“Prime Target” Review: Apple TV+ Drama Falls Short on Execution

by Haley January 22, 2025

The Apple TV+ drama, Prime Target, sets off with promising brilliance as mathematical prodigy Edward Brooks (Leo Woodall) nears the secrets of computer system encryption. But when he and NSA agent Taylah Sanders (Quintessa Swindell) are wrapped up in espionage and conspiracy, the series fumbles its footing. Despite the strong performances by its leads, a lack of compelling plot advancement, overdependence on exposition, and the underdevelopment of character arcs lets down what could have been an engaging international spy thriller.

“Prime Target” Review: Apple TV+ Drama Falls Short on Execution

– Prime Target is an Apple TV+ drama revolving around Edward Brooks, a math prodigy who is close to revealing the secrets of computer systems, but is drawn into a web of intellectual espionage, making the story lose its footing in the later episodes.
– While the initial episodes offer an engaging plot, it is obscured by a slow pacing, overuse of information dumps, repeated cryptic clues and melodrama, reducing the thriller’s potential.
– Despite strong performances from the leads, the characters are not well-developed, and the supporting cast serve as shallow containers for plot exposition, adding to the downfall of the show’s ambition.

Prime Target begins with the intriguing notion of Edward Brooks (played by Leo Woodall), on the verge of deciphering the mathematical codes that protect every global computer system. This complicated yet thrilling foundation positions the Apple TV+ series for greatness. However, as Edward, the bright-eyed genius, gets entangled in a perilous web of intellectual espionage and conspiracy with NSA agent Taylah Sanders (Quintessa Swindell), the show begins to falter.

Though initially launched with a promising story in a quaint Cambridge location packed with academic charm, it soon descends into a convoluted international spy affair, comparable to a Dan Brown novel stuffed with mysteries and grandiose schemes. The struggle to decode the pattern within prime numbers, the backbone of contemporary cryptographic security, unfortunately, becomes as tedious as the screen adaptations of Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. Riddled with information overload, irregular rhythm, and a surfeit of scenes featuring individuals researching, studying screens, or reading notes with a purposeful look.

As Prime Target unfolds, the ultimate goal seems far more enticing than the journey itself. Its narrative stretches thin over eight episodes, resorting to superfluous content and explanation that hamper the story’s pace. The initial tight knit structure gives way to recurrent scenes of Edward and Taylah moving from one puzzling hint to another, split by unclear threats about the crucial and seemingly hazardous nature of prime numbers. During this, the catchphrase about the danger of these numbers becomes a show’s clumsy motto, pushed into nearly every episode as a constant reminder of the progressing narrative. Although the idea of a earth-shattering mathematical discovery is enticing, the lackluster execution steals its thrill and believability.

The characters are painted rather thinly too, although both Woodall and Swindell deliver competent performances, with Woodall capturing the essence of Edward brilliantly – an extraordinary genius unnerved by the trivialities of everyday life while Swindell brings a strategic intensity to her character Taylah, occasionally mellowed by an understated, rooting warmth. Despite the intriguing characters, their development feels incomplete, with unexplained sudden motivation shifts and unexpected arguments. The lackluster supporting characters are primarily used for explaining the plot.

Despite attempts to invigorate through geographical location shifts, they merely seem as superficial distractions rather than substantial progress in the narrative. Eventually, Prime Target collapses due to its ambitious premise, with unnecessary drama and scarcity of intriguing plot developments dragging the story.

Prime Target, unfortunately, appears to falter under the pressure of its own ambition, as the suspense fades and the soap opera wanders astray, burdened by artificial drama and a shortage of fresh compelling twists. There are fleeting moments of genuine curiosity, especially when Edward’s work is smoothly incorporated into the central storyline, though these moments are too sporadic to maintain momentum. Summing up, the series ultimately fails to exploit fully its engaging spy-thriller promise from the early episodes.

RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Prime Target, released on Apple TV+.