Review: Primal “Sea of Despair”; “Shadow of Fate”

Overview: 

Primal returns and it’s hell or high water for Fang as Spear as they brave new territory in more ways than one. The duo’s desire to reunite with Mira pushes them out of their comfort zones and into the sea. The pair traverse treacherous conditions and are pulled in different directions before a bloody trial will either reunite them or permanently end their friendship.

Our Take:

The first season of Primal concludes in a seismic manner as Fang and Spear’s atypical rendition of The Odd Couple suddenly morphs into Three’s Company. The addition of Mira was a compelling change of pace that hinted at a possibly new status quo in season two. Mira is certainly the focus of Primal’s second season, but the series returns to its roots as these apex predators hunt down those who took Mira. Primal goes back to its initial dynamic, but this is anything but a step backwards for the series. If anything, the first two episodes of Primal’s second season are a testament to the evolving nature of this groundbreaking animated series. 

Primal has covered a lot of ground, but it’s genuinely exciting for the audience and the characters as the series takes to the seas to conquer new ground and expand upon a scope that already felt mammoth in nature. A lot of series could breeze past this aquatic interlude or take it for granted, but Primal leans into how it’s such a jarring change of pace. There are shots that are perpetually framed in wide angles to emphasize how small Fang and Spear are in all of this and the hopelessness of their quest. At one point it might have seemed like the recovery of Mira is something that Primal would resolve in the first or second episodes of the new season, but the methodical nature of these two entries paints a different picture. Mira’s rescue marks the end of the season, not the start. This is a massive undertaking for the duo and it’s a strong dramatic engine to have this goal hanging over their heads for the entire season.

It’s extremely exciting to see how much of this season is already challenging itself instead of simply pushing its limits within the same sandbox. Everything about this season feels dramatically bigger and it’s honestly some of the best television of the year, animated or otherwise. Many shows dream of pulling off just one of the many elaborate spectacles that Primal brings to life in these two episodes. Primal’s first season never struggled, but after a year of episodes it’s only grown more confident and capable. These episodes evolve the storytelling formula to conquer new heights, just like how Spear and Fang continue to grow and gain depth.

On that note, Fang and Spear continue to act as vengeful vessels of violence, but a lot of time in “Sea of Despair” and “Shadow of Fate” looks at the pain and sadness of these characters. I don’t think anyone expects to have gained full speech by the end of the series and resemble some sort of modern man, but it’s still impressive to watch him grow beyond various forms of rage. There are certain sequences, like where Fang problem solves on how to cross the sea, where it’s so satisfying to watch his brain work. It’s a reminder of how adept this series is at visual storytelling. It’s often easy to forget that this is a show without dialogue. 

Similarly, the teamwork between Spear and Fang remains unparalleled and is Primal’s strongest asset. Their cooperation is simultaneously heart-warming, exciting, and hilarious. There’s a fulfilling “trial and error” quality to the series’ plotting that is far from repetitive and actually makes sense for its two prehistoric protagonists. All of this lends itself to Primal’s impeccable sense of humor. So much of this show makes use of sublime comic timing where scenes are punctuated with the perfect piece of dry humor. Appropriating a turtle’s shell to beat the harsh rays of the sun is one among many of them.

“Sea of Despair” and “Shadow of Fate” test Fang and Spear in new ways, which involves a momentary separation between this power couple. This isn’t the first time that these two have been split up, but it’s still used to great dramatic effect here even if their absence is only in a temporary capacity. It allows the series to enter what feels like Twilight Zone territory as Spear and Fang are confronted with bizarro nightmare versions of themselves. There are at first natural signs of fear, but Fang and Spear unexpectedly bond with their other halves, which ultimately makes the episode’s final act all the more bittersweet.

What’s so appealing with Primal’s bifurcated structure is that both Fang and Spear’s separate rites of passage are equally thrilling. Each story is filled with phenomenal battles and complications for the series’ characters that are able to resonate on unique levels as they overcome demons that are both internal and external in nature. There’s still a lot of this season left, but if the events of “Sea of Despair” and “Shadow of Fate” are any indication then it seems as if Fang and Spear are destined to evolve and are already growing in a way where they no longer default to murderous rampages. They’re now considerably more open to empathy and understanding. This grows out of a destructive desire for them to protect each other, but it extends beyond that and hurts more when one fails to rise to the other’s level, which is typically Spear and a reflection of the folly of man. As electric as the fights and chaotic visuals are in Primal (Spear wrestles with a giant turtle and shark like they’re Ecco the Dolphin boss fights), the emotional growth that Spear and Fang continue to experience on their adventure is often just as powerful. 

These first two episodes of the season are in no rush, but they’re still very story-driven. The focus on plotting doesn’t mean that Primal’s signature visual flourishes aren’t still on display. Everything in these installments looks gorgeous, but there’s a sequence set on the sea that involves shooting stars and neon jellyfish that’s exactly the reason why people watch Primal and why it needs to exist for as long as Genndy Tartakovsky wants to make it. The growing presence of witchcraft and characters who look like they’ve crawled right out of E.C. Comics also give Primal more opportunities to get aesthetically surreal. Additionally, Tyler Bates and Joanne Higginbottom’s operatic score continues to complement the visuals and also visit new places as Fang and Spear expand their horizons.

Primal wastes absolutely no time in its second season and quickly proves that it wants to top every single one of its season one milestones. This is the series at its very best and the fact that there are eight more episodes to this season means that it can only get exponentially bigger. “Sea of Despair” and “Shadow of Fate” are proof that Primal’s first season was no fluke and it’s somehow going to feel quaint by the time that season two reaches its conclusion.