Primeval: New World - Season 1 - DVD

Content: The primeval monsters of Primeval are at it again. With the anomalies in England closed, a Canadian team must now contend with hungry dinosaurs and other creatures that find their way to the present through time portals. Inventor Evan Cross (Niall Matter) lost his wife to a dinosaur some time ago. Since then, he has been trying to unravel the mystery of the anomalies with a company he founded specifically for the purpose, Cross Photonics. Together with animal behavior expert Dylan Weir (Sara Canning), security specialist Mac Rendell (Danny Rahim), former government agent Lieutenant Ken Leeds (Geoff Gustafson) and genius technician Toby Nance (Crystal Lowe), Evan wants to protect the world as best he can from the prehistoric monsters. His business partner Ange Finch (Miranda Frigon) makes sure in the background that he always has the necessary financial means. But as the anomalies pile up and the attacks of the prehistoric creatures claim more and more victims, it becomes increasingly difficult for Evan and his team to keep the existence of this danger a secret...

Nearly a year after the British series Primeval - Return of the Primeval Monsters came to an end, a North American spin-off was launched with Primeval: New World. The concept of the original was largely retained, with different locations and a new team to provide a bit of a breath of fresh air. In addition, the effects can really be seen in most cases, which significantly increases the fun factor of this spin-off. The fact that the series still can't entertain quite as well as its predecessor is therefore certainly not due to the innovations, which should be made a little more accessible to fans by two guest appearances by Andrew Lee Potts from the original series. Rather, it's simply because, despite all efforts, familiar material has nonetheless simply been reheated with a few new ingredients, and the end result just doesn't taste quite as fresh or surprising.

However, this first - and, unfortunately, only - season of Primeval: New World is far from being a disappointing or even weak series. In addition to the aforementioned special effects, which show off some of the dangerous primeval monsters to good effect, the thirteen episodes also boast some genuinely exciting stories and likeable main characters. The monsters have to be fought on land, under water or in the air, in the present or in the past - and this always makes for visually successful and thrillingly staged adventures. Fantasy, action, suspense and a bit of humor - these are the ingredients with which this production can convince. Genre-experienced writers and directors, among whom is also Stargate star Amanda Tapping, also ensure that fans of sci-fi / fantasy series here fully get their money's worth.

Although the dramaturgy and the character drawing sometimes seem a bit clichéd and the dialogues are certainly not award-worthy, the relatively low ratings that led to the cancellation of the series are absolutely not justified. Because despite its weaknesses, Primeval: New World is very successful TV entertainment, which presents itself not only technically on a good level. Therefore: who liked the original series or series with fantasy and sci-fi elements generally appreciates, can confidently go with Evan Cross and his team on the hunt for bloodthirsty prehistoric beasts. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Picture and sound quality of the series are on a good TV level. The picture is sharp and allows even smaller details to be seen well, especially in the brighter outdoor scenes. The colors are powerfully mixed and also the tuning of the contrasts can convince. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio has some nice surround effects to offer. The dialogue is powerfully mixed, but seems a little more harmonious in the original English version embedded in the tonal events, as in the German language version. Overall, the audiovisual realization of the series has earned a satisfied good!

Extras: The DVD box has a few nice extras to offer. So there are on all three discs to the episodes 1-10 short making of documentaries (jew. zw. 1:30 and 2:30 min.), in which a look at the filming is thrown. These are very brief, but overall very entertaining and informative. Then on the third DVD there is an additional short documentary about the cast (approx. 6 mins), as well as a visit to the set of Cross Photonics (approx. 1 min). All in all, not particularly extensive, but well worth watching for Primeval fans!

Conclusion: Primeval: New World is an entertaining spin-off of the popular British series Primeval - Return of the Primeval Monsters. The North American production continues the concept of the original, which was discontinued in 2011, in a consistent manner. And even if the entertainment level of the British predecessor can not quite be achieved, the 13 episodes can score overall with good effects, exciting stories and a sympathetic team. If you liked the original and appreciate entertaining fantasy entertainment, you will be well entertained with this series. Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp