Paleontologist Dr. Nick Cutter finds his attention drawn to a recent sighting of a “monster” near the Forest of Dean. Initially setting out to debunk it as a hoax, Cutter and his assistant, Stephen Hart, stumble upon evidence that something roughly the size and weight of a dinosaur has been active in the forest. Recently laid-off zoo employee Abby Maitland, following up on a letter from a young boy who needs help with an unusual lizard, makes a house call and discovers that the lizard in question is a new species. Asking the creature’s owner to show her where it was found, Abby also wanders into the Forest of Dean, stumbling upon Cutter’s expedition just as an enormous creature moves past them. The discovery of a glowing portal, hanging in the air, throws Cutter’s entire conception of science into chaos: the portal leads to what appears to be prehistoric Earth, from which the creatures – both large and small – are originating. The British government soon gets involved, over Cutter’s objections; the scientist now thinks his missing wife (long presumed dead) may have wandered through one of the anomalies, and intends to explore the past and look for her. The government, in the person of Sir James Lester, is far more interested in sealing off what could be the biggest threat to public safety ever known.
written by Adrian Hodges
directed by Cilla Ware
music by Dominik Scherrer
Cast: Juliet Aubrey (Helen Cutter), Douglas Henshall (Nick Cutter), James Murray (Stephen Hart), Andrew-Lee Potts (Connor Temple), Hannah Spearritt (Abby Maitland), John Voce (Tim Parker), Mike Goodenough (Dave Greene), Gail Kemp (Mary Trent), Jack Montgomery (Ben Trent), Lucy Brown (Claudia Brown), Mark Wakeling (Capt. Tom Ryan), Ben Miller (Sir James Lester), Jane Cameron (Teacher)
Notes: Devised by Adrian Hodge and Tim Haines, creators and producers of the popular Walking With Dinosaurs documentary series, Primeval not only offered a new venue for the realistic CGI dinosaurs that had become a hallmark of their work, but was also ITV’s most popular attempt to create a science fiction series to rival the BBC’s revival of Doctor Who. Ironically, it was BBC America that gave Primeval exposure in the US.
LogBook entry by Earl Green