Prime Target premieres January 22 on Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping on Wednesdays through March 5.
By Elazar Abrahams
Prime Target, the latest thriller to hit streaming, had all the makings of an exciting, globetrotting conspiracy adventure. A young mathematician on the verge of a groundbreaking discovery. A shadowy government agent hot on his trail. A sprawling international backdrop filled with intrigue. And yet, despite its promising premise, the series lands as an uninspired and strangely dull outing.
Leo Woodall, fresh off his breakout roles in The White Lotus’ second season and Netflix’s One Day, takes on the lead billing of Edward Brooks, a brilliant but troubled grad student whose work with prime numbers makes him the target of a dangerous global conspiracy to find the sequence that will allow the codebreaker to control every computer on Earth. Unfortunately, Woodall’s performance is a rare miss. Known for his ability to effortlessly oscillate between asshole and sweetheart, Woodall’s Edward is strangely devoid of both, resulting in a protagonist who feels frustratingly flat. For a rising star with so much potential, this feels like a misstep.
The show’s themes of surveillance and power could have offered a compelling exploration of contemporary fears in the digital age. But Prime Target struggles to weave its commentary into the narrative in any meaningful way. Instead, it juggles messaging and plot awkwardly, leaving neither particularly impactful. Attempts at suspense are undercut by sluggish pacing, and the twists — when they come — lack the punch necessary to keep viewers truly invested.
For a show billed as a globetrotting adventure, this first season is remarkably low on thrills, save an earthquake or surprise assassination or two. The locations are there, but the excitement is missing. The show moves from one exotic locale to another, yet the sense of urgency and danger that defines great spy thrillers never quite materializes. What should be a fast-paced ride feels like a chore to get through.
I give Prime Target’s first season a C-.
TV and City 