by Kroze Kresky, Media Editor

Over the past few years, the Brits have given us some amazing sci-fi shows, which we have been lacking a lot in recently over here in the Americas. Shows like Doctor Who and Primeval have become BBC America’s bread and butter. Primeval Vol. 3 is comprised of Series 4 and Series 5 of Primeval, which has gained so much of a following in the US that BBC America is helping to co-fund production on the show.

When we last left Danny, Connor, and Abby, they were left stranded in the past after the mission to stop Helen in the Series 3 finale. A whole year has passed since then, and in that year, many changes to the ARC project have happened (including the project being put under new management). Philip Burton, a enterprising scientist now co-owns the project along with the goverment, and a replacement team has been brought in to make up for the loss of the previous one. The new team is headed up by an ex-soldier named Matt who’s past continues to haunt him, Jess who runs ARC Command Center and Commander Becker who used to work with the military and now heads up Security. 

Episode Highlights:

While there were many fantastic moments during the course of Series 4 and 5, there few episodes stand out as just being the most memorable and/or fun of the set:

Episode 1:

Connor and Abby have been trapped in the past for nearly a year now trying to survive. Just when all hope is looking lost for the pair, they stumble across one of Helen’s anomoly opening devices. Seeing this as the perfect way to get back home, they are about to use it when they get attacked by a Spinosaurus. Abby quickly makes a distraction and the two escape through the tear in space and time… being intercepted by a brand new team from the ARC Center, sent out to deal with the anomolies and the creatures that typically make their way through. Connor tries to prove he knows how to handle anomolies himself when he accidently brings the Spinosaurus through by opening up the portal…messing up everything. Connor and Abby return to present day ARC Command Center where they find out all is not how they left it. The Center is now being headed up by a man named Phillip Burton (who seems to be up to something) and in their absence they find that they have been replaced with a brand new team. This episode is the perfect jumping on point for new viewers as they go over everything to catch people up while setting up everything coming up within the upcoming episodes!

Episode 3:

When three time travelers from the 19th century show up (with one of them immedately dying soon after) followed by a monster in the present day, it creates unforseen problems for the ARC crew. One of the travelers named Emily is rescued by Matt as they try to figure out who she is. When Matt stumbles onto the truth, a monster they had previously thought sealed attacks. Emily offers her assistance in capturing the monster on the one condition that Matt lets her go back through the anomoly. Matt agrees but quickly realizes that he can’t take her to ARC or it will just lead to questions. She is forced to secretly live with Matt with both not knowing that the third time traveler Ethan is watching and plans to get revenge on Emily for the death of his girlfriend.

Episode 8:

It has been a few months since we last saw the ARC team. In the Series 5 premiere, Matt, Abby, Connor, and Becker must face a new threat from an underground creature that is tearing up the city. How can they stop a creature they can’t see? Also, if there haven’t been any anomalies detected, where did this creature come from? Series 5 starts out strong, getting the gang back into action against a new underground and unidentified threat from time. Beside the creature of the week, we learn that Connor has been working with Philip Burton on his secret project: New Dawn. Burton reveals that this project uses energy from the anomalies themselves as power, and could potentially supply the world with a new limitless energy source! Meanwhile, the rest of the team continues to track the new creature, and we find that Matt seems to have a large amount of knowledge about this unidentified creature. When Abby confronts him regarding this knowledge, she is quickly dismissed. Determined to learn the truth, she forces Matt to explain, and we finally get the information that we have been waiting for since Series 4: Matt IS from the future and he is here to stop the dystopian future from occurring. How can he accomplish his goal: STOP NEW DAWN! Will Abby help Matt with his goal? And what role does Connor play in the destruction of life as we know it?