This show REALLY sucks - Primeval (2008) Discussion

[–] shazza-7 14 years ago

Sorry, but the two you mentioned that look Oscar worthy compared to Primeval are the real cheesy movies. I can normally stand the SciFi original movies if there's nothing better on and I couldn't even watch those. Primeval is Oscar worthy compared to them.

Minds are like books, they only function when open.

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[–] capcanuk 14 years ago

the difference, of course, is that the films I mentioned weren't taking themselves seriously... unlike Primeval.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] HillbillySavant 14 years ago

If not for the fact that you're probably young enough to be my kid, Sshelly, I'd say we were separated at birth, because: EXACTLY.

Democracy: 2 wolves, 1 lamb voting on a lunch menu. Liberty: A well-armed lamb disputing the vote.

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[–] capcanuk 14 years ago

my pleasure.

when the writers of this series have people do stupid things, that is "stupid writing".

for example:

they have a new "weapon" to sue on the anomalies. But it isn't ready for their first intervention of the episode. Darn, it would have been SO useful had it been ready, but no time, rush, rush, rush, off they go to their first anomaly.. which is... not an anomaly (or at least one they have access to). So, a canard to create mystery (it turns out that an "oooo, mysterious government group" has the ability to open portals).

Now, this portal-closing/locking device... does he get back from that outing and promptly finish the 5 minutes of work it requires? No, he sits and mopes because his "girlfriend" is meeting some guy, because he (soap-opera alert) answered her cell while she was away. Then we are expected to forget about this paradigm-altering device (the portal-locking device which is "nearly" finished, but not quite). Until they get an URGENT call to an anomaly at an airport, where there WILL BE WITNESSES. duh-duh-duuuuuuuuuuuuh! (insert melodramatic music). As they RUSH out, what does the character do? "wait, I can finish this, give me 5 minutes". NOW you think about it? Doesn't your boss give you WORK to do when you're at the office? Like FINISH the damned devices you started?

So, now the "team" (consisting of two people.. where are all the others? oh yes, they're "stuck in traffic") arrives at an "urgent" intervention, where an anomaly has opened and spit out a giant dinosaur.

Yet they blithely follow a news reporter who has repeatedly lied to them, and tried to trick them, and who AGAIN tricks them and traps them in a locked hanger.

Now, they stand there chatting, while they hear the monstrous roars from the next building. Strange, hearing those roars emanating from NOT the building they are being lead to before didn't tell them that the deceitful cameraman was misleading them, yet once more?

And then, random additional character begins to bang on door, but it is set up as though the monster is doing it (yes, because we all know that opening a door with a crowbar causes the ENTIRE structure - wall and door - to shake and shudder uncontrollably whilst making gigantic booming noises). When the door opens, they promptly sit there and "chat" and laugh. Where's the urgency, guys?

They saunter off to the other building. Not run. Not dash. No, they "saunter off".

They continue acting in entirely implausible manner throughout the episode.

But this is just examples from a single moment in a single episode. The entire series is like this. Dreadful, unrealistic writing.

If you intend on working in cinema or television, I hope you start watching some GOOD writing, instead of this type of poorly written drek.

And yes, I've worked in cinema as well. For 30 years.

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[–] shazza-7 14 years ago

Apparently you and I did not watch the same ep. When the reporter was leading them to the building they didn't HEAR anything until AFTER they were in the building. The reporter quickly ran out and shut the door(the only part of that that made no sense is them not being able to open the door without anything being jammed in it to prevent it being opened since most doors lock on the inside.)

And the "random" character was not random, if you had seen any other eps prior to that one you'd know that. And when the door opened they didn't "sit there and chat and laugh," they chatted shortly about what was happening then took off to help. They did not saunter either.

As well, apparently you've never seen any cop shows. How many times do you see cops waiting for backup to arrive before they go into a house or building? Not many times.

Yeah, the show isn't the greatest thing out there, but you can't take shows that are meant for ENTERTAINMENT too seriously or you're just screwing yourself. I don't watch tv to get carried away by the writing, I read for that as you really seem to need to do, I watch tv for entertainment, plain and simple. Unless the plot is as unbelievable as the SciFi original series you mentioned, or as another show I was watching- the writing goes noticably downhill compared to previous seaons, I'm not going to freak out and say the show sucks. It's entertainment, get over it!

And if you hate the show so much, why did you waste your time coming her to bitch about it? Get over it and go on with your life. Quit wasting your time here. Seeing as how you obviously have no life since you just had to come here and bitch about a show you don't like, there's no way I believe you've worked in cinema for 30 years. You'd be a bit more mature if you really had and realize how stupid you look wasting your time on a board specifically for a show you think sucks. I've worked in it for none and I don't go to boards for shows I hate and bitch about how much they suck. Who's more mature here? I'll let you think on that one.

Minds are like books, they only function when open.

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[–] capcanuk 14 years ago

Yes, of course. NO ONE should ever post a negative opinion of a show you like.

