MarketPrimal (TV series)
Company Profile

Primal (TV series)

Primal is an American adult animated action horror television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network's night-time programming block Adult Swim. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, it is the first full production from the company to be developed for Adult Swim.

Plot
Set in an anachronistic and fantastical prehistoric world, the series is about the survival and bond between a Neanderthal man Spear and a female Tyrannosaurus rex named Fang as they struggle day-to-day and battle against various carnivorous dinosaurs, prehistoric mammals and other dangerous animals, most notably humans of the species Homo sapiens that also live in their world, including an Ancient Egyptian army and Viking-like Iron Age humans. In season three, Spear is revived as an undead months after his sacrifice in the previous season. It is revealed that this season takes place during Mira's pregnancy with Spear's child. == Characters ==
Characters
In comparison to Tartakovsky's other shows where there are multiple characters, Primal initially only features Spear and Fang in the show as they encounter different prehistoric or fantastical species and various tribes of hominins. Tartakovsky stated that although the show is a work of fantasy, the prehistoric animals, modern creatures and futuristic beasts in the show are based on real prehistoric animals, as well as some new ones created by the artists involved in the project. and is slowly revived after spending time with the Black River tribe. • Fang – A teal female Tyrannosaurus whose hatchlings are killed by the alpha of the same horned tyrannosaur pack that killed Spear's family. Initially, she attempts to assert her dominance over Spear but eventually learns that it is far healthier to work in a partnership and is willing to do anything to ensure his survival. In season three, Fang was still living in Mira's village with her offspring following Spear's death. She had an unlikely reunion with Spear's zombie form following an attack on Mira's village by a group of Andrewsarchus. • Mira (voiced by Laëtitia Eïdo) – A virtuous Arabic-speaking Nubian woman. Enslaved, head-shaved, and branded with a scorpion symbol by a Viking clan, Mira escapes and encounters Spear and Fang, who become her new friends and companions. She proves to be very capable with archery, spears, axes, carpentry, helmsmanship, and cooking. Following Spear's death, Mira gives birth to a hybrid daughter who was fathered by him. In season three, it was shown that Mira was pregnant following Spear's death and had an unlikely reunion with his zombie form after a group of Andrewsarchus attack her village. (seasons 2–3; guest: season 1) Recurring Season 1 • '''Spear's family''' – Spear's mate, son, and daughter that were eaten by a pack of horned tyrannosaurs in the first episode, but reappear through visions and flashbacks across the series. • '''Fang's first brood''' – Fang's first two hatchlings. Like Spear's family, they were eaten in the first episode, but reappear through visions and flashbacks across the series. Season 2 • The Chieftain (vocal effects provided by Fred Tatasciore) – The chieftain of the Viking tribe responsible for abducting Mira's people. He soon seeks revenge on Spear and Fang for decimating his tribe. Following his son Eldar's death, the Chieftain is transformed into a monstrous fiery juggernaut by the demonic entity in order to kill Spear and Fang in exchange for Eldar's soul. The Chieftain badly burns Spear, but fails to kill him and is dragged to the Underworld for his failure. • Eldar (vocal effects provided by Fred Tatasciore) – The Chieftain's eldest son. He joins his father on their quest for revenge against Spear and Fang for their tribe's destruction. He is killed in battle with Spear, Fang, and Mira. • Demonic Entity – The unidentified ruler of the fiery Underworld who makes a deal with the Chieftain to have him kill Spear and Fang and bring him their souls in exchange for Eldar's soul. According to Genndy Tartakovsky, the entity is not necessarily a direct reference to any mythological being. • Red – A male Tyrannosaurus whom Fang encounters, eventually becoming her new friend. However, during his fight with Spear, Red was accidentally killed by Fang, who was trying to stop the two from fighting each other. Later, it was revealed that Red mated with her when she laid a second set of eggs after losing her old ones. • Kamau (vocal effects provided by Imari Williams) – A Bantu man who, while naturally peaceful, is also immensely strong. He and many of his fellow towering tribesmen were enslaved by Ima. It is revealed that Ima is holding his daughter Amal hostage which serves as leverage to force him to obey her. Spear, Fang, and Mira later free Kamau and his people who fight back against Ima's forces. Afterwards, Kamau's tribe commandeer the Colossaeus. • Amal (vocal effects provided by Hillary Hawkins) – Kamau's daughter. • Ima (vocal effects provided by Amina Koroma) – A vicious Egyptian queen who resides in a large city-ship called the Colossaeus which is filled with her warriors and slaves that she uses to raid and loot other kingdoms. She takes pleasure in taking and using what and who people love most and using them as tools to get strong warriors to do her bidding, with the threat of killing what they love as leverage. She would