A New Pattern – This episode of Prime Target begins in Baghdad, Iraq. Amira (Kenza Kharbough) catches up with her mom. Amira and Baidaa Saeed (Hiuba Bennani) speak to Hakeem (Saadi Bahri) at the shop. Hakeem tries to give Amira an ice cream for free, but Baidaa is adamant that they need to pay. When Baidaa goes to the ATM, she’s injured in an explosion. She gets up and begins looking for her daughter. Hakeem and Amira are okay. Amira tries to reach her mother. They end up falling into a hole.
Cambridge, England – Edward Brooks (Leo Woodall) rows with the team. He talks to another guy about it afterward. Next, Fiona Carey (Daisy Waterstone) offers Edward food. He says he can’t because he only has ten minutes. Fiona complains that he’s always in a hurry. She follows him and asks what he’s doing later. Ed claims he has to work tonight. Fiona admits it’s her 23rd birthday. Ed leaves moments later. Professor Robert Mallinder (David Morrissey) speaks to the class about the university being founded 800 years ago. They’ve been at the top of the league table until now. Robert explains that Oxford, Stanford, and MIT are making serious advances in academic research. He goes on to say Sir Isaac Newton started a revolution in mathematics in this city. When Ed makes a sarcastic statement, Robert asks if he has something he’d like to share. Robert gives them a pep talk and urges them to make their dent in the universe. Professor Raymond Osborne (Joseph Mydell) gets a visit from Ed moments later.
Ed says 204 is the number of the bus he passed on his way there. They talk about 204 being an interesting number. Ed says he brought his favorite ginger cake. They talk about Robert Mallinder and the league tables. Raymond insists Mallinder is brilliant and worthy of Ed. Raymond refuses to continue working together. He pleads with Ed to give Robert Mallinder a chance. Later, Robert speaks to Ed about his work. He says integral analysis seems a bit easy for someone with Ed’s reputation. Ed tries to talk to him about the number 204. Robert says he doesn’t have to do this. Ed says there’s a pattern concealed inside of it. He asks Robert to see if he can spot it. Robert reminds him they’re there to talk about his research. He doesn’t want to play along with Ed. Robert asks about Ray Osborne. Ed reveals that he has Alzheimer’s. Robert says Ray taught him as well. He finally shows Ed what he knows about 204. A camera above Ed is recording everything. Professor Andrea Lavin (Sidse Babett Knudsen) is busy working elsewhere.
She watches a video of the ruins found after the explosion. Andrea calls Dr. Charan Nathoo (Maanuv Thiara) to tell him about the discovery. She speaks to a group about the value of knowledge many years ago. Charan arrives a short time later. Andrea tells him that she got an email from a colleague in Iraq. There was a gas explosion on the street that led to the discovery of an underground chamber. She believes it is from the ninth century and it looks untouched. The Baghdad Department of Culture and Antiquities has asked Andrea to fly out there. They want her to consult. Charan says the images are amazing. Andrea believes there’s a name, Harun al-Rashid. She goes on to say it has to be Bayt al-Hikmah. Charan says that’s the greatest library ever created. Later, Robert speaks to Andrea about Ed who doesn’t think he’s capable. He admits he sometimes wants to punch him in the face. Andrea says it’s not like Robert to feel threatened. She recommends inviting him over and getting him away from work. Ed hangs out at the pub for Fiona’s birthday.
Adam Mellor (Fra Fee) serves him and asks if he needs glasses or straws. India (Ellie Dormer) comes over to speak to Ed. They argue briefly until India gets upset and leaves. Ed and Adam go to the roof to talk in private. Ed shows him the starlings nearby. He explains there are numbers everywhere. The starlings have a sequence to their movement. Ed says nature might feel random, but he’s trying to find a pattern in it. That night, Ed gets up and sees Adam sleeping nearby. Adam gets up and looks through his paperwork later. Ed asks him not to look because it’s private. Adam admits it doesn’t make any sense to him anyway. Ed says he doesn’t use a computer because they’re not fast enough. He tells Adam that he should go because he needs to work. Ed claims he has family coming. Adam leaves. The next day, Edward tells his dad, Brian Brooks (Rod Hallett), the kids aren’t really allowed to play on the grass. They talk about Ed’s math projects.
