Spear and Fang

"Spear and Fang"
Primal episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed byGenndy Tartakovsky
Written byGenndy Tartakovsky
Original air dateOctober 4, 2019 (2019-10-04)
Running time22 minutes
Episode chronology
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"River of Snakes"
Primal season 1

"Spear and Fang" is the series premiere of the first season of the American adult animated action-drama Primal. It premiered unannounced on Adult Swim's YouTube channel and website on October 4, 2019, before premiering on Adult Swim itself four days later on October 8, 2019.[1] It was written and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. In the episode, Spear (Aaron LaPlante) and Fang (Joel Valentine) independently lose their families to the same predator before uniting to kill it and roam the world together. The episode received critical acclaim, winning two Emmy Awards. It was released to home media on June 1, 2021,[2] and was later re-edited as the television film Primal: Tales of Savagery with the following episodes "River of Snakes", "A Cold Death", and "Terror Under the Blood Moon".

Plot

A Neanderthal named Spear returns from a fishing trip, and a scrape with a crocodile and a pterosaur, to find his mate and two children devoured by a trio of Tyrannosaurs. Distraught, he contemplates suicide before resolving to take revenge. Sometime later, he sees the silhouette of a theropod. Believing it to be one of the Tyrannosaurs that killed his family, Spear silently pursues it into a thicket, but instead finds it to be a female Tyrannosaurus named Fang, with her two offspring. Spear realizes his mistake and befriends the offspring just as they are attacked by the Tyrannosaur pack. Though Spear helps Fang kill the trio, the gargantuan alpha eats Fang's offspring before they manage to slay it, leaving Fang distraught over the loss of her hatchlings. Spear leaves Fang to mourn, but she follows and rejoins him later, and the two decide to travel together.

Reception

"Spear and Fang" received critical acclaim.[3][4][5]

Accolades

Accolades received by Primal
Award Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2020 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation Genndy Tartakovsky (storyboard artist; for "Spear and Fang") Won [6]
Scott Wills (art director; for "Spear and Fang") Won

References

  1. ^ Rejent, Joseph (October 8, 2019). "Monday cable ratings: NFL keeps ahead of 'WWE RAW'". TV By the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Mercedes, Milligan (March 30, 2021). "'Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal' Brings Prehistoric Action Home in June". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  3. ^ Kurland, Daniel (October 6, 2019). "Review: Primal: "Spear & Fang"". Bubbleblabber. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  4. ^ Fear, David (October 7, 2019). "'Primal' Review: Genddy Tartakovsky's All-Dinosaur, No-Dialogue Epic". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  5. ^ Greene, Steve (October 7, 2019). "'Primal' Review: Genndy Tartakovsky's Fantastic Prehistoric Saga Finds Beauty in Brutality". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  6. ^ Huff, Lauren (September 19, 2020). "2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Full list of winners". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2023.