Stephen Hart (Primeval)
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| Stephen Hart | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode One |
| Information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Palaeontological lab technician at the Central Metropolitan University |
| Episode count | 6 |
| Portrayed by | James Murray |
Stephen Hart is a fictional character in the ITV sci-fi drama Primeval. He is played by James Murray. He is part of a team of five people, who investigate a series of anomalies in space and time through which prehistoric and extinct creatures are travelling. Stephen is Nick Cutter's lab technician and the object of fellow team member Abby Maitland's affections.
[edit] Characterisation
According to the official site Stephen is passionately committed to wildlife conservation and firmly believes that humanity is destroying its own environment through unchecked industrialisation. On average, he runs about 30 miles a week.
He remains a cold and aloof individual, but one with surprisingly loyal and brave tendencies as he willingly braves the jaws of a Gorgonopsid[1] and an Aurthroplura[1] in order to save his friends and innocent bystanders. He is also not afraid to stand up to Cutter as he confronts him about the way he withheld information about his wife from them. In Episode 2, Cutter risks his life to get an anti-venom which will save Stephen's life. This appears to demonstrate a closely-bonded relationship between Stephen and Cutter.
While he tries not to show any emotion and keep his personal life secret, he does ask Abby out for dinner[1] and later admitted that he has a girlfriend although their relationship appears to have broken down[2] and the official site states that he "had his heart broken when he fell in love as a student and never really got over it."
He also seems to have a big brother relationship with Connor whom he constantly puts down and yet looks out for at the same time.[2]
[edit] Character history
According to the official site, Stephen was once a junior fencing champion and also a junior shooting Olympic prospect. He later gave up both to study natural history. He appears to have had a long relationship with Nick Cutter going back at least eight years as he states that he knew Helen himself, in the last episode it is revealed that he had an affair with her.[1] Whether or not she is the former girlfriend who broke his heart is unclear but it is shown in Episode Six that it was a short lived affair which he has regretted ever since, mainly because of his guilt over betraying his friend and partly because Helen is, as he calls her, "a real bitch".
When the series begins it is established that he is working alongside Nick as a teacher and lab assistant. He later follows both Nick and Connor and becomes ensnared with them in the sinister events unfolding in the Forest of Dean.[1]
He then reveals that he has some training as a tracker and in stealth combat, as he vanishes under Connor's nose to begin the hunt for the Gorgonopsid personally. He later tracks it to a school and is wounded trying to lure it away from a teacher and her student.[1]
When brought into the anomaly team, he is then sent to the underground vaults and bunkers beneath Parsons Green Station. He is then attacked, poisoned and left for dead by an Arthroplura[3] while trying to find Cutter. It is during this time he is visited by Helen, although she also left him for dead, she gave him a message for her husband. He later remembers nothing of the incident, however.
Subsequently his memory returns, he confronts Cutter and is angered by his unconcern for his wife, stating that if she was his wife he would have gone looking for her. He later helps prepare Cutter for his trip into the underwater anomaly, arming him with a spear gun. He also tries to make amends with Abby for asking her out and then forgetting about it.[2]
He once again proves his concern for her welfare when he runs to her rescue in episode four when she is captured by Connor's parasite-ridden friend.[