THE KIDS ARE NOT ALL RIGHT

Primeval - Series Four, Episode Four. Saturday morning detention at McKinnon School turns unforgettable for three kids... as their teacher is killed by a prehistoric creature.

Meanwhile, anomaly traveler Emily (Ruth Bradley) is with Matt (Ciarán McMenamin) at his appartment and, at the ARC, Philip (Alexander Siddig) announces to Abby (Hannah Spearitt) that all the creatures of the menagerie should be destroyed. Which puts Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts) in an awkward position.

Axed by ITV but resurrected by a funding deal involving UKTV's channel Watch and BBC America, Primeval is back for 13 new episodes split into "series four" and "series five" and filmed in Dublin with incentives from the Government of Ireland. It cannot be denied that the fourth series often shouts "cost containment" and that in it the good city of "London" looks as empty as in an episode of The Avengers. But for now this new series is definitely a MAJOR improvement from the calamitous previous one.

Screenwriter Paul Gerstenberger (note that name) delivers a pleasant "The Breakfast Club meets The Lost World: Jurassic Park", an episode starting like a John Hughes movie with three teenage kids in detention - two boys and a girl (« Im' going on X Factor and then I'll be famous. ») Then the script toys with what you may fear from a vending machine. And the one who gets the food at the end of the pre-credits sequence is not the kids'teacher.

Apparently Philip Burton holds a grudge against Rex since the previous episode and wants to put down all the creatures of the ARC's menagerie. Which complicates Burton fanboy Connor's relationship with Abby but he must go a huntin' with Becker (Ben Mansfield) and Matt Anderson - who doesn't want to talk about his school days. Lester (Ben Miller) is back after a one-episode absence and has a great scene with Philip (« Burton the dinosaur killer »). We'll see if Burton is another Christine Johnson or if his company is not named "Prospero Industries" by chance.

Young actress Lauren Coe, who plays Beth, has her Molly Ringwald/Mia Sara moment (« Outside of a Seth Rogen film is a girl as hot as me really going to fall for a tragic geek like you. ») and who could believe her character would... [Awmygod alert] Ethan (Jonathan Byrne) surfaces again and thank you to the "Next Time" trailer for ruining the effect of the last scene of the episode (« Please Ethan. »)

A very enjoyable variation on the "Monster-of-the-week" chase from writer Paul Gerstenberger, directed by Cilla Ware. Great score by Stephen McKeon. And Brendan McCormack plays the unfortunate teacher, "Mr George". Shopping mall security personnel must have a break sometimes.

http://www.l7productions.co.uk/Site/PaulG.html
http://www.macfarlane-chard.ie/clients.asp?t=ACT&i=535

TIME AFTER TIME

Primeval - Series Four, Episode Three. Three strange individuals arrive in an old theatre through an anomaly, quickly followed by a creature. Meanwhile, Matt (Ciarán McMenamin) has another meeting with Gideon (Anton Lesser). At the ARC, Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts) would like to step into action and follow Abby (Hannah Spearitt) and Becker (Ben Mansfield) on field. But Philip (Alexander Siddig) wants him to check a new security protocol.

Axed by ITV after its third series for financial motives Primeval was resurrected under an unexpected funding deal for 13 new episodes (split into "series four" and "series five") filmed in Dublin. Some fortunate changes in the regular cast and Irish locations brought some fresh air and the series premiere showed a real potential. The second episode was classic but effective, with shades of Primeval's first couple of years and a welcome touch of humour.

Written by Debbie Oates and directed by Cilla Ware, this third episode of a 7-episode block has "cost containment" stamped all over it. But the development of the new story arc remains interesting, thanks to two words dropped by Philip and the arrival of anomaly travelers from the 19th century Emily (Ruth Bradley) and mentally damaged Ethan (Jonathan Byrne).

Aired on January the 1st by ITV1, the premiere was watched by 4.4 million viewers but the second episode aired the night after with just 3.2 million. 3.7 million viewers tuned in for the third (1). If at least the next four episodes manage to stay as watchable, this fourth series could serve as a proper word of apologies for the terrible series three. For now that's all we can hope rather than an hypothetic "series six".

(1) http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=468:primeval-continues-to-struggle-in-the-ratings&catid=2:cult-sci-fi&Itemid=5

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2011/01/revenge-of-drop-out.html
http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2011/01/primeval-too.html

REVENGE OF THE DROP-OUT

Primeval - Series Four, Episode Two. A woman hears some suspect noise in her home by night and find a small weird looking lizard-like creature. She drops the thing into the toilet and five years later, workmen in an old warehouse must deal with the consequences.

