Anomaly Research Centre
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Anomaly Research Centre

  Episode 5.4 is the fourth episode of the fifth series of Primeval. It was broadcast as Der Prototyp (The Prototype)[1] in Germany.

Summary[]

"The team tackles killer beetles from the future, which swarm into Connor's lab through an Anomaly and begin devouring everything in sight, starting with a luckless security guard. As the crisis escalates, Philip devises a way of saving the day - but unfortunately it entails destroying the whole of ARC."[2]

Full synopsis[]

Connor reveals to Philip that the prototype had worked and that a glitch closed the anomaly before aplogizing. Philip however reassures and congratulates his work.

Matt meanwhile manages to hack into Connor's encrypted harddrive where he finds anomaly readings. anomaly detector sounds and the team arrive to find that the anomaly is in fact inside the building. Matt, Abby and Emily arrive at Connor's lab where Matt demands that Connor let him in. They arrive to find the tiny anomaly pulsating on the New Dawn prototype. Matt angrily demands that Connor lock it. Connor tries to persuade the team that this is the most important breakthrough the ARC has ever seen and Philip agrees before threatning to have Matt forcibly removed by Special Forces soldiers. Matt, realizing that he can't win the argument, leaves. Philip goes to New Dawn after receiving news of the extraordinary readings and leaves a Special Forces guard to guard the anomaly and Connor. Matt tells Abby that destroying the prototype won't work as it is likely sending data to a larger power station. Abby realizes this and goes to confront Connor. Connor explains the idea of the project, to supply free, environmentally friendly energy to solve the energy crisis. Abby claims scientists shouldn't fool around with nature. Connor accidentally insults her. Two pair argue. While Connor is convinced this is what Professor Cutter wanted, Abby tells Connor that this is in fact what Helen wanted.  The two argue

Jess meanwhile spots a creature inside Connor's laboratory on the security cameras. When Matt recognizes the creature, he and Emily run off to the lab. A tiny beetle has come through however the guard sends it back through. Jess tells Matt that it was sent back however this seems to panic Matt even more- and for good reason. Seconds after the guard sends the beetle back through, thousands pour through the anomaly. They quickly move towards the guard, overwhelm and devour him. The security system detects the creature incursion and a lock down ensues. All entry and exit points are closed. Becker arrives and orders that Emily also be evacuated. Emily appears annoyed  but leaves anyway with most of the staff in a hurried evacuation.

Connor tells the team that the oxygen will be sucked out of his lab but Matt points out that there is still an adequate oxygen supply flowing through the anomaly. They soon realize that there were less beetles in the room then before and while they at first theorize hey are going back through the anomaly, they are in fact chewing through the reinforced concrete walls and tunnelling into the walls and the ventilation ducts. Soon a strange chitter ensues and the team watch in horror as a massive beetle squeezes its way through the anomaly and follows the others, its the queen. Matt however sees as an opportunity- the beetles follow the queen like mindless zombies and will go wherever she does. This could be a way to control them. Matt installs a trapdoor in the ceiling where he knows the beetles will go cross through the air ventilation system. Abby and Becker collect pesticide from the armoury but hear strange noises. They prepare to fire but its only Emily. Becker is stunned. She bluntly states she thought his order was wrong and leads the way. Becker complains while Abby is amused. Matt then goes to Connor's lab where he locks the anomaly and destroys Connor's device.by blasting it with his EMD weapon.

Philip then calls demanding why the anomaly was locked. Connor tries to explain to Philip that a man has been killed and that they are at risk but Philip is unsympathetic and demands data from the anomaly.

