Genndy Tartakovsky is a singular creator within contemporary animation who has pushed the medium forward with his expressionistic storytelling and anachronistic blend of genres. Tartakovsky had managed to smuggle adult themes into otherwise family-friendly shows like Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars, but Primal felt like the show he was born to make; the prehistoric fantasy adventure turned a budding relationship between a Neanderthal and a dinosaur into a grandiose journey filled with far more scares and profound emotion than the premise may have suggested. Primal Season 3 is its boldest swing yet, as Tartakovsky challenges some of the groundwork that he had previously established in his unique version of mythology. Although there are a few bumpy moments in the middle, it’s breathlessly intense and indicates a bright future for the series moving forward.
What Is ‘Primal’ Season 3 About?

Much of the anticipation surrounding the newest chapter in the Primal universe was because of the rather definitive way in which Season 2 wrapped up. After the ruthless Viking warlord known as “The Chieftain” (Fred Tatasciore) leads a brutal attack on the Neanderthal man Spear (Aaron LaPlante) and his village, the brave warrior ends up sacrificing himself to save Mira (Laëtitia Eïdo). Spear’s tragic end is mourned not only by his family but by the intelligent female Tyrannosaurus rex Fang (Joel Valentine), who now has children of her own. To undercut what Spear did to save his people, especially after the tragedies he suffered during his upbringing, would have betrayed the themes that Tartakovsky had set up, but Primal Season 3 finds a compelling way to revive its protagonist. The dynamic between the two main characters had previously been what fueled the series, but Spear and Fang are largely separated in Primal Season 3, as both have gone on to take responsibility for their respective families. The universal theme about parents dealing with the consequences of raising children in a dangerous world hits particularly hard, given that both Spear and Fang have firsthand experience losing loved ones. The difference in their journeys in this era of the show is their relationships with their communities; while Fang has grown to see other dinosaurs mistreated and hunted, Spear has become fearful that his presence could endanger others. Even if humans and dinosaurs aren’t natural allies, a fact only underlined in the midst of Season 3, the perils of survivalism can lead to unexpected companionship.

Primal Season 3 is its most expansive in scope, as the divergent paths of the main characters give the series more room to go down different detours; while Mira had a substantial role in previous seasons, she’s given an even more important role as a powerful member of a village made up of other prehistoric humans. The relationship shared between Mira and Fang is particularly nuanced given the challenges they’ve both faced as single parents, and because of their complex feelings about Spear’s loss; the world of Primal is so stark and intense that there is little reason to spend time grieving, as to lower their defenses would seem disrespectful to Spear’s memory. Primal is remarkably specific in its characterization of long-term grief; even if the momentary sadness fades, even the slightest disturbing memory can conjure up feelings of embittered nostalgia that are hard to suppress.
‘Primal’ Season 3 Weaves Episodic Adventures Into Serialized Storytelling

One of the signature traits of Tartakovsky’s style is making self-contained installments that are completely satisfying as bite-sized adventures, even if they contribute to a broader story arc. Primal starts Season 3 on a high note with its first three episodes, which are among the most action-packed in the show’s history. Impressively, Tartakovsky is able to come up with compelling new antagonists whose anatomy and sociology challenge Spear on an intellectual level, a feat made all the more difficult due to his fluctuating memory. Even if Tartakovsky has definitively stated in the past that he is not a horror buff, the unsightly creatures in the standout episode “Feast of Flesh” echo the work of Joe Dante and Guillermo del Toro. That being said, Tartakovsky can imbue individuality into even his most absurdist creatures, as Primal gives constant reminders about the inherent violence of the food chain. It’s not a series with intentionally cruel, mustache-twirling villains, because even the most ruthless of Spear’s enemies are simply making their bids to survive. The relentless pacing of Season 3’s opening hits a sharp decline when the middle section slows down significantly in order to reacclimate the characters with the ways in which the universe has changed. Primal has always been based on a concept that defies science and history, but there’s a greater presence of the supernatural that requires Season 3 to take time in explaining the new rules. While the artwork is too stunning for the series to ever become dull, the change of pace is jarring, especially when Spear is forced to go through some of the same stages of character development as a result of his hazy memory. It may have been necessary to grind momentum to a halt in order to make Spear more vulnerable, but Primal doesn’t ratchet up the emotional suspense until the back half of the season. The momentum shifts may not be noticeable to anyone who waits to binge-watch, but for those who tune in weekly, there are peaks and valleys when it comes to the quantity of setpieces. Although it at times feels a bit regressive for Spear to once again be wandering the wasteland in search of meaning, as this was already the core focus of previous seasons, Primal Season 3 asks thought-provoking questions about mortality. Returning from the dead for the sake of another perilous quest is as much of a curse as it is a gift, and Spear isn’t turned into an impenetrable superhero who is incapable of feeling pain, be it emotional or physical. There are several sickening instances of pure body horror in which Spear is left shocked by the way in which his autonomy has been contorted, particularly when his battle wounds begin to leave permanent scars. Perhaps the season could have leaned further into the notion that Spear fears turning into one of the monsters he has spent a lifetime fighting, but a striking moment in which he gets a glance of his own likeness is one of the most profound moments that Tartakovsky has ever created.
‘Primal’ Season 3 Packs Its Biggest Emotional Punch Yet

