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FOUND: A LOST WORLD

by Jason P. Hunt

So, the FedEx package arrives, and inside is the DVD set for “Primeval” Volume Two, which collects season three of the show (go figure…). As excited as I was about watching these and writing a review, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to catch up, having not seen the first episodes of the story.

My concerns were laid to rest in the first episode of this set.

Continuing the adventures of Professor Nick Cutter and his crew, “Primeval” picks up after the death of Stephen Hart, introducing the addition of cast members Laila Rouass and Ben Mansfield. As they continue attempting to decrypt the anomalies, the clock keeps ticking as Helen Cutter moves forward with her own plan to destroy the ARC and Cutter’s research. Along the way, Cutter figures out that many of the reported sightings of creatures (such as the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot) are part of a pattern throughout history, and with the help of Dr. Page (Rouass), he makes a 3-D model of the anomaly pattern.  

Then the series does something I wasn’t expecting, and would rarely find in an American series: they kill off the main character. The death of Nick Cutter would normally be something you’d expect to see in a season finale here on this side of the pond, but “Primeval” is a British program (or should that be programme?), so they do things a little differently. And it’s refreshing to see.  

The addition of Jason Flemyng as the irreverent Danny Quinn, the team’s new leader, is a fun bit. Quinn is a lot different from Jekyll/Hyde from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is the last place I saw him. He brings a completely different dynamic to the team, with more energy and even more of a glint in his eye.  

Production values are high. The special effects could be a bit better, but most of the time it’s really good, especially when we’re talking Jurassic Park on a television budget (which was apparently more than ITV could handle…). The creatures are believable, and the anomaly effect is pretty impressive. Even knowing how they do some of the effects from my own work in film, it’s a fun ride. I was very easily able to suspend disbelief.  

The ending of the season is very satisfying, from a story arc standpoint, bringing the Cutter saga to a close and leaving the door wide open for the Quinn-led team to have new adventures.  

Of course, there’s that whole thing about most of the team being trapped in the past. But they should be able to work that out, yeah?  

The DVD set includes 3 discs in a wraparound sleeve. Good artwork, but it’s a little skimpy on the special features – only two commentaries and two behind-the-scenes featurettes. The piece on Nick Cutter was a bit thin, but it served its purpose of giving the character a send-off. The other segment on the creature contest winner – 16-year-old Carim Nahaboo – was a nice trip through the process of designing and realizing a creature in the FX shop.  

“Primeval” Volume Two is now available.

8 out of 10

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PRIMEVAL, VOL. 2
Own it on DVD
Now Available

starring

DOUGLAS HENSHALL
JASON FLEMYNG
LUCY BROWN
ANDREW-LEE POTTS
HANNAH SPEARITT
BEN MILLER
JULIET AUBREY
LAILA ROUASS
BEN MANSFIELD

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