The hit BBC series Primeval returns for Season Four starting on New Years Day! Check out the new press release from BBC.
Be warned…there are many spoilers regarding the new season!
New Year’s Day marks a new beginning for acclaimed sci-fi series Primeval, when it premieres in the U.S. on BBC AMERICA, the same day as its UK broadcast. Returning to screens thanks to a unique international collaboration, including new co-producer BBC AMERICA, the series delivers ambitious adventures and opens the franchise to new audiences. From the creators of Walking With Dinosaurs and Survivors, Primeval sees the arrival of new faces and headquarters, along with the surprise return of some notable guest stars from earlier seasons. Primeval premieres Saturday, January 1, 9:00pm ET/PT.
When rips in time called anomalies started opening across the UK, dangerous creatures from the past and future began appearing in the most unexpected places, endangering lives and putting the whole of humanity at risk. A crack team of specialists were appointed by the government to deal with these “creature incursions.” This job has proven deadly for multiple team members and threats continue to escalate.
Ciarán McMenamin (Jericho, Demons), Alexander Siddig (Clash of the Titans, 24, Syriana, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and young Irish actress Ruth Kearney join the team at the Anomaly Research Center (ARC)after the government loses faith in Home Office official Lester’s (Ben Miller) ability to run such a dangerous and expensive operation on his own. The anomaly operation is now a public/private partnership, part-owned by the government, and partly by charismatic scientist Philip Burton (Siddig).
With Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts, Alice), Abby (Hannah Spearritt) and Danny (Jason Flemyng, X-Men: First Class, Snatch) trapped in the past at the end of season three, the ARC has found new recruits to take their place: Matt (McMenamin), the new field leader, who’s more than just an ex-soldier. He’s a zoologist, with an uncanny ability to understand animals. A private man, Matt carefully guards the secrets of his past and the real reason he joined the team. Unconventional Jess (Kearney) now runs operations from the ARC Control Centre. She is highly efficient and her work ethic is second to none, though she is human enough to nurse an unrequited crush on Captain Becker (Ben Mansfield).
The new season picks up approximately one year after the last season ended – Abby and Connor finally escape from the Cretaceous period, only to be followed by a giant Spinosaurus, the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs. A new ARC team springs into action, leaving Abby and Connor’s place within the team in jeopardy while their former leader Danny is still missing.
Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, commented: “Primeval has always had a passionate following on BBC AMERICA. Our audiences loved the series so much that we simply had to save the show from extinction. New Year’s Day marks a new era not only for Primeval but for BBC AMERICA with a line up of fantastic Saturday night drama that will take us up to the summer and beyond. 2011 will bring BBC AMERICA viewers face-to-face with prehistoric monsters, clones and aliens, ghosts and the odd Timelord or two!”
Primeval returns to BBC AMERICA for two new seasons in 2011, thanks to an innovative deal between Impossible Pictures Limited (IPL), BBC Worldwide (BBCW) and ITV. Original co-production partners ITV, ProSieben and BBC Worldwide return to co-fund the new series, with BBC Worldwide becoming the majority funding partner. BBC AMERICA, is a full co-production credit for the first time and UKTV is a first-time investor.
Along with Primeval’s premiere overthe holidays, there will be two Doctor Who U.S. premieres on Christmas Day. Doctor Who Prom, a live concert featuring stars Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as hosts, airs Saturday, December 25, 1:00pm ET/PT and this year’s special, Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol with guest star Harry Potter’s Michael Gambon, airs that night at 9:00pm ET/PT.
For up-to-the-minute information on BBC AMERICA, forthcoming U.S. premieres, art work and news from the channel, log on to www.press.bbcamerica.com.
BBC AMERICAbrings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies, life-changing makeovers and a whole new world of nonfiction. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 68 million homes.
CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Matt Anderson Ciarán McMenamin
Connor Temple Andrew-Lee Potts
Abby Maitland Hannah Spearritt
Captain Becker Ben Mansfield
Jess Parker
James Lester Ben Miller
Philip Burton Alexander Siddig
Danny
Producer
Co-Creators and
Executive Producers Tim Haines
Adrian Hodges
ABOUT PRIMEVAL
Primeval is an action-packed, special effects-laden thriller in which the past, the present and the future collide. Stated by co-creators and executive producers Tim Haines and Adrian Hodges at the start of this series, “we passionately believe that the best special effects in the world mean little unless they are coupled to an exciting and compelling human story. Our series is as much, or more, about the people who come into contact with our creatures as it is about the beasts themselves. This is a story about all kinds of human emotions – grief, love, laughter, fear and courage.”
SEASON SYNOPSIS
Season four picks up approximately 12 months after the end of season 3.
