Primetime (2026)

Back in 2006 Chris Hansen the host of ‘To Catch a Predator’ sets out to make television history, with some moments that you cannot believe are real.

Primetime is a true wild ride into what was needed to be put into a tv show, back when the rise of reality style was the msot popular. I have to admit that I didn’t know anything about ‘To Catch a Predator’ so watching everything unfold on the screen was my first experience of it all.

If I think back to the time this was set in 2004, it reminds me of when chat rooms used to be a place to go online and I dread to think who we were potentially talking to a few years before that (when underage) as it was a true cesspit of horrendous people.

Anyway, with the film using decoys to try and catch the predators out it also then had that fine line of trying to be a tv show that people would watch and want more of, so how would that blurred line work when it came to still trying to protect – yet develop ratings. The moral high ground on that was an interesting after thought, many vigilante groups still exist to this day but seem to go for the use of social media now.

Despite the rather awful subject area it manages to be clever with some amusing moments interweaved into it, which takes the edge off at times that is needed in this type of film. It also manages to build the suspense at times, even though the first sting is the most powerful. Another interesting side of it was Dan Plum who wanted to be an actor and ends up working as one of the decors which wasn’t really what he had in mind, but he goes all in with it. Then we have Andie Bender who is a producer and the way she must try and do things in the right way.

Robert Pattinson has made very bold career choices post Twilight and this is another fine performance. Not going to lie this is probably the most attractive I’ve ever found him as I never really understood the hype around him in that sense. Not sure what that says about me as the character wasn’t really the nicest but I guess he had charisma. Merritt Wever and Skyler Gisondo were the stand outs for the supporting actors and both impressed me.