Primeval (BBC America)

When dinosaurs suddenly begin appearing in a British forest, evolutionary zoologist Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) comes up with two theories: first, that there's some kind of space-time rift permitting the beasts to travel from the past, and second, that his wife, Helen -- who's been missing and presumed dead for eight years -- is still alive and might have something to do with the situation. He decides the only way to find out is to travel through the twinkly "anomaly" to look for her. As more creatures appear, terrorizing local residents, Cutter and a team of scientists -- including his capable assistant Stephen (James Murray) and reptile expert Abby (Hannah Spearritt) -- must track down the beasts and either help guide them back to their own era or step aside and let the military destroy them.

PRIMEVAL strives for accuracy, showing actual creatures that existed in prehistoric eras and letting the scientists show off their detailed understanding of the beasts' behavior to predict how they might behave in modern England.

But the science is overshadowed by the action, and on that front the show is fairly standard. Monsters appear suddenly, seem to briefly pose a danger, and are then handled efficiently by a crack team of experts. The ongoing mystery of Helen Cutter's disappearance is more satisfying to ponder, but in the end may not pose enough intrigue to offset the rather plodding dino-action set pieces.