One year after the death of Johnson and the disappearance of three key ARC personnel (Danny, Connor and Abby), the government lost faith in Lester’s abilities to run such a dangerous and expensive operation on his own. They placed the ARC in the hands of a public/private partnership, part-owned by the government, and partly by entrepreneurial scientist Philip Burton (think Richard Branson with a microscope). The ARC now operates from the industrial complex which houses Philip’s scientific empire – an estate of buildings with all the hustle and bustle of a thriving scientific community. As with any public/private partnership, there’s tension over who’s really in charge – Lester still runs the day-to-day operation but begrudgingly, he realizes that Philip will want involvement in the operation when it suits him.
Following Connor, Abby and Danny’s departure, the ARC found new recruits to take their place: Matt, new field leader, now handles the incursions. He’s more than just an ex-soldier; he’s a zoologist, with an uncanny ability to understand animals. A private man, Matt carefully guards the secrets of his past – and the real reason he has joined the ARC team. Unconventional Jess now runs operations from the ARC Control Centre – highly efficient and organized, her work ethic is second to none, though she is human enough to nurse an unrequited crush on Captain Becker. Becker reigned from the military when the ARC was destroyed, and has lived with a sense of responsibility for the original team going missing. He now works as Head of Security for the ARC. They come complete with new uniforms, and most importantly to Matt, new taser guns which avoid killing the creatures.
During the year they spent stranded in the Cretaceous, Connor and Abby eked out an existence by eating roots and grubs and learning when to run fast from the creatures that threaten their lives. It’s an experience that has brought them closer together, in every sense. But their time there has taken its toll…both emotionally and physically. Abby, always the most practical one of the two, has adapted to her new surroundings slightly better than Connor, who was always happier around technological comforts than out in the wild. But neither are prepared for the changes that have happened to the ARC since they left in search of Helen one year ago…
Danny, the only outstanding member of the original team, returns in episode 7, where his revelations will have a profound effect on the ARC and its team. He has struggled through life in the Rift Valley and several other eras, and has fought to find a way back after discovering a secret the team needs to know. His return is greeted with shock and happiness, but he soon makes the decision to return to the wilderness of the anomalies, in search of his lost brother.
EPISODE SYNPOSES
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
Episode One
After a year in the Cretaceous, Abby and Connor finally escape through an anomaly to their own time after finding a lost anomaly device in a raptor’s bower, only to be followed through by a giant Spinosaurus, the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs. Soon accosted by a brand new ARC team, they manoeuvre the creature into a massive arena, where, dangling from the roof, Connor accidentally drops the device into the Spinosaurus, imploding it from the inside. But being away for so long has left Connor and Abby out of the loop, and they soon find their ARC jobs in jeopardy…
Premieres Saturday, January 1, 9:00pm ET/PT
Episode Two
When Connor looks up old friends Duncan, he doesn’t expect to find him obsessed with creature sightings. Warning him of the elusive dock creature, the pair track it down to the docks, only to find evidence of a fresh kill. With Abby and Matt arriving to help, they find the creature after a tense chase through a container yard. Will Connor’s quick-thinking and bravery earn him back his place on the team?
Premieres Saturday, January 8, 9:00pm ET/PT
Episode Three
A mysterious group comes through an anomaly in a theatre, unknowingly followed by deadly tree creatures. As they attempt to escape, Matt inadvertently brings one of the group – Emily – back against her will. She promises to help him find the creature, in return for going back through the anomaly. In a frantic chase through the city, they track the creature down, only to discover the anomaly has closed, leaving Emily stranded.
Premieres Saturday, January 15, 9:00pm ET/PT
Episodes Four – Seven
To be released at a later date.
CREATURES
Episode One
Spinosaurus – Spinosaurus is the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs, even larger than Tyrannosaurus Rex and Giganotosaurus. The distinctive spines of Spinosaurus, which were long extensions of the vertebrae, grew up to 2m long and were likely to have had skin connecting them, forming a sail-like structure.
Dracorex- Last seen in Season 3 Episode 7, the team rescued the Dracorex after it was injured in a fight with the knight, only for its anomaly to close. It’s been living in the ARC menagerie since then. Dracorex, an herbivore, had a skull with spiky horns, bumps, and a long muzzle.
Raptor-Abby and Connor last encountered raptors whilst trying to return to the ARC in Season 3 Episode 10. They haven’t managed to escape them during their stay in the Cretaceous. Raptors are known for their carnivorous appetite, long arms and the distinctive sickle-shaped claw on their second toe.
Episode Two
Kaprosuchus – The Kaprosuchus or Boar crocodile is named in reference to its large front teeth, which resemble that of a boar. It possesses three sets of tusk-like teeth that project above and below the skull.
Episode Three
Arboreal Dinosaur / ‘Tree Creeper’ -There’s very little evidence and few descriptions of what arboreal dinosaurs might have looked like, therefore, we’ve created our own idea of how it might have looked. Its main skill is that it’s able to scale trees (and consequently other high-rise structures) whilst remaining ferocious.
Imagine a raptor with a longer, monkey-like tail, forward facing eyes and grasping hands, perfectly suited to creeping and scampering through branches and trees.
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Check out the trailer for Primeval Season 4 by clicking here.
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