The ITV chequebook was waved very firmly in the direction of Primeval, a big-budget prime-time Saturday rival to the success of the BBC"s Doctor Who. But unlike some efforts to buy big ratings, there"s actually a lot of entertainment throughout the episodes here that make up the complete first series.The crux of the programme surrounds a series of strange creatures from both the future and the past who appear to be roaming around in the present day. So what"s going on? And what can be done about the dinosaur-esque creatures, big insects and assorted parasitic lifeforms that are suddenly roaming the Earth? That"s where Nick Cutter and his team come in, and the fun really begins.A surprisingly human action-drama, Primeval clearly draws influence from the BBC"s megahit, and while it never really threatens to rival it, it is nonetheless a good show in its own right. The special effects are suitably smart, but there"s also, more importantly, a half-decent script at the heart of things, and that really does help lift the show.Already commissioned for a second series, these maiden adventures for the Primeval team offer some rollicking entertainment and plenty of rewatch value. And with that in mind, this complete first season is a smart buy. --Jon Foster