later be killed by Kamau as his tribe takes control of the Colossaeus. • The Chief (vocal effects provided by Dave Fennoy) - The chief of the Nubian tribe and Mira's father. He was separated from Mira when the Vikings attacked some of his people. Spear later returned Mira to him. In season three, the Chief sends Mira, Fang, and some warriors to follow the Andrewsarchus that abducted some of their tribespeople. (seasons 2–3) • Spike and Sonja – Fang's second set of hatchlings that were born after she mated with Red. While one was killed before hatching during a fight with the Egyptians, the other two live to adulthood. In season three, they try to get involved with their mother until she relented following an Andrewsarchus attack on Mira's village. (seasons 2–3) Season 3 Jabu (vocal effects provided by Debra Wilson) is a young boy in Mira's village. • Abu (vocal effects provided by Tre Mosley) is a warrior who accompanies Mira in rescuing their tribespeople from the Andrewsarchus. He is later killed in an attack by a group of Paradolichopithecus. • Lu (vocal effects provided by Phil LaMarr) is a warrior who accompanies Mira in rescuing their tribespeople from the Andrewsarchus. He is later killed in an attack by a group of Paradolichopithecines. • Black River tribeswoman: The leader of a brutal species of Drows known as the Black River tribe. She is later killed during a volcanic eruption. == Episodes ==
Episodes
Series overview Season 1 (2019–20) Part 1 Part 2 Season 2 (2022) Season 3 (2026) == Production ==
Production
Conception and development According to Tartakovsky, Primal was an early piece of work he scrapped because it did not click with him at the time. As he learned more about what drew people into his shows, he wanted to experiment with those artistic traits, particularly the use of no dialogue and slow moments. He also stated that the method in which he approached animated projects began to slow down in terms of energy, and by the time he finished working on Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018), it had come full circle. He said he was inspired by Conan the Barbarian and vintage pulp novels, as well as films such as The Revenant. Tartakovsky felt that people would not take the show seriously because they were "breaking the rules" by having "a man and a dinosaur together," so he emphasized that it is a character study, a "buddies" journey about two characters who are very different but bonded by tragedy. The first season consists of 10 episodes. On June 16, 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which again consists of 10 episodes. == Broadcast ==
Broadcast
The first season premiered on October 8, 2019, with episodes from the first half of the season airing daily from the premiere date. An episode from the second half was shown during Adult Swim's April Fools' Day 2020 run. Adult Swim announced on their Twitter that the second half would premiere on October 4, 2020. The first season of Primal was broadcast during Thanksgiving weekend on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block for the first time on November 29, 2020. The marathon commemorated the launch of the series on the HBO Max streaming service. The first season began a second run on the normal schedule of the Toonami block beginning on May 15, 2022. The second season premiered on July 22, 2022. The third season premiered on January 11, 2026, with sequential encores on Toonami the following week. == Home media release ==
Home media release
The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 1, 2021, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It was later released in France, the Netherlands and Belgium. The second season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 25, 2023. The third season will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 30, 2026. == Reception ==
Reception
Critical response Initial reception for Primal was highly positive; much praise was given to the art and animation, the use of storytelling with no dialogue, and the balancing of the show's interpretation of violence and beauty. In a review from IndieWire, Steve Greene wrote "Primal is a piece of elemental storytelling that finds some real emotional depth without either of its protagonists uttering a single word of dialogue", ultimately giving the series an "A−". On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 23 critics, with an average rating of 9.1/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Epic in every sense, ''Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal'' is a stunning feat of visual storytelling." The second season has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 15 critics, with an average rating of 9.1/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Primal evolves into a more serialized tale while losing none of its beautiful savagery in a second season that exemplifies Genndy Tartakovsky's knack for storytelling economy." The third season has an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 10 critics. On Metacritic, the first season of the series has a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 based on 5 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", and the second season has a weighted average score of 97 out of 100 based on 4 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Awards and nominations == Notes ==
tickerdossier.comtickerdossier.substack.com