Death by dinosaur spreads across the Atlantic to Vancouver – providing answers that industrialist Evan Cross has been seeking for some years…

The idea of a North American version of Primeval has been around for some considerable time, and has almost become one of those things that fans hoped for but never seriously expected to see. But it’s here, and it’s quite definitely a continuation of the series that has been watched around the world for the past six years.

You don’t need to have seen any of the original show to understand what’s going on here: Niall Matter’s Evan Cross pulls his team together in this opening episode, as the truth starts to become apparent, and the briefings that Mac and Dylan receive plus the discoveries they all make along the way fill in the picture. There are lots of unanswered issues though – flashbacks towards the end of the episode pose a load more questions that hopefully the series will answer (although long term fans may guess some of them).

We don’t really know what Connor Temple (or rather, as he is here, the unnamed mystery man with a British accent) is doing in Vancouver, apart from giving some sage advice which, frankly, is more likely to get someone like Evan Cross more fired up than it is to stop him. And Evan himself is keeping secrets from his own team…

With two constituencies to answer to – newbies and long-term fans – the balance in the script works well. It’s more gory than its forebear (it gets a 14 rating in Canada) but that’s no bad thing. Add in a set of effects that match the original in terms of design, and you’ve got a cracking start.

Verdict: There may be a new team battling the monsters, but Primeval is back! 7/10

Paul Simpson

3 Comments »

Leave a comment