 12, 2007)

pyanfaruk said:


> Don't worry, Coolhand - the screen on most TVs is strong enough to stop them!
> 
> 
> 
> Mind you, some aren't......


 
Yeah? If I get eaten next week when those spiders break my TV screen and swam all over me, you will get some serious haunting, I'll tell you that for nowt!


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## Pyan (Feb 12, 2007)

You know, I always did wonder what your avatar was doing! Now it's obvious - his screen was one of the weak ones!


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## Coolhand (Feb 12, 2007)

Absolutly! Those damn space-spiders will never take me alive!


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## Talysia (Feb 17, 2007)

Just seen episode 2.  The spider storyline wasn't too bad either, but next week's episode looks better.


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## The Ace (Feb 17, 2007)

Yeah, episode 2 wasn't bad, but a centipede with a sting ?   Centipedes have a pair of hollow, highly-modified forelegs connected to venom glands and closing together like a pair of pliers.


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## jackokent (Feb 19, 2007)

I'm not sure this series is going to stand up to technical analysis.  Seems OK still though - although I am a bit confused as to why the government jsut give the scientists guns and assume it's Ok for the to stroll around london. 

Also, I was a bit confused about teh noise these spiders make.  I've never heard them making a noise like that before.  

Was a bit miffed this week as I had 4 phone calls during the episode.  I didn't manage to catch the trailer for next - what's it about?


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## Talysia (Feb 24, 2007)

Again, not a bad episode.  The crocodile-type dinosaur storyline reminded me of Jaws for some reason...  Still, it was a good twist at the end.


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## HappyHippo (Feb 25, 2007)

I managed fifteen minutes of tonight's episode, contending with Paul channel hopping to watch Wales v France (yay Wales!). It didn't exactly have me gagging for control of the remote. Check the usual suspects;

1) androgynous, metro-sexual pretty youth (check)
2) the serious one and the boffin (check)
3) large chunk of - the bit I saw - done against a green screen, with lovely CG monster (check)

and why was the big beastie scared off by androgynous metro-sexual boffin (double check) sticking an oar down its gullet?

still, if I can get Kez off to bed early next week, and hide the remote, I might try to catch a whole ep. Is it repeating on ITV3, at all?


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## Talysia (Feb 25, 2007)

I think it's repeated on ITV1 on Sunday afternoons, 3.55pm (this week, anyway)  I don't think it's being repeated on ITV3, though.  I'll have to check.


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## Coolhand (Feb 27, 2007)

Well, just seen Ep 3 and I'm quite enjoying this in a light-snack kind of way. Really love the cynical, cold hearted MI5 boss and the characters aren't too bad considering that it's SF light drama. 
SPOILERS
Cutter hasn't blindly accepted his wife back, which makes him a stronger, smarter character than I was expecting. And I get the feeling that the weekly story about Cutter's wife is "going somewhere."
All in all, worth catching if you find youself at home with a cup of coffee and a spare 45 mins.


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## The Ace (Feb 27, 2007)

Yeah, Mrs Cutter, _loved _the swimming-costume .


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## Aleksei (Feb 27, 2007)

Just watched the released episodes, and it's good enough, even though it is silly at times.


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## Talysia (Mar 3, 2007)

Just watched the latest episode, and again, it wasn't too bad.  Enjoyable enough, I suppose.  On a plus side, the dodos were rather cutely animated. (Although that probably isn't the effect the programme makers were looking for!)


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## Myth (Mar 13, 2007)

I don't know why, maybe I just don't like dinosaurs though I do love Jurassic Park, but I find it hard to like the show. I just stare at the screen, a zombie, and nothing jumps out at me to say, "Heck, I wanna see more of this!"

I'll be nice and say the anolamies[sp?] are pretty intersting, they look like shards of broken mirrors.


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## Talysia (Mar 13, 2007)

Admittedly, I keep watching this show in the hope that it'll get better.  Now that the series is nearing the end, though...I'm not convinced that it will.


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## Coolhand (Mar 13, 2007)

Hmm, it's not really going anywhere interesting is it? I was hoping that it would move beyond the simple "monsters come through a wormhole/rift/hellmouth idea" and have something more significant underlying the whole concept.
But nope. And only one ep to go. 
Ah well.


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## Myth (Mar 14, 2007)

And that last episode doesn't look promising...


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## Talysia (Mar 14, 2007)

I haven't heard whether or not it's been recomissioned for a second series.  I'm not sure whether I'll watch it, though.  It sounded like a good idea when it started, too...


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## jackokent (Mar 14, 2007)

I think I'd watch a second series - for some reason I am really enjoying it.  So saying I've only caught 3 episodes.

I really like all the characters except the scientist and his elusive moody wife.  I particularly love the government bloke.  I hope it's recomissioned.


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## Myth (Mar 15, 2007)

jackokent said:


> I particularly love the government bloke. I hope it's recomissioned.


 
Would that be Ben Miller?


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## jackokent (Mar 15, 2007)

Myth said:


> Would that be Ben Miller?


 
I'm useless with names. Is he the nasty one.  it's the nasty one I like.


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## Talysia (Mar 15, 2007)

Yes, I think that's him.  I think I remember seeing him in that Rowan Atkinson film, Johnny English.  (Might be wrong, though)


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## Myth (Mar 16, 2007)

He's the only government guy I know of. He was in Johnny English! XD


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## Talysia (Mar 17, 2007)

Just seen the last episode, and I must say it was a lot better than the others in the series, in my opinion.  Lots of action, and a good twist at the end - not to mention the ending.  It does leave you thinking "What happens next?"


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## Serin (Mar 19, 2007)

I enjoyed the last episode, to me it has been the best of the lot. The twist at the end? I didn't see that coming, and I hope there is a second series.


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## Myth (Mar 19, 2007)

I've changed my mind =]

The last episode was interesting, put all the other parts together and this episode would still beat them.


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## rune (Feb 9, 2008)

I really enjoy this series and very pleased to see it come back for a second series.  Not sure about the time line changing, but at least our favourite characters are still there and i love the beasties


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## Ursa major (Feb 9, 2008)

I have watched both series and in contrast with Torchwood (which has gone from bad to almosy half-decent-ish - just feel that enthusiasm!), Primeval seems to have stood still, if not deteriorated.

It is irritating enough for the ex-student with hormones, but no sense, to walk backwards into harm's way, but do any of the characters hold on to their guns for more than a few minutes? 

It seems such a shame that this programme is so let down by its script and the way it presents its characters. The concept is an intriguing one and we have not had to endure long explanations** of what is happening (which is a big plus in my book). It is also good that the world is not saved by a character who can sort it all out in two minutes while mouthing a load of less than convincing pseudo-techno-babble.


** - The way the wife/ex-wife (I don't the legal position here) seems to be able to move around, while the others just sit and wait, is a good example. It just happens (and if I did not have so many doubt about the scriptwriters, I'd be happy to assume there's already an unspoken explanation for this).


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## Talysia (Feb 9, 2008)

Admittedly, I've been watching both series of Primeval, and I'm of much the same opinion.  I feel that it could be so much more - the concept is a good one, the effects are pretty good and, as Ursa says, there aren't too many long explanations - but somehow it falls short.  I'll keep watching - possibly it's the optimist in me.


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