Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #637 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-06-01
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 450 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Let season three of Primeval finally be known as the point when it managed to fully gel together. Unfairly dismissed in recent years as ITV’s attempt to rival the BBC’s Doctor Who juggernaut, and also as a monster of the week blockbuster, the show’s third series adds plenty of meat to the proverbial bones.

At heart, Primeval remains vibrant Saturday night entertainment, and very good entertainment at that. Each episode is action-packed, and boasts steadily improving special effects, as different creatures from time continue to appear in the present day. However, for Nick Cutter and his team, there’s a deeper problem, with a conspiracy to uncover alongside the various monsters to survive.

And it’s the underlying narrative that really strengthens this series of Primeval. Taken aside, the individual episodes are welcome slices of entertainment in their own right. But as Cutter and his team begin to unravel things around them, the show builds up to a compelling and interesting climax. It’s, as a result, an increasingly confident show, and one that’s willing and capable when it comes to throwing major twists and turns into the pot. With rumours now of a big screen version in the works, Primeval goes from strength to strength, and season four simply can’t come soon enough. --Jon Foster

DVD Description
The Primeval team are back and Nick Cutter is fighting to re-focus his embattled team who are still reeling from Stephen’s death and the scale of Helen’s betrayal. Cutter’s crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC’s security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost impossible. With events getting even wilder, creatures steeped in ancient folklore begin to make an appearance and it becomes clear that the origins of myths and legends are linked with the mysterious anomalies. But it’s not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with; the cloak of secrecy behind which they have been working is beginning to slip and questions are being asked as the conspiracy spreads its net wide. And as deadlier creatures continue to rampage through the anomalies – the team faces a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself..

DVD EXTRAS:
Cutter’s Odyssey
Genesis of a Creature
AUDIO Commentaries

Customer Reviews

Primeval and the Farscape syndrome
So ITV have axed Primeval at its peak? Just shows that they don't have a clue about real entertainment value. Game shows and "reality TV" seems to be their forte these days and will probably be for a long time to come. The fact that Primeval is gaining excellent reviews in the USA, where sci-fi shows bite the dust with alarming regularity, should be an indicator to its true worth. OK, Primeval isn't the most logical programme on TV - some of the science is decidedly offish - but look again at one of the most popular sci-fi series ever - Space:1999 - and you will realise that this isn't too important to a whole lot of people. Primeval has fast plots, humour and likeable characters. You can watch it with the kids and not be worried about the content, but it still has enough bite - literally sometimes - to keep adult interest. Series 3 is sometimes infuriating, sometimes exciting, sometimes even thought provoking and shows great promise for a potential future series or two. The production values vary a lot and the special effects are sometimes less than state of the art - so what? - Doctor Who has had some very shaky moments, but is still with us. This is because the stories are good and rise above the limitations of budget and wobbly sets. Despite having minimal extras, this is a cracking DVD set and will certainly be a mainstay of my late night viewing for a while to come. As for the future of the show... There was once a TV series called Farscape which got axed on a cliff-hanger ending. The fans didn't give up and roll over, but kept on lobbying for another series. Eventually a mini-series was made to round it off. Email ITV to tell them how much money is to be made through selling abroad and merchandising as this seems to be their criteria for successful TV. Email the sponsors to tell them your thoughts about a programme that they are presumably funding to promote their product. Email the makers of the show to show support. Eventually something will have to give - even a telemovie special to resolve the cliff-hanger would be better than the rough edge we have at present.

Brilliant 3rd series! Shame about the DVD extras.
The third series of Primeval is the best so far. So, if you liked any of what you've seen so far, then you'll love it! Great action, super effects, Helen Cutter snarling and sexy and, of course, super creatures. I won't spoil the surprise, but expect some 'old skool' dinos towards the end. Great stuff. Plus, Nigel Marvin gets eaten. Result. I'll also add that the Danny Quinn (the wonderful Jason Flemyng) brings a lot of 'Pertwee Era' action to the series, with chases, jeeps, helicopters, guns...the works, basically. So, go on, give Primeval another go. It's nowhere near as bad as Demons, or the recent Doctor Who stories, and needs our support. Long live the Ark.

Don't let Primeval become extinct!
This third series of Primeval is longer than before - 10 episodes - which is great news, as the writing and the graphics are as good as ever. There are some surprises as the episodes go by, and the shake-up of cast members ensures that the show is kept fresh and interesting. Adding an actor to the opening credits before they are dramatically revealed isn't one of their better ideas, but that's the only real thing I can complain about. The story arc this season is fantastically good - and the finale is extremely dramatic.

Sadly, this is actually the last series, as - almost unbelievably if you didn't know that they're making severe cutbacks - ITV have now axed the show.

In recent television history, only two British science fiction shows have been of high enough quality to beat the North Americans at their own game, and those are Doctor Who and Primeval. It's so sad that ITV - a limp organisation with no ambition - have chosen not to even bother trying to replicate the international success of shows such as Stargate SG-1 (not an American series incidentally - it's produced by Canada, so why can't we do the same for the Americans with Primeval?). Despite favourable reviews from American TV critics, if it's not a gameshow format ITV are not interested in pushing it. Why the British audience should pay the price for their indifference is beyond me - if this show was taken up by a major US network it would undoubtedly be a hit. I can only hope Sky, Channel 5 or some other channel picks it up. Please, don't let Primeval become extinct!