February 6, 2025

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

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A Fun Cure to the Winter Blues — Prime Target (TV Review)

Apple TV+'s new weekly conspiracy thriller  launched on 22nd January to much fanfare, with a double-episode drop on the platform.

It stars Leo Woodall (Netflix's One Day) as mathematician genius, Edward Brooks, a savant interested in the order of prime numbers within our day to day life, and how the world has been programmed to accept the norm. Edward is working on a theory that other numbers are out in the ether… waiting to be discovered.

This research is against the grain and his professor, Robert Mallinder (David Morrissey) wards him off continuing his pursuit. At the same time, Mallinder's wife, Andrea (Sidse Babett Knudsen) is due to depart to Baghdad to investigate an archaeological find following a gas explosion after which a thousand-old library has been unearthed. And here's the expected twist — there is a link between the two narrative strands, seemingly. All the while, Mallinder's office and the work he carries out is being watched by an American NSA agent from a secure site in Southern France (why France, that is unclear).

Strangely, the structured, paced pilot episode introduced us to the key players we expect to encounter across the forthcoming series – and then in the last five minutes took a decisive turn with events unfolding dramatically.  This same reveal technique was replicated in the second episode.

There is a rich, plot-driven reward for sticking with the almost predictable and derivative Sunday early evening feel show. Coupled with the release structure – weekly, like Presumed Innocent from last year – the payoff is a likely word of mouth success for the series in the coming weeks.

Woodall again shows off his chops to be a leading man who is enigmatic and handsome. Having already starred in highly established productions, his style is a good much for the gruff and mysterious nature of Edward. After sleeping with a man, Edward is asked: “Does your family not know you're gay?” and he replies: “I'm not anything.” An answer which suits a man who is more than familiar with the binary and non-binary nature of numbers.

The second episode is more a showcase for Quintessa Swindell as that NSA  agent Taylah Sanders opposite her boss, Olson (Tom Stourton – who was very good in the British film All My Friends Hate Me) as they look back at the events of Episode 1 through their CCTV monitors. This action takes place in the timeline of Episode 1, whilst Edward attempts to make sense of Mallinder's actions. Kudos to director Brady Hood who has shown some clever visual flourishes thus far.

Appearing weekly on Wednesdays, this show could quickly become a word-of-mouth hit, with the conspiracy element married with the globe-trotting nature familiar with Scott Free Productions to warm up our winter blues.

The eight part series continues on Wednesdays with weekly episodes on AppleTV+.