'Prime Target' Review: Apple TV+'s Grounded, Provocative Spy Thriller Mostly Adds Up

Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher, became world-renowned for his famous Theorem and subsequent influence on mathematics as much as the subsequent cults that followed his legacy. It's a little difficult to imagine math fueling cultish devotion, but it's still capable of describing reality irrespective of language and culture, from its most obvious elements to those we can't see. From a modern perspective, it's also the foundation of so much of our evolving world. In Apple TV+'s Prime Target, a young student's research could revolutionize everything... if a host of mysterious forces stopped intervening. It's an exciting and mysterious series that occasionally stretches plausibility while still remaining engaging.

What Is 'Prime Target' About?

Edward Brooks (Leo Woodall) is a young mathematician in his prime (sorry), whose life drastically changes when his advisor, Professor Robert Mallinder (David Morrissey), becomes surprisingly opposed to Brooks' research on prime numbers, attempting to keep him from pursuing it by any means necessary. Elsewhere, young NSA agent Taylah Sanders (Quintessa Swindell), who has been surveilling Dr. Mallinder, starts to notice suspicious events surrounding Mallinder and Brooks, before being forced to drop everything to investigate. As the pair get closer, they discover that the conspiracy to prevent Brooks' research from coming to fruition is deeper than they realized, with world-altering implications.

The core of Prime Target involves a globe-trotting mystery, as Brooks' work comes into unique focus when an old chamber is unearthed in Baghdad, connecting his research to a long-unsolved problem that could upend global internet security (including for the wealthiest and most powerful). That MacGuffin isn't quite as unique as it seems, however. Similar devices fueled The Day of the Jackal's Ulle Dag Charles (Khalid Abdalla), who becomes a target when he threatens to use new tech to render international finance streams more transparent, just as Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning centers on an AI designed to bypass all internet security before it goes rogue. Nonetheless, the mathematical mystery at the heart of Prime Target seems plausible (regrettably, I can't tell you if the show's math actually works), and does elevate the extent to which the series feels unique.

'Prime Target's Performances Carry Its Narrative Stumbles

Woodall makes for a solid protagonist in Prime Target, with strong on-screen charisma and enough believable character eccentricity to sell Brooks' monomaniacal math obsession. Swindell works well overall as a smart, believably tough agent with a tragic past, and the pair have a strong and appropriately eccentric dynamic. The supporting cast also excels, with Harry Lloyd, Martha Plimpton, and others providing engaging characters and shifting alliances. There are moments where the evident sternness of so many agents might benefit from a little more emotional vulnerability for dramatic purposes, but Woodall grounds things just enough to provide a relatable core.

At the same time, Prime Target's narrative could be tightened for a stronger impact. In these sorts of tales, it's common to have ambiguous and untrustworthy organizations and figures, with protagonists caught between them. Unfortunately, the series' back-and-forth of twisting allegiances and reveals prove less clear than intended, making it more difficult to track organizations, their true taskmasters, and the motivations therein. There are also practical issues that provoke questions that aren't quite solved. How can international fugitives, ones cut off from institutional resources and hunted by well-resourced organizations, travel across the world so easily at times?

All that aside, Prime Target is a provocative and intelligent series that bridges ancient questions with modern security vulnerabilities, thus making for an exciting journey overall. Woodall excels as the protagonist, with believable intelligence and passionate obsession, while Swindell anchors the story as a formidable, whip-smart NSA agent. At times, the series could attempt to stand out a little more from the crowded pack of the spy genre, and it is also in periodic need of clarity over which force is in play for what reason, but overall, Prime Target is a well-performed, capably written, and well-structured spy thriller.

Prime Target premieres January 22 on Apple TV+.

Watch on Apple TV+