Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal: Season 1

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 5 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

Adult Swim | Season Premiere Date: October 7, 2019

Summary: The prehistoric animated adventure miniseries from Genndy Tartakovsky follows a caveman as he bonds with a tyrannosaurus rex.

Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky

Genre(s): Animation, Action & Adventure

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E10. Slave of the Scorpion
Air Date: November 1, 2020
tbd
S1:E9. Coven of the Damned
Air Date: November 30, -0001
tbd
S1:E9. The Night Feeder
Air Date: October 25, 2020

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

IndieWire Steve Greene

Oct 7, 2019

Through the lens of two characters, a man and a dinosaur, “Primal” is a piece of elemental storytelling that finds some real emotional depth without either of its protagonists uttering a single word of dialogue. Read full review

William Hughes

Oct 8, 2019

At 22 minutes, episodes occasionally strain the limits of its dialogue-free, roar-heavy approach to storytelling. As an event, though—as a dose of bracingly original animation from a master of the form—it’s hard to question its few missteps. After all, everybody’s gotta eat. Read full review

Dan Fienberg

Oct 7, 2019

Epic yet intimate, Primal is awash in eye-popping imagery. ... Tartakovsky has long been a distinctive force in TV animation and this is another winner, a spare storytelling experiment that plays like nothing else in the current landscape. Read full review

Steven Scaife

Oct 4, 2019

The story of the caveman and T. rex’s survival, in Tartakovsky’s hands, is totally enthralling, as terrible as it is beautiful. Read full review

David Fear

Oct 8, 2019

Primal restores a genuine sense of awe regarding how you can use the format for something besides shits and giggles. It’s storytelling at its most basic, sound and images moving faster than a speeding velociraptor and brimming with soulfulness. Read full review

User Score

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7.7

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Mixed:

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User Reviews

titus619

Oct 10, 2019

Fantastic show. The silent survival bond between man and beast is enthralling. This is scheduled for 5 parts , and after watching the 3rd part today , I can’t wait to see how this concludes.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

bukorobe

Oct 11, 2019

I didn't even have to check to know this was made by the same guy who made Samurai Jack. If you liked that show, you'll probably like this. If you don't like either, I tip my fedora to you and wish you a good day.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

yiven35836

Oct 30, 2019

Even just 5 episodes in, Primal is a narrative and visual force to be reckoned with. Don't mind the naysayers struggling to correctly spell 'aesthetically' - this is a series to cherish.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

The_DOHnut

Oct 11, 2019

An absolute animated masterpiece. Genndy raises the bar once again by ditching dialogue and doubling down on the strength of his visual storytelling.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

LatinCritic13

Oct 13, 2019

A moving show that will delight you in a way that's brutal and intricate as the story during the Primal times progresses.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Audio_Hooligan

Dec 20, 2019

It's honestly a well made and thought out show. One of Tartakovsky's best work.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

OlivierPiel

Oct 27, 2019

Loved Samurai Jack and Dexter's lab but this show is not nearly as good as other reviewers believe. For one, it takes itself far too seriously and that is very arrogant for a show that demands an immense suspension of disbelief in almost every single frame. Samurai Jack on the other handLoved Samurai Jack and Dexter's lab but this show is not nearly as good as other reviewers believe. For one, it takes itself far too seriously and that is very arrogant for a show that demands an immense suspension of disbelief in almost every single frame. Samurai Jack on the other hand knew how to cleverly add self-deprecating humour in all its epsiodes.
Tartakovsky reprises its samurai films/Dragonball fighting scenes but with far less poetry and originality. The still scenes are also far too similar to typical mangas and lack the virtuosity in editing that made Samurai Jack so fluid and , I dare say, resemble an operatic ballet.

By stripping its esthetics to the bare minimum, Tartakovsky became not primal, but primitive.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

SEE ALL 10 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

87

Series Overview
Season 1

87
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: October 7, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E10. Slave of the Scorpion
  Air Date: November 1, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E9. Coven of the Damned
  Air Date: November 30, -0001
- tbd
  S1:E9. The Night Feeder
  Air Date: October 25, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E8. Coven of the Damned
  Air Date: October 18, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E7. Scent of Prey
  Air Date: October 4, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E7. Plague of Madness
  Air Date: October 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E5. Rage Of The Ape-men
  Air Date: October 12, 2019
- tbd
  S1:E4. Terror Under The Blood Moon
  Air Date: October 11, 2019
- 8.3
  S1:E3. A Cold Death
  Air Date: October 10, 2019
- 8.0
  S1:E2. River Of Snakes
  Air Date: October 9, 2019
- 6.8
  S1:E1. Spear And Fang
  Air Date: October 8, 2019