Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal on HBOmax is an animated series centered on the bond between a man and a dinosaur that have had everything but the will to press on stolen from them by the cruel reality of existence. One reason this show resonates so intensely is its stark honesty. Life IS cruel, whether you’re dealing with surviving the natural world as a part of the food chain; or the systems humans have made up to oppress and harm one another to this day. Every day is a literal fight for survival, let alone food. GOOD GRIEF, does that still ring entirely too true.
This series contains copious violence and bloodshed, though it is rated TV-14+. Just throwing that warning out there for anyone who may need it. The violence is only part of what makes the show so compelling for me. The other part is the sheer emotional depth articulated in every episode without ever uttering a word.
I’ve just finished season one, which puts me in a precarious position as someone who prefers to binge content rather than wait a week between new episodes. Season two has only just begun.
I highly recommend getting into this series, especially if you’re into animation, dinosaurs, onscreen violence, emotionality in media, and complex characters.
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