Primal
Primal
Now Showing

Primal

8.7
Yr 2019
Rt 22m
Status Returning Series
Action & Adventure Animation
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

A caveman forms a bond with a dinosaur as they struggle to survive in a hostile world.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 92 /100

Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal has received widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers hailing it as a tour de force in adult animation. Critics widely praise the series' daring commitment to wordless storytelling, observing how Spear and his dinosaur companion communicate raw emotion, complex survival instincts, and distinct personalities purely through detailed character animation, grunts, and sound design.

While critics consistently emphasize the intense, bone-crushing brutality and visceral gore, they note that the violence is balanced by profound heart and patient pacing. Rather than relying on shock value, the series is commended for grounding its fantastical prehistoric setting in quiet moments of naturalism, turning an outlandish tale of survival into an emotionally resonant epic.

“an exquisitely animated show with brutal action, great characters, and an emotionally devastating story told without any dialogue”

“a rarely pausing saga of bone-breaking, head-severing, tooth-extracting, face-smashing brutality”

“fully commits to the hardcore-action storytelling, but he brings a patient naturalism to the purposefully outlandish material”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

YouTube TV
US
HBO Max
US • UK
StackTV Amazon Channel
CA
Show 5 more
fuboTV
CA
Spectrum On Demand
US
HBO Max Amazon Channel
US • UK
Adult Swim
US
Global TV
CA
Why fans love it

Premiering in 2019, *Primal* delivers a raw vision of action and adventure through striking hand drawn animation. This western animation series centers on an improbable bond forged between a spear-wielding caveman and a dinosaur as they navigate a dangerous environment. Together, the two figures fight to stay alive in a harsh prehistoric landscape where the boundary between hunter and prey is perpetually blurred.

What captivates viewers is the show's commitment to visual storytelling and unrelenting brutality. Without standard dialogue, the narrative relies on visceral fights, the constant search for food, and the grim reality of being human prey to build tension. Featuring voice talent such as Aaron LaPlante, the series captures the fierce instincts required to survive when you are the last of your kind.

Production Board

Crew

Art Direction
Scott Wills
Story
Darrick Bachman Bryan Andrews David Krentz
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Alex Borquez
Sound Designer
Joel Valentine
Character Designer
Stephen DeStefano Erika Worthylake
Executive Producer
Sam Register
Key Animation
Vincent Chansard
Supervising Producer
Liz Marshall Rossitza Likomanova Shareena Carlson
Editor
Paul Douglas
Animation
Juliette Godin
Casting
Karie Gina Pham
Music
Tyler Bates Joanne Higginbottom
Original Music Composer
Tyler Bates
Storyboard Artist
Nagisa Koyama Bryan Andrews Mark Andrews Don Shank David Krentz
Writer
Nagisa Koyama Mark Andrews Don Shank
Background Designer
Christian Schellewald
Producer
Shareena Carlson
Creator
Genndy Tartakovsky
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Primal overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

fight magic trauma primal fear gore survival prehistory food dinosaur fear one man army violent death bloody fight brutality struggle for survival spear death of family hunting death eating spear throwing injury adult animation unlikely friendship neanderthal bonding hunted like animals human prey last human violent man prey hand drawn animation survive caveman hand drawn spear fishing violence against animals western animation fantasy animation last of its kind violence survival of the fittest tense intense enthusiastic primal scream primal gorefest thrilling brutal
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 08, 2019
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
22 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
1,623