Why ‘Prime Target’ Fails to Hit the Mark: A Math Mystery Gone Wrong!

by

In the thriller series titled “Prime Target“, we follow a talented young mathematician on the brink of a groundbreaking revelation, who inadvertently sets off a worldwide conspiracy bent on safeguarding its hidden purpose by any means necessary. Unfortunately, this eight-episode Apple TV+ production falls short of its promise.

The series is marred by confounding plot inconsistencies, unsympathetic protagonists with minimal chemistry, and an overly slow drip of disclosures that stretch the patience. The enigmatic forces orchestrating events aren’t too elusive once a few episodes have passed. To add to the frustration, characters who are supposed to be intelligent take an unnecessarily long time to grasp what seems painfully obvious to the viewer.

An Improbable Beginning

The first episode titled “A New Pattern” starts off with an explosive scene in the busy streets of Baghdad, Iraq. This initial event sets off a chain reaction that eventually brings us to Cambridge, where we meet mathematics postgraduate student Edward Brooks, portrayed by Leo Woodall. He finds himself at odds with his department head, Professor Robert Mallinder (David Morrissey), who refuses to let him explore his research on prime numbers, deeming it a misguided pursuit of theory rather than practicality in the field of mathematics.

In the story, Professor Andrea Lavin (Sidse Babett Knudsen), Malinder’s wife and a historian from Cambridge, learns about the Baghdad event and its possible archaeological significance. By coincidence, Malinder invites Ed to dinner to improve their professional relationship. Upon seeing Andrea’s Baghdad photographs, Ed immediately spots a mathematical pattern. The three of them are left astonished, though unaware that their actions are being observed and documented.

In the debut episode of Prime Target, an unexpected hurdle arises as Ed turns down Mallinder’s invitation, potentially derailing the entire series. If Ed hadn’t accepted the peace offering, he wouldn’t have crossed paths with Andrea, never visited Baghdad, and missed out on discovering the crucial core of the story. The odds of this encounter are statistically unlikely, yet it’s a recurring theme in a show that thrives on characters being at the right place and time. This seems hard to believe given the critical plot points unfold across various locations worldwide.

Clashing Moral Perspectives

In the second episode titled “Syracuse,” it’s unveiled that Ed’s eventual partner in the worldwide chaos is none other than Taylah Sanders, played by Quintessa Swindell. She portrays an American NSA operative and computer whiz, capable of performing extraordinary technological feats with a swift keystroke. The characters of Woodall and Swindell are strategically paired in the narrative, although their contrasting personalities, like oil and water, seem to clash to the show’s disadvantage.

The characters are intended to have opposing stances due to their contrasting perspectives about Ed’s work. While Ed emphasizes the inherent purity of mathematics and pursues an academic challenge with transformative potential for humanity, Taylah focuses on the possible catastrophic outcomes and the need to prevent any escalation of destruction. Despite encountering danger and witnessing casualties, Ed views every tool as a double-edged sword, believing that knowledge should not be constrained by morality.

The complex discussions in this series seem unrealistic and foolish given the chaos happening, but one would expect self-preservation to take over and solve Ed’s moral dilemmas easily. However, the showrunner, Steve Thompson, portrays Ed as aloof and detached, which fits his calculating personality that borders on sociopathic because he is a mathematician. A subplot involving Ed’s romantic relationship with a handsome bartender (Fra Fee) unfolds throughout the series, but Ed enjoys sexual encounters without showing affection afterward. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for viewers to connect with or care about Ed as he lacks endearing qualities, and his partnership with Taylah is unconvincing and soon becomes tiresome.

Smart People Acting Stupidly in Manufactured Scenarios

As a follower, I find it quite perplexing when these brilliant minds, including myself, occasionally act irrationally, given our intellect and experience. Unlike some, I’m more comfortable with pen and paper than digital screens. However, working alongside tech whiz Taylah has equipped me with a better understanding of the technology landscape. Yet, it seems that we, the protagonists, are prone to making mistakes that, given our intelligence, expertise, and awareness of our adversaries’ capabilities, should be highly unlikely. These seemingly unrealistic errors shatter the immersion we readers have built up, turning the tension artificially manufactured.

While Prime Target isn’t outright terrible, the overall experience is somewhat disappointing due to its inconsistencies. The strong production quality and performances by veterans like Knudsen, Morrissey, and Martha Plimpton, who plays a significant role in episode three, make it watchable, offering a minimal level of emotional engagement. However, certain aspects of the plot, which seem incongruous, are hard to overlook.

Prime Target” is a collaboration between New Regency and Scott Free Productions. This series debuts worldwide on Apple TV+ on January 22nd, with the initial two episodes available, followed by a new episode every Wednesday up until March 5th. You can catch it via the link provided below:

Watch Prime Target

Read More

2025-01-22 05:32