Zombie Spear in Primal Season 3.Image via Adult Swim

Primal Season 3 doesn’t just expand upon prehistoric lore, as the latest iteration of the show builds upon ideas that have reappeared within Tartakovsky’s entire body of work. The presence of more hand-to-hand combat feels like a grittier take on the novel martial arts sequences in Samurai Jack, and there’s a dynamic series of surrealist interludes experienced by Spear that share similarities with the horrific nightmares experienced by Anakin Skywalker (Mat Lucas) in the third season of Star Wars: Clone Wars. While this is easily the darkest season of Primal because of how punishing even the most propulsive of action scenes feel, there are a few lighter moments; the show’s comic relief comes from the juxtaposition of casual and extreme circumstances. If anything, the ability to manipulate the size and design of certain creatures for the sake of a joke is a subtle throwback to the groundbreaking work Tartakovsky did with Dexter’s Laboratory. The visuals are just as top-notch as viewers of the series would have come to expect, and the use of color is more striking than ever. The expressionistic style of Primal means that the visual language is just as important in conveying emotion as character reactions are, and Season 3 pushes the envelope in showing how nature is reactive to conflict between living creatures. Most impressive is that the series is able to invoke naturalistic beauty with far-fetched, imaginative works of high fantasy; the observations about the tranquility of plant and animal life are as patient as they are achingly beautiful, but the tail end of the season includes a bold incorporation of sword-and-sorcery components that feel lifted straight from Dungeons & Dragons. It may have been abrupt had these extreme genre elements been included in prior seasons, but the worldbuilding of Primal has become so dense that this swerve in a new direction feels both appropriate and earned.

A gripping ending may put some early missteps in stark contrast, but the flaws of Primal Season 3 can be easily forgiven because of how strong it wraps up. As easy as it would be to hail Tartakovsky as the singular genius responsible for everything great about Primal, the voice cast does an excellent job in the new season, especially when considering how hard it is to convey complex feelings within grunts and murmurs. There’s also an even greater presence in the score by Tyler Bates and Joanne Higginbottom, which reaches levels of operatic grandiosity not seen in previous seasons. The music may feel a bit more traditional when compared to some of the show’s more atmospheric tracks, but the incorporation of ambient noises and wailing battle cries still makes Primal sound like nothing else on television. There’s also a quality to the hand-drawn animation that speaks to the merits of the medium, and justifies the long wait in between seasons; Spear may initially look like a brooding, terrifying nomad, but there’s an interiority to his consciousness that is conveyed purely through the subtlest modulations. It had previously been teased by Tartakovsky that Season 3 would transform Primal into an anthology series, but that’s not strictly the case. This is still very much the next chapter in Spear’s journey, and one that invokes Biblical allusions with its story of life, death, and reincarnation. There are certainly hints at what the broader universe beyond Primal looks like, but much of the show’s charm comes from the fact that it is shown through Spear’s perspective. The ending is even-handed in a way that, much like its predecessor, could serve as either a definitive, satisfying conclusion or a glimpse at a much different era of the show. Either way, Primal Season 3 is well worth the wait, both expanding on its original premise while never letting itself become too familiar.

Release Date

October 8, 2019

Network

Adult Swim

Showrunner

Genndy Tartakovsky

Directors

Genndy Tartakovsky

Writers

Genndy Tartakovsky, Darrick Bachman, Bryan Andrews, Nagisa Koyama

Laëtitia Eïdo

Mira (voice)

Aaron LaPlante

Spear (voice)

Pros & Cons

Spear’s return is justified and makes him a more nuanced character.
The music, vocal performances, and animation are as strong as they have ever been.
The inclusion of supernatural and high fantasy elements is an exciting way to avoid feeling derivative.

A few of the middle episodes dull the pacing and lack dramatic suspense.