I came to post here because I thought this show, for which I had high hopes, was utter, total, crap.

But since you, the ultimate master of the Internet, have decreed that no one must post anything negative about your favourite shows, I will therefore cease and desist.

BTW, you are basically agreeing with me when you state "yeah, the show isn't the greatest thing out there", but "entertainment" doesn't have to mean crappy story-writing and stilted dialogues with cardboard acting.

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[–] Rob-Slide 14 years ago

The show is about Time Travel and Prehistoric monsters its good old fashioned family enterainment. There are so many really bad shows out there (soaps, reality TV etc) I can only conclude the show you love has been cancelled and your over here because Primeval is still going.

As for your Cinema job, i'd guess Popcorn and Soft Drink Seller.

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[–] shazza-7 14 years ago

By all means, post how much you think the show sucks and waste your time doing it. THAT is what I referring to. If you hate a show, why on Earth would you want to waste your time complaining about it? That is what makes no sense to me and why I said what I said. I don't like Desperate Housewives, yet you don't see me on their board saying it sucks because I won't waste my time on a board for a show I don't like. Same reason I rarely post on a board for a show I used to like, because it's went to crap now and I think it sucks. I will post occassionally to talk about an old episode or to say where I think it went wrong, but I don't spend the time I used to on there and probably won't be going on there at all now.

Why waste your time bitching about a show you don't like when you could be on a board for a show you do like talking about it?

And no, I'm not basically agreeing with you, you're grasping at straws there. It may not be a Law and Order(insert name of awesome show you love) degree show, but it's still a good show if you're watching for entertainment and not to nitpick stupid little things.

Minds are like books, they only function when open.

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[–] andrew_jakobs 12 years ago

Well, I watch a lot of shows, and I thought the writing of the first 3 seasons war reasonable compared to crap shows like the new 'hawaii-five-o', 'dark blue', 'ncis-la' or almost any new show.. Yes it was not brilliant, but I haven't seen a really brilliant show for decades, and no, shows like Lost or prison brake aren't brilliant.. I like shows that are trying to keep it 'real', which means for example in a cop show nobody drives a brand spanking new mustang (cause cops cannot afford them, except corrupt cops) or when they have a big touchscreen table and can flip a picture from their phone to the table or take a pic from a tiretrack and later from a tire and just match them with one push of the button, and let's not forget transparent screens and big screens.. Yes primeval was a fiction show, but they at least tried to do it as 'realistic' as possible (at least for the first 2 seasons).

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] JonsAngelCat 13 years ago

A few things I'd like to point out, if you don't mind, capcanuk.

First, Impossible Pictures over in London produced this series, not SyFy. The latter, along with BBC America, is merely responsible for bringing it to the US. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but there you are all the same. The fare you mention, well... I haven't seen them, and I don't want to, so I couldn't really give an honest opinion of their actual worth. However, your facetious attempt at insult-by-comparison -saying that the referenced work are "Oscar contenders!"- really does go a bit far. Like it or not, that is your choice, but as others have wondered... why waste your time if you hate it so? Are you really that bored and/or petty? At least give it proper SyFy competition, if you need to narrow the field that much. Say, 2009's "Alice" or 2007's "Tin Man," for example. Yes, they undoubtedly take themselves more seriously than your choices, but I find that to be a good thing. What's the point in spending millions of dollars, only to willingly create soul-sucking drivel that make hordes of people want to hunt you down and shoot you in the face? True, Primeval isn't meant to be awe-inspiring or life-changing, but yeesh... there is a middle ground, you know.

Second, as others have noted, your... analysis could use some work, as it seems rather confused. You say that "the entire series is like this," implying that you have indeed watched the whole thing. I find this difficult to believe, as logic states that -barring some level of masochism- you would've quit long ago. I own the lot on DVD, thanks, and frankly... it seems you're ranting out of your *ahem* hat.

Third, no... they're actually all quite bright. Well, the main characters are, anyway. I have my doubts about Abby's little brother, Jack, personally. Connor Temple, the one you thought was having a "soap opera" moment, is probably the brightest of the whole character list now that Nick is gone (along with his... er, wife, Helen, who was straight up creepy, but brilliant in her own way) but it's true that he doesn't always use common sense. Who does in every moment of their lives, I'd like to know? Honestly now.

Fourth, this "mysterious government group." FYI... the ARC itself is such a group, as it's considered in the interests of public safety that they and their work should be kept as secret as possible. Christine Johnson and her team are, essentially, a rival group with more militant motives than the ARC's goal of peaceful intervention and creature-return. Johnson's team ultimately fails, of course, thanks largely (and weirdly) in part to Helen Cutter and her demented schemes.

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[–] qouth_the_raven 13 years ago

Given that this post has been allowed some life I would just observe that for someone who consided that the series sucked the OP seems to have stayed around to see a lot of suck. I find that when a show sucks I just move on. Why suffer the pain?

The OP is just one of those anomolies of life I guess

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[–] gorguruga 12 years ago

I'm watching the first episode for the first time right now, and I've almost turned off the show, at 17 minutes in, after the dinosaur barges his head through the boy's bedroom window, then runs off, and all the mother says is "I want this mess cleared up right now". Does the boy know how to refit double-glazed windows? The dinosaur created a massive hole in the wall by ripping off the window, and the mother just says "I want this mess cleared up right now." She didn't hear the dinosaurs roars, or see the 20 foot beast standing outside her house, she doesn't acknowledge that a window has been completely ripped off the wall. We're supposed to believe the mother assumes the boy made that "mess" and that he'd have the technical skills to fix it? I mean where do they get these writers?

Really bad script Terrible. But the CGI isn't bad, that's the only saving grace so far.

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[–] TrueEssence 12 years ago

I just started watching the show like on Thursday, I finished it today and I have to say that I greatly disagree. Of course it's been on for years and this may have been an ongoing argument but I think it's pretty awesome, to each their own. I think that Primeval has a quality about it that makes people want to continue, sure sometimes it can seem a bit lacking but what show meets every insane expectation of the viewer? Some people want to watch a show just to see the attractive actor/actress, some want to watch a show for the action, some for the drama... and I think Primeval does that and it's intelligent. Sure, somethings are kind of like wait what? But who cares? If you can follow the story and still want to tune in to it? Then why worry about it? If you don't want to be bothered then do not be bothered.

Anyways, if there is going to be a series 6. I can't wait. I think it was a great show, I started watching to see Andrew Lee Potts other work and I got caught up. I mean I finished it in three days, so it must have something for me to do that.

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[–] nealhd 12 years ago

O.P .is a clown, when he/she or who cares what this person is. Just a troll looking for attention. When this person mentioned "Sharktopus" and" MegaShark vs Giant Octopus" this person lost this argument. There are shows or movies I do not like ,but I do not go there being a D-*** trashing what people like. I guess this person has an opinion, but you know what they say bout opinions everyone has one and all that and is one.

Put this loser on ignore and go and check out "PRIMEVAL:NEW WORLD" trailer on YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK..

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[–] Tridentmovies 12 years ago

You ARE very forgiving.

I just started watching the first episode and turned it off after 10 minutes.
I can recognize a feces sandwich when i see one.

I groaned when i saw one of the lizards acting like a typical "cute" pet jumping around like an adorable little monkey that won't stop making cute little noises with its "cutely" animated face. You know, instead of like an actual LIZARD.
Either the show was going to be just really bad, or it was meant for small children.

Then in the bar some random woman decided to kiss a stranger on the mouth to get out of having to talk to some boring guy. Not one thought passed her head that this stranger might be a psychopath, a habitual spousal abuser or quite simple already have a wife or girlfriend. Nope, just kiss him on the mouth like one of those stereotypical "quirky" tv-show women who turns out to be perfectly well adjusted and who know a perfectly well adjusted male who won't mind total strangers kissing him on the mouth. People do that all the time, don't they?

Of course if it was the other way around it would be sexual assault, but the lesson from TV land is that when a woman does it, it introduces to us a cute, quirky, assertive woman who knows what she wants and goes to get it.

So much poorly written trash in just the first 10 minutes was more than enough.

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[–] Lokisgodhi 12 years ago

Tridentmovies wrote:

"I groaned when i saw one of the lizards acting like a typical "cute" pet jumping around like an adorable little monkey that won't stop making cute little noises with its "cutely" animated face. You know, instead of like an actual LIZARD. Either the show was going to be just really bad, or it was meant for small children."

Then you're an simpleton. Just because an animal looks cute and makes sounds you're anthropomorphizing as being cute, it doesn't mean it is. I know more than one cat who is damned cute and who'll happily rip a chunk out of your hand if you try and pet it.

"Then in the bar some random woman decided to kiss a stranger on the mouth to get out of having to talk to some boring guy. Not one thought passed her head that this stranger might be a psychopath, a habitual spousal abuser or quite simple already have a wife or girlfriend. Nope, just kiss him on the mouth like one of those stereotypical "quirky" tv-show women who turns out to be perfectly well adjusted and who know a perfectly well adjusted male who won't mind total strangers kissing him on the mouth. People do that all the time, don't they?"

here's a tip. Try watching the show with the sound turned on. The character knew who the man was. They hadn't been acquainted but she knew him, recognized him which is why she used him as she did.

Oh, I'd be really careful what you stick in your mouth to eat.

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[–] tallard 12 years ago

Although I agree with you that the dialogues are HORRIBLY written, and I mean that in the worst way, it's like they were written by a 10 year old with no life experience or literary background. However the concept is strong, the production values are way beyond other shows.
So, though I HATED the dialogues, I still give this a 8/10 for all the other reasons that go into making a good show.

***So I've seen 4 movies/wk in theatre for a 1/4 century, call me crazy?**

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