You can’t strike gold with every project and this series has proven just that. An Apple Original, Prime Target is one of the worst series I’ve seen in some time and this is taking into account that dreadful documentary about that Hollywood con artist (at least that wasn’t on Apple, the creator ruined it). Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, this crawls into existence with its prickly protagonist and limp plot.
This subpar series is strike three for me with Ridley Scott after doling out a disappointing Alien: Romulus and a stale Gladiator II. There have been too many projects in the past year with UK roots that have been terrible across various platforms. Industry (HBO) wanted to be Succession but ended up being what would happen if Robinhood Financial merged with Porn Hub. Renegade Nell (Disney) was horrible thanks to bad writing and a platform dive into witchcraft. Here, we have an utter failure with British roots but for an entirely different reason than the first two: it’s plain boring.
A so-called “genius” named Edward Brooks (Leo Woodall) is as pompous as he is promising when it comes to mathematics. The Cambridge post-graduate has been deemed dangerous since he studies prime numbers (hint the series title) and his work in finding a pattern would allow access to every computer in the world. With Edward and those like him under close video surveillance, the NSA keeps tabs on anyone researching prime numbers. If anyone were to solve the “Equation of the Primes” it could be weaponized if it fell into the wrong hands.
The rollercoaster pace of this series is to its detriment, failing to reel attention until episode three. The first two episodes were too easy to sleep through which made episode three its saving grace (because after almost two hours of viewing, there should be something interesting happening). Making a lackluster attempt at a backstory, there was zero build-up or suspense in the opening episodes, leaving audiences to sift through a thick British accent that waxes idiotic about prime numbers. In a constant state of smugness, Brooks bears zero appeal and consistently comes off as brash or immature.
Quintessa Swindell is the show’s saving grace for most of the season. As NSA operative Tayla Sanders, she’s part of a team responsible for surveilling mathematicians around the globe. After making the grave mistake of killing someone close to her, Agent Jane Torres (Martha Plimpton) takes her under her wing and recruits her into the agency. She exists more like a work mom but in a much more dangerous field of work. Unfortunately, Swindell’s character becomes an issue as well as the series starts to close. Tayla and Jane’s relationship starts to fizzle, and where there could’ve been some real fireworks, the climax to the drama is nonexistent.
Prime Target gets a dissatisfying 5 out of 10. As far as the streaming wars go, Apple TV+ is still ahead of the pack by miles. Silo, Mythic Quest, and Ted Lasso have pushed the bar extremely high. Shrinking, Monarch, Morning Show, the list goes on. But this? This has no business being on the same platform as the rest of those shows. Not to mention hours wasted on him scribbling in that tattered brown notebook. What was he writing? Something so important and intelligent that we wouldn’t understand I’m sure (hard eye-roll). I wasn’t drawn to a single character in this series, especially not that snot-nosed prick of a protagonist.
Prime Target will be available starting Jan. 22 on Apple TV+.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Apple TV+
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 55 mins, 10 Episodes
Trailer:
U.S. Release Date: January 22, 2025
Lolwut, thick British accent? ROFL.