[Spoiler-Free review]

The second of the 13 new episodes of Primeval happily captures the spirit of the first series of the ITV1 sci-fi/adventure show. When it seems that Connor Temple (Andrew-Lee Potts) will not fit within the Anomaly Research Centre as it is now operated, the young man - who spent one year in the Cretaceous with Abby Maitland (Hannah Spearitt), wants to go on from outside the centre with the help of his conspirationist "lone gunman" type friend Duncan (James Bradshaw).

« Oh, Connor. Please stay out of trouble. » (James Lester)

Connor follows Duncan on the trail of trouble in a disused warehouse and ask Abby, now assigned to the ARC's menagerie, for help. The trio and some unwise workmen (« Seriously, you don't want to do that. ») meet an all grown-up version of the creature first found by a woman five years ago and it's back to business for the ARC field team.

Steve Bailie's script is classic but effective, with shades of Primeval's first couple of years. And the return of Duncan (first seen in series one) is a good idea brilliantly handled, thanks to the help of James Bradshaw's performance (« Well, there's hope for us all. ») It looks like a story-arc is developing with Matt (Ciarán McMenamin), his motives and his ties with the mysterious Gideon (Anton Lesser). « It could be anyone of them, » says the man to the ARC team leader. What and who is he talking about and "could" it be the inquisitive Ruth (Jess Kearney)?

Director Mark Everest cleverly takes advantage of the locations and composer Stephen McKeon does a superb job. At this stage we hope that the 7 episodes of "series four" will erase the memory of the preposterous series three.

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2011/01/primeval-too.html

PRIMEVAL TOO?

[21.35 - French Time] Axed by ITV after its third series for financial motives Primeval was resurrected by an unexpected funding deal in september 2009, for 13 new episodes split into "series four" and "series five". ITV1 aired tonight the first episode of the revived show.

[Spoiler-Free review]

The new Primeval started filming in Ireland in March 2010 and the 13 episodes (series four is a 7-episode block) are co-produced by Impossible Pictures, German private channel Prosieben, Ingenious Broadcasting, UKTV's channel Watch and BBC America for ITV/BBC Worldwide. The show is produced in association with Irish film and TV producer Treasure Entertainment with the support of investment incentives for the Irish film industry provided by the Government of Ireland.

Primeval clearly sank with a third series affected by the departure of its star (Douglas Henshall as Nick Cutter), unfortunate cast changes, terrible stories, the total waste of the "mythology" and a poor cliffhanger ending. This fourth series practically starts from scratch with new locations, some new faces and a first episode introduced by a Ben Miller voice over. Miller is one of the remaining Primeval original cast members as James Lester, until now boss of the Anomaly Research Centre (ARC).

Andrew-Lee Potts (Connor Temple), Hannah Spearitt (Abby Maitland) and Ben Mansfield (Becker) are back too but Primeval has a new lead: Irish actor Ciarán McMenamin as Matt Anderson. The character is definitely a far better team leader replacement than Jason Flemyng as Danny Quinn in the previous series. Irish actress Ruth Kearney joins the cast as Jess Parker and should do wonders provided that her character doesn't ask the ARC field team to bow down before an Egyptian croco.

No stranger to popular genre television, the charismatic Alexander Siddig (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) brings his class as wealthy scientist and industrialist Philip Burton. Prospero, Burton's company, is involved with the Anomaly Research Centre in a public/private partnership - much for the annoyance of Lester. Time will tell if the charming but tough businessman reveals himself as a perfect corporate villain, but when Connor and Abby exit from a one-year Cretaceous trap they discover that their workplace is not the old ARC anymore.

And indeed it isn't. The Irish locations brings some fresh air and this series premiere shows a real potential. As long as it can be properly developed past this spectacular exposition episode written by Paul Mousley (with welcome touches of humour) and directed by Mark Everest. There's a revamped intro and nice incidental music by composer Stephen McKeon. Another interesting element is the mysterious Gideon, played by Anton Lesser, who has ties with Matt Anderson.

ITV1 will show Episode 2 tomorrow.

http://www.itv.com/drama/primeval/

See also:

http://stephenmckeon.com/
http://www.filmireland.net/2009/10/06/popular-itv-drama-%E2%80%98primeval%E2%80%99-to-move-filming-to-ireland/