He explains there’s some stuff he wants to do, but he has to keep it to himself now. Brian realizes this place means a lot to him. He says his mom would’ve been proud of him. They leave when they’re forced to get off the grass. Andrea tells Robert to get him moved to someone else’s list if it goes badly tonight. Robert isn’t going to let someone else handle that kind of talent. Edward arrives and brings biscuits with him. They talk about relationships. Ed admits he finds it hard to make the time. Andrea asks Edward more about his work. He says it’s all about if the rules were different and if numbers didn’t behave the way they assumed. Ed says in the third century BC the Romans did not have a symbol for zero and it didn’t exist. Robert says it took another thousand years for al-Khwarizmi to describe it. Ed believes numbers are waiting to be found like hidden continents. Andrea shows him the dig that she’s going to join. She believes it may be the Bayt al-Hikmah, The House of Wisdom. Ed seems particularly interested in the picture of the domed ceiling from inside the chamber.
He believes they are number patterns. Ed begins using the tablecloth since his notebook isn’t big enough. He tries to leave with the tablecloth. Robert asks him to leave it. Once they’re alone, Andrea admits she can see why Ed gets under Robert’s skin. She also says Ed is very much like her. Robert leaves with the tablecloth. As he begins working on it, someone watches him on a video stream. A person behind the computer uploads snapshots of Robert’s work. The next day, Adam sees Ed during lunch. Ed invites him to sit down, but Adam says he’s at work. Ed admits he thinks he messed up the other night and he can’t stop thinking about it. He apologizes. Professor James Alderman (Stephen Rea) welcomes Robert Mallinder when he enters the cafeteria. James asks him about Andrea and whether Robert’s worried she’s starting to outpace him. Robert tells him to stop making mischief. Robert takes Ed outside so he can find out what he’s working on. Ed reluctantly shows Robert some of his work. He’s interested in theory and not the applied stuff.
Robert asks him to present his work. Ed claims Newton was blind to nature. He saw the apple fall and only thought of gravity. Ed says humans have built their whole society based on non-prime numbers because it makes them feel in control. He insists they’re not in control. He’s looking for sequences in prime numbers. Ed suggests the DNA of existence is prime numbers. He believes the pattern on the ceiling is some type of prime formula. Ed asks if they’ll go for it. Robert says he can’t put it in front of the board because it’s a unicorn. He claims this is for the tinfoil hat mob. Robert insists Ed shouldn’t waste his time on this because he’s seen others waste their time. He urges him to drop it now. As Robert gets home, he seems spooked by the birds. He goes inside and accesses a message from The Keeper of the Keeper World. The Keeper asks why he’s working on prime numbers again since they had an agreement.
Next, Ed goes to the library to research prime numbers. He tries to access “Decoding Primes in arithmetic progressions” only to find it has been removed from the records. He finds that others have been removed as well. When Andrea returns home, she notices that Robert has been burning stuff in a barrel, including the tablecloth. Ed makes it home and notices that his work is missing. He confronts Keith Wyatt (Tim Faraday) to say someone has been in his room. Keith says Robert Mallinder said he had left some vital papers in there. Edward tries to find Robert who is not in his office. He calls Robert and asks him why he did it. Robert tells him he’s trying to help. He urges him not to touch it again and not to go near it. Ed goes to Mallinder’s house. Andrea tells him that Robert is not home. He left a message. Andrea invites Ed inside. She lets him listen to a message from Robert who says goodbye. Andrea becomes upset. It appears Robert Mallinder is found deceased in his car. There’s a camera pointed at his vehicle.
Prime Target Review
The opening episode of Apple TV’s Prime Target really didn’t disclose a lot making it difficult to really gauge the series at this point. As a result, there’s a risk that viewers will prematurely drop out because the opener was so slow and sluggish. Unfortunately, it started out very dull with a weird Edward speaking to Fiona, going to her birthday party, and possibly hooking up with Adam.
The first episode was so uneventful that it’s questionable whether the show needed eight episodes per season. On the plus side, this is only the opening episode so there is room for things to speed up and get more exciting very quickly. There’s just not enough here to judge the series, but the first episode was less than thrilling.
Apple TV+ is already in a bind because so few people watch shows on the platform and this definitely wasn’t a good way to draw in viewers. I’d hate to rule it out so quickly since the potential is still here for an interesting story, but the sluggish pace and weekly wait for future episodes are likely a recipe for disaster.
The opening episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Prime Target can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.