# Is Primeval worth watching? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554 "2011-09-07T23:16:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/1 "2011-09-07T23:16:37Z")
British tv show, roughly 5 seasons (BBC-style short-ass seasons, but seasons). Hannah Spearritt & Andrew-Lee Potts are some pretty peoples. I could use some fluffy eye-candy. I’ve liked or tolerated Tin Man, NuWho, first season of Torchwood (got way too depressing for me after that) and the Sarah Jane Adventures (don’t judge me, man!) Is it worth the time to find and watch? The last post in the last Primeval thread was over a year ago - I think it’s better to avoid zombies. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/2 "2011-09-07T23:32:15Z")
Not really. First it’s your usual cgi-monster-of-the-week show, very, very formulaic, then it tries to get complex with time travel and alternative dimensions, but not in a clever way and it just makes the whole concept a ridiculous mess. Then you’ll stop watching. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/3 "2011-09-07T23:35:15Z")
Hannah Spearit is pretty much the only reason to watch that show, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/4 "2011-09-07T23:51:18Z")
There is some eye candy in the first few episodes, but it devolves pretty quickly after that. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/5 "2011-09-08T00:01:57Z")
So…a Limey “Sliders” then? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/6 "2011-09-08T00:35:39Z")
The last couple of seasons, both of which came out this year for some reason, the CGI has been amazing. But the storylines have been disappointing dreck. It’s just horrible, now. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/7 "2011-09-08T01:55:27Z")
I haven’t seen the seasons that came out this year but I love the others. I always have it in my Netflix instant queue for the times when I want some mindless fun. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/8 "2011-09-08T01:59:05Z")
I watched it and it’s OK, but someone here pointed out how implausible it is that only a half a dozen random people seem to be involved in investigating something as extraordinary (and dangerous) as the phenomenon occurring in the show. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/9 "2011-09-08T02:34:53Z")
How do you feel about the Jurassic Park movies? If you are the sort who nitpicked the movies, Primeval is not for you. If you enjoy watching people running away from dinosaurs, you’ll enjoy it. And if you like hot British guys, there are three of 'em - Potts, Mansfield, and Murray. I love Primeval, but I also adore Jurassic Park…and Andrew-Lee Potts. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/10 "2011-09-08T11:24:51Z")
It’s shit, but strangely enjoyable shit. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/11 "2011-09-08T15:31:30Z")
I got through the first two series, but then I realized that I dreaded the thought of having to watch series 3. It became a chore rather than entertainment. So I quit. It’s really pretty bad. It might work OK for a preteen - the kind of kid who, in my day, would have loved The A-Team. For adults, the acting, writing, and SFX are all pretty grim. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/12 "2011-09-08T22:42:44Z")
Potts drives me crazy and he gets WAY too much screen time, but overall there’s nice eye candy for us girls and it’s a harmless way to spend 50 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/13 "2011-09-08T23:16:53Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > It’s shit, but strangely enjoyable shit. I’d agree with this, it played Sunday afternoons here and that was the perfect slot for it. The kid was 10 when she saw the episode with the killer mold and she’s still freaked out, so it passes the Doctor Who - Hide Behind the Couch test. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/14 "2011-09-09T06:12:11Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Hannah Spearit **prancing about in her underwear** is pretty much the only reason to watch that show, sadly. Fixed your post. You’re welcome. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/15 "2011-09-10T05:26:38Z")
I ran across some clips on YouTube totally by accident… I would love to see it, it looks like my kinda show! ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/16 "2011-09-10T05:37:30Z")
Don’t take it too seriously, but I enjoyed it all. The CGI creatures come from the same gang who did “Walking with Dinosaurs.” I think they’re pretty good effects. My favorite moments, though, are when James Lester, the Home Office bureaucrat in charge, gets all British and sarcastic. He’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/17 "2011-09-10T06:44:59Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > My favorite moments, though, are when James Lester, the Home Office bureaucrat in charge, gets all British and sarcastic. He’s hilarious. Played by Ben Miller, one half of the hilarious comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, though he’s much funnier in their show than in Primeval. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/18 "2011-09-10T07:18:02Z")
The CGI is surprisingly good considering it’s a TV series - UK series no less. Better than many films, surprisingly. The storyline and characters are entertaining for the first few seasons. Then they start randomly killing off everyone (or stranding them in time) and introducing new people. Every. Season. But then old people show up again! But then leave again. I think there’s one season left to go. They had suddenly cancelled things on a cliffhanger unexpectedly. But then they got more money. Hopefully they’ll have proper notice when it’s the REAL last season so they can wrap up the storyline. tl;dr: First two or three seasons are good - the rest depend on whether they end up getting to do a real resolution. Wait and see, or take your chances. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/19 "2011-09-10T13:35:30Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > The storyline and characters are entertaining for the first few seasons. > > Then they start randomly killing off everyone (or stranding them in time) and introducing new people. Every. Season. > > But then old people show up again! But then leave again. That’s a common problem in long-running British series. I think it has something to do with how they write contracts. In the US, they’ll typically sign all the actors to 7-season deals right off, in case it goes that long. In the UK, it seems to be much more series-to-series. See also Spooks, Hustle. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554/20 "2011-09-11T18:09:12Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I watched it and it’s OK, but someone here pointed out how implausible it is that only a half a dozen random people seem to be involved in investigating something as extraordinary (and dangerous) as the phenomenon occurring in the show. I remember thinking the same thing about _Torchwood_ – if there’s a rift in time and space spilling out weird and frequently dangerous materials, it’d be nice if we had more than just a handful of people minding it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primeval-worth-watching/595554.md?page=2)