The team get ready and let the beetles fall through the ceiling where they simultaneously spray the beetles with pesticide however to no avail. Meanwhile, a stray beetle falls on a screaming Jess which then bites her. Becker comes to her rescue. Becker then kills the queen with a few blasts of his EMD weapon but to the team's dismay the beetles then scurry in all directions. Their one way of controlling the beetles is gone. Jess meanwhile collapses and begins convulsing. She reveals she is allergic to insect bites. She tells the team that she needs medical attention and Becker and Emily take her to the medical bay

Philip meanwhile reveals he has a plan to terminate the beetle threat. An auto-destruct system was built into the building and that when the program is activated, the building and everything inside will be incinerated. Matt angrily ends the call. Connor urges Philip not to consider that option.

Connor, Abby and Matt arrive in Connor's laboratory where Connor plans to reverse the anomaly's energy and cause it to form a massive gamma ray burst by collapsing the anomaly, however Matt has already destroyed the device with his EMD. With the data lost, Matt has to reveal that he and Abby had made a copy of his hard drive despite Abby's warning. Connor feels betrayed especially by Abby who avoids his eyes. He demands to know why they didn't talk to him but Matt orders him to work. He bitterly does so.

Becker and Emily realize that there is no adrenalin in the medical bay and the beetles are chewing up the other medicines. Jess reveals she has her own supply but its in her car parked outside the building. Before she left to find Matt, Abby orders them to take Jess to the underground car park. By now Jess is weak and delirious. Becker is distraught but does his best to reassure her. They spot Abby's pet Coelurosauruvus flying around the car park. The lizard lands on a car but suddenly flies away. They wonder how he got here as Abby locked him in her laboratory. Becker realizes that if he escaped, the beetles must be here. Jess shoots one with the EMD weapon before shivering. Becker orders her to drink water. She complains and in a half delirious state, admits she likes him before losing consciousness.They flee as beetles pour into the car park. 

Connor and Matt explain the plan to Abby and Matt decides they could use the panic room (a lead reinforced space) as a shelter because the radiation from the ray will kill anything exposed. Abby tells them the creatures inside the menagerie will be okay as their cells are lead reinforced. She then ensures they'll also get to the shelter in time before leaving.

Matt and Connor however realize they are trapped as the beetles are gathered right outside the laboratory. Matt and Connor then force themselves out by using a fire hose to blast the swarming beetles away with pressurized water and towards the bomb shelter. Abby meanwhile gets the team into the panic room but realizes the Coelurosauruvus, Rex, is still in the laboratory. Emily tells her he escaped and she runs to find him as he is not in the menagerie so will not survive the gamma ray, despite the team's warnings. Connor reaches the shelter and Emily tells him Abby went to save her lizard. He runs after her despite Matt's warning.

Abby searches the entire building and calls for Rex but the lizard won't come so she reluctantly turns to leave when the Coelurosauruvus flies into his crate. She sighs with relief and runs. She meets Connor in the car park and the pair run to the shelter with Abby carrying the crate with Rex in it just as the gamma ray sweeps through the building and kills the beetles. The lock down is taken down once Philip learns the beetles are destroyed and Jess is taken to go get medical help.

Connor later checks the ARC's computer logs and learns that Philip had in fact tried to use the system but the beetles had chewed through the wiring. Connor later arrives at the facility where New Dawn is taking place and checks the computer terminals and to his horror, realizes that he had in fact had links with Helen Cutter. He later tells Matt and Abby in private that he realizes that they were right and that Philip really is connected with Helen Cutter. He tells them that Philip is building a massive project of some sort and offers his assistance to stop this. He had thoughts he was continuing Cutter's work and that his mentor would be proud of him. Matt wonders if Phillip still trusts him to which Connor believes he does

Meanwhile at New Dawn, April watches as a giant machine begins to power on and a grinning Philip watches with a dark smile on a balcony as he watches the machine turn on.

Cast[]

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Trivia[]

  • The image of Helen Cutter on Philip's computer was the one that Nick Cutter took of her in the Permian, in Episode 1.1/1.6.

Story connections[]

  • In reference to Episode 5.3:
    • Connor tells Philip how he had opened an Anomaly using his prototype.
    • Matt reveals to Connor how he (and Abby) had a copy of his computer hard-drive.

References[]

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