Primeval (TV series)
A team battles creatures from time anomalies.
Primeval is a British science fiction television series produced for ITV by Impossible Pictures. It follows a team of scientists investigating temporal anomalies that bring prehistoric and futuristic creatures into the present, while also confronting a terrorist plot to end the world. Created by Tim Haines and Adrian Hodges, the series ran for five series from 2007 to 2011.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Science fiction; Drama
- Creator
- Tim Haines; Adrian Hodges
- Starring
- See List of Primeval characters
- Composer
- Dominik Scherrer
- Series 1–3, James Hannigan
- Series 3, Angus Moncrieff
- Series 3, Stephen McKeon
- Series 4–5
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Company
- Impossible Pictures
- ITV Studios
- ProSieben
- Treasure Entertainment
- M6 Films
- Series
- 5
Facts from the source article.
Production
Tim Haines, who studied zoology and had a background in science journalism, created the nature documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs (1999) while at the BBC. That series used extensive special effects to depict dinosaurs as animals in natural environments and became the most watched science programme in British television history. While working on it, Haines conceived the idea of using similar technology for a science fiction drama. The BBC wanted a recognisable property, leading Haines to produce The Lost World (2001), an adaptation of the Arthur Conan Doyle novel. Its success demonstrated that the technology could create entertaining Hollywood-esque stories. In 2002, Haines co-founded Impossible Pictures. Inspirations included the science fiction films of Ray Harryhausen, fossil ghost lineages, Jurassic Park, and King Kong. Commentators have also suggested influences from Doctor Who, Lost, Stargate, and Quatermass.
Episodes
The first series follows Professor Nick Cutter and his associates Stephen Hart, Connor Temple, and Abby Maitland as they investigate anomalies allowing creatures from the distant past or future to threaten citizens. Cutter's wife Helen, presumed dead for eight years, is revealed to have been travelling in time. After returning from the past, Cutter finds Claudia erased from time and the team operating from the Anomaly Research Centre, with a new PR agent Jenny Lewis. Abby and Connor grow closer, but Connor dates Caroline Steel, who has a hidden agenda. Oliver Leek secretly works with Helen, planning to use creatures for political power. In the third series, Cutter seeks ways to predict anomalies. Lester faces rival Christine Johnson, who wants to use anomalies for military purposes. Helen invades the ARC with clones and kills Cutter, who is replaced as team leader by Danny Quinn, a former police detective whose brother was killed by a future creature.
Reception and legacy
Primeval received enthusiastic reactions during its original broadcast, becoming a critical and audience hit. It was successful internationally, airing in over 30 countries and becoming popular in the United States and South Korea. On Metacritic, it scored 72, indicating generally favourable reviews. Though some later commentators felt it never fully realised its potential, the series is fondly remembered as one of the greatest British science fiction series and is often described as a cult series. Some reviewers found the first series' characters insufficiently developed and scripts clichéd, but it overcame early dismissals as a Doctor Who ripoff, with critics agreeing it was unique. The first series was praised for its overall story arc. Reception for the second series was more lukewarm, with differing opinions on effects and writing, though the two-part finale was more universally positive.
Other media
Primeval was accompanied by novelisations of episodes and original novels with new stories. The original novels placed the team in new locations and situations, often telling stories the producers wished to do for the TV series but could not achieve with their budget. The book Extinction Event by Dan Abnett was a storyline they wanted to film but would require a feature film-level budget. The storylines were created through producers telling writers stories they wanted to do and writers pitching their own. The novels were written to avoid large-scale impacts on the TV series plotlines but kept within overall continuity. A Canadian spinoff, Primeval: New World, was announced in September 2011 for the Canadian channel Space, co-produced by Omni Film Productions, Impossible Pictures, and Bell Media. Production began in Vancouver in winter 2011. It was not a direct continuation but continued the mythology with cameo appearances, envisioned as older, darker, and scarier. It was cancelled after one 13-episode season due to poor ratings. An American film adaptation was announced in May 2009, with Warner Bros. acquiring screen rights. The film was to combine dinosaur elements and time travel, set in the United States with new characters but similar roles. The script was to be written by Jeff Pinkner; Haines and Hodges could cancel the deal if they disapproved. Production was planned for 2010, but the script was still being revised in 2011, and a finished script never materialised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Primeval (TV series)?
Primeval stars See List of Primeval characters.
How many episodes of Primeval (TV series) are there?
Primeval has 36 episodes across 5 seasons.
When did Primeval (TV series) first air?
Primeval first aired on 10 February 2007.
When did Primeval (TV series) end?
Primeval last aired on 5 February 2011.
More in British Television Series About Time Travel
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced