Primeval: Series 5, Episode 4 – Dork Review

For the whole of series four and five (which, to be honest, are a single thirteen-episode run), Primeval has been drawing out a storyline involving the clearly evil scientist Philip Burton and whether he is evil. Well, this week they’re finally ready to talk about it.

So will this be long-awaited catharsis, or redundantly telling us what we already know? (That was deliberate redundancy for comic effect, as is this.)

“My God! The Insect Failsafe Has Been Activated!”

Not that we get far into the Philip storyline yet; we have two more episodes left, after all. This week’s main course involves our heroes being locked in the ARC whilst prehistoric beetles attack, and if you’re thinking “Say, Nick, didn’t you predict a lockdown episode a couple of weeks ago?”, then yes, I did didn’t I?

So, to save the precious budget, it’s claustrophobia time; actually, having a character declare themselves claustrophobic is the one cliché they don’t pull out. But the rest is textbook lockdown material; there’s the usual “failsafe” threatening to kill everyone, plus a sick character stranded without medication. Poor Jess, nothing to do all series, then her big turn in the spotlight extends to lying down and playing feverish. At least she does quite well at it.

Did A Beetle Gnaw These Plot Holes?

Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the drama was tempered by some gaping plot problems. Connor opens an anomaly in his lab and the alarm goes off (Why did it not go off when he did the same thing last week?), but it’s okay because the anomaly is too small for a dinosaur to fit through. (Why does “genius” Connor not remember that small prehistoric creatures exist?) Later, an determined Matt tries to destroy the technology by shooting Connor’s computer. (Why does he not destroy the equipment itself? Well, because it is required for a later scene.)

These niggles mounted up as the episode went on, and left me dissatisfied by the central story, as well as the fact Emily didn’t get much to do. At least we’re getting some subplot momentum, a mere week after I complained about the lack of same. Hopefully, now that our heroes are lined up against Philip, we will get a big conclusive two-parter as they take him down.

As we approach the climax of a year in Primeval, let us know below how they might pay it off. Will someone die? Will it be Becker or Jess, who have barely said anything this series? Discuss.

More Primeval on Dork Adore | Primeval: Series 5, Episode 1 – Dork Review

Nick Bryan

Nick learned to read and write at an early age. This has developed into an unhealthy need to either write stories or consume them for later dissection. He reviews film and TV on Dork Adore and The Digital Fix, lives in London and enjoys a nice white beer.

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