Primeval series 4

The fourth series of the British science fiction programme Primeval began on 1 January 2011 and concluded on 5 February 2011 after airing seven episodes. Primeval follows a team of scientists tasked with investigating the appearance of temporal anomalies across the United Kingdom through which prehistoric and futuristic creatures enter the present. Following the departures of key actors in the third series and the inability of some of the actors to return for the fourth series, several new main cast members were introduced, including Ciarán McMenamin, Ruth Kearney, Alexander Siddig and Ruth Bradley. After the broadcast of its third series, Primeval was cancelled by ITV in June 2009 due to financial issues but it was renewed for two more series after ITV and the production company Impossible Pictures worked out a deal for co-funding with UKTV. The fourth and fifth series were produced concurrently in 2010. The writing of the fourth series was focused mainly on resolving lingering plotlines, introducing the new characters, setting up plot elements in preparation for the fifth series, and developing the remaining characters from previous series further. The fourth series marked the first time Primeval was filmed in HD and also the first time the visual effects of the series were created by The Mill rather than Framestore (responsible for the previous series). The fourth series achieved somewhat disappointing ratings compared to preceding series, averaging about four million viewers (compared to the five million of the third series and the over six millions of the first two series). Critical reception was also more mixed than previously, with criticism leveled at the overall slow narrative progression and the manner in which the final episode resolved the storylines. Opinions varied on the new characters, with some reviewers enjoying the team dynamic and others finding them to be poorly established. The development of the returning characters was more universally liked and the visual effects received universal praise, many critics finding them to be the best of the series thus far.

Synopsis The fourth series of Primeval is set an extended period of time, approximately twelve months, after the third series. The deaths and disappearances of several key ARC (Anomaly Research Centre) personnel has seen the British government lose faith in the operation, placing it under a partnership, partially funded by the government and partially by the entrepreneur Philip Burton (Alexander Siddig). The ARC is still run by James Lester (Ben Miller), but he now has to begrudgingly accept Burton's involvement and operate out of new lodgings in Burton's industrial complex. The disappearances of Danny Quinn (Jason Flemyng), Connor Temple (Andrew-Lee Potts) and Abby Maitland (Hannah Spearritt) has forced the ARC to recruit new personnel, including the new field leader Matt Anderson (Ciarán McMenamin) and the field coordinator Jess Parker (Ruth Kearney). In addition to being explained in promotional material, the events behind the third and fourth series were also revealed through a series of short webisodes released on the Primeval website.

Episodes

Cast

Main cast

Guest cast

Production

Cancellation and revival Despite a successful third series, Primeval was cancelled by ITV executive Peter Fincham on 15 June 2009 for financial reasons; due to the Great Recession and declining advertising revenues, ITV was at the time only two weeks from going bankrupt despite already cancelling several programmes. ITV declined to recommission Primeval for a fourth series despite Impossible Pictures, the production company behind the series, proposing numerous different options, such as producing the series cheaper (for £600,000 per episode) or offering first-run rights to a rival channel. The cancellation was likely primarily motivated by the effects budget; Primeval cost around £8 million per series and ITV could not claim all of the money earned by the series due to it being produced independently by Impossible Pictures. Upon receiving the news of the cancellation, the production team of the series stated that they had "every intention of keeping Primeval alive in other ways". During the production of the third series, the producers had at no point expected that Primeval would not return for a fourth series, stating in subsequent interviews that they would not have left as many of character's fates up in the air had they known of the threat of cancellation. Three months after the cancellation, Fincham recommissioned Primeval. The "resurrection" of the series was made possible through a new deal made by Impossible Pictures, in which the series would be co-produced by both ITV and UKTV (with the costs shared), with additional funding also being provided by BBC Worldwide and ProSieben. The deal secured the making of thirteen new episodes, split into a fourth and fifth series. The fourth series would air on ITV and then on the UKTV-owned channel Watch whereas the fifth series would air first on Watch. The production team were thrilled to be able to produce two additional series since it would allow them to resolve the plotlines of the previous series and move Primeval further. The fourth and fifth series had a combined budget of £15 million.

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