| Actor James Murray has been playing a scene where he goes head to head with Douglas Henshall’s Professor Nick Cutter.
..... “Not so much a character change, more of a story impetus,” comments Murray “Because of the first series, Stephen’s left everybody with the knowledge he had an affair with Cutter’s wife Helen eight years previous, which is a huge revelation and causes a real difference in the dynamic of the group. They were once very close, but with that kind of news unfolding it really does cause a rift that bubbles its way through the series and inevitably culminates in…” he pauses remembering not to give too much away about the second series conclusion. “Throughout the series it means that the way they handle the anomalies and the creatures, that trust has gone, and as a result, Stephen is given more of a platform to present his theories, which are constantly opposing Cutter’s now, so there’s two guys in disagreement about how things should be handled – which builds tension and culminates in something that’s pretty sinister at the end of the series.” And the scene we’ve been watching now is part of that? “Yeah, it’s an example of the tension between the two, “the actor confirms. “Stephen for the first time ever wasn’t on hand to handle the situation. It’s to do with the giant Columbian Mammoth, and he’s just not around and they could have done with him because it’s all about taking the right tranquiliser and the right ammunition. He’s usually in charge of that and he just wasn’t there. So that alone causes some real tension, but it’s all steeped in a murkier relationship between the two this series.” And will there be any romance for Stephen? “Well, it’s the overhang of the past with Helen,” really comments Murray, who’s in a happier situation offscreen, having married actress Sarah Parish (Doctor Who’s Empress of the Racnoss) just before Christmas. “I don’t think Stephen in Season Two is in any position to start getting it on with anyone in the view of how it was left at the end of series one. He’s quite rightly putting that part of his life to one side, because it’s never led to anything constructive. “So he’s putting that to one side, but it keeps revisiting him via Helen and it’s tricky for him because Helen believes the same as Stephen as regards the theories, and what should be done. There is a conspiracy that becomes apparent in Season Two and Stephen and Helen are on the same page about it. Cutter’s on s different page, and I think she exploits Stephen in many ways, because whilst he knows that she’s probably no good, she’s also got him because she believes him, and she’s in a powerful position because she’s in and out of the anomalies, she’s not part of the gang. “So he’s kind of between a rock and a hard place. I think that’s interesting; it causes a lot of conflict with himself and amongst others.” With a new standing set, there’s already talk that a third season of Primeval might get a longer run than the six or seven episodes of the first two years, which is something Murray says the cast would love to hear. “Well, we would just because there’s a lot of characters in this and there’s a lot if creatures, and there was only six hours and this only seven hours, and it’s not really enough. You could always do with more, like in the States they have more episodes to tell the stories in. A lot gets compromised because in Britain we only allow between six to ten episodes a series. You could always do with more, especially in a show like this where there’s so much scope to run with so many different ideas. It’s impossible to tell all the stories as distinctly as they could be told in the time that you’re given because that’s out of out control. Until the British TV industry has a huge cash injection from whatever means, you are bound by the constraints.” But could the cast really cope with making ten episodes or more? “It would be crippling, but then there’s always the argument that if you’re doing 10 episodes of something that’s good, it’s better than being out of work or whatever the alternatives are. You can’t really have your cake and eat it.” “They might do ten in the future if it continues to be popular, I’m sure they will try and make more episodes per series, and as long as the quality is kept up that’s a great thing. But the big fear is, “We want 10 episodes for less money, in the same time,” and inevitably something’s got to give, and nine times out of ten it’s usually the quality of the show. As long as it’s supported as much as it can be, to make those extra episodes worthwhile, it’s okay.” Extracts from an interview in Starburst issue 359 - February 2008 |