Prime Target: Season 1 Episode 1 – Recap and Review | What If The Answer To Everything Wasn’t 42?
A conspiracy theory regarding the power of prime numbers pushes an unexpected level of intrigue.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Recap
In Cambridge, England, Ed is doing post-graduate work, and from what you hear from everyone around, he is a genius. But, like most geniuses, what he has in academic intelligence, he lacks socially. Thankfully, whether it is one of his closest friends, Fiona, or a bartender he hooks up with, it seems there is enough charm there to excuse his flaws.
But, while genius can be excusable, it also breeds jealousy, if not contempt. Case in point, Ed’s professor, Robert Mallinder, who hasn’t had the spotlight of Cambridge in quite some time, is impressed by Ed but also feels like Ed constantly tests him all because he isn’t the professor he wanted. The man Ed truly would love for an instructor and advisor is Ray Osborne, but with Alzheimer’s taking hold, while Ray is still sharp, he isn’t consistent enough to teach.
So, stuck with Robert, Ed finds himself trying to determine if Robert’s jealousy would get in the way of his greatness. For with a key focus on how prime numbers seemingly are that of nature, while humanity tries to force control through even numbers, that is where Ed’s interests lay.
Surprisingly, his interests and those of Robert’s wife, Andrea, end up on a collision course. After a gas explosion in Iraq leads to not only a woman named Baidaa and Amira nearly dying but the discovery of what could be an ancient library, both Andrea and Ed have reason to be excited. For Andrea, it is because this is her life’s work, the study of civilizations and the knowledge locked away, especially in Arabia. But, for Ed, with some of that knowledge being his work, just pursued 900 years earlier, seeing some images of the discovered library set him off.
This leads to Robert being threatened by an unknown entity that has him destroy not only the impromptu notes Ed made on Robert and Andrea’s tablecloth but also seek out anything regarding Ed’s research into prime numbers and discard them. But, in a final and shocking act, we find Robert dead in his car, with a camera watching, seemingly to make sure the task is done.
Episode Details
| Episode Title | A New Pattern |
| Originally Aired | January 22, 2025 |
| Network | Apple TV Plus |
| Director(s) | Brady Hood |
| Writer(s) | Steve Thompson |
| introduced ACTOR(S) NAME | Leo Woodall, David Morrissey, Daisy Waterstone, Joseph Mydell, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Kenza Kharbough, Hiba Bennani, Fra Fee |
New Character Descriptions
Ed (Leo Woodall)
Ed is a man in his early to mid-20s, a post-grad mathematician who believes that he is running out of time with most mathematicians making their great discoveries by 29. But, what doesn’t help is that, with the brilliance he has, he feels he lacks the support he needs to truly live up to being seen as a genius. Though, with his theory regarding prime numbers and the question of what would happen if the rules were different regarding math, it seems he may earn his title and beat the clock.
Robert Mallinder (David Morrissey)
At one time, Robert was the hot thing at Cambridge, with multiple books published and being the more notable one in his marriage. However, now Robert is at the point of his career and life where he lives off what his name was then, and as his star fades, so too seems the respect owed.
Fiona (Daisy Waterstone)
Fiona, one of Ed’s friends, who just turned 23, seems like the person who tries to get Ed away from his studies and socialize.
Ray Osborne (Joseph Mydell)
Ray Osborne, a former professor at Cambridge, taught Robert and seemingly is someone Ed hoped to teach him. But, with Alzheimer’s plaguing Ray, while he is still sharp, it appears he stepped away from teaching before any form of decline was noticeable.
Andrea (Sidse Babett Knudsen)
Andrea is Robert’s wife who is well versed in the history of Iraq and a good part of Arabia. When introduced, her career is on the rise due to being asked to help consult, explore, and investigate a recently discovered library, likely from the Abbasid Caliphate, buried over 900 years ago in the siege of Baghdad.
Amira (Kenza Kharbough)
Amira is a little girl in Iraq who was in the building above the library when a gas leak explosion nearly ended her life.
Baidaa (Hiba Bennani)
Baidaa is Amira’s mother, who was one of the first conscious people in the lost library in nearly 900 years.
Adam (Fra Fee)
Adam is a bartender who seems to be someone who works multiple jobs in and around Cambridge and becomes someone of interest to Ed, who denies being gay but is attracted to Adam nonetheless.
Review
Trajectory (80/100): Plateau
Though not the same by any means, something about “Prime Target” feels like if “A Beautiful Mind” was made into a thriller. With the way Ed interacts with people, the friend group he keeps, this mystery figure always watching, and seemingly a danger to those who stray too far beyond where they will allow anyone’s curiosities to venture, there is a lot to sink into here.
But it isn’t just Ed’s story. There is, well, was with Robert dead, this drama between faculty that was starting to poke its head out and add in recognition of Arabian mathematicians; it seemed this was going to be a western-based show that really would honor the area.
However, I have to admit the setup of watching Baidaa and her daughter Amira nearly die, and then the focus being taken from them and focused completely on where they may have died or waited to be rescued, is troubling. But, for those like Andrea, they would just hear gas leak explosion led to huge discovery and get excited. Why would they worry about the shop owner, the people, or even the children hurt before the discovery?
In some ways, it helps further the idea it isn’t just Ed who might be cold and heartless or appearing to be, for in the rush of passion and making a discovery, it seems something has to be collateral damage. Oftentimes, opportunities at love and friendship are lost, but I guess a bit of your humanity overall has to be lost in pursuit of something potentially bigger than yourself.
Highlights
- The Building Of A Conspiracy
- The Drama Of Post-Grad Education
On The Fence
- How Amira and Baidaa Were Handled
What To Check Out Next & How To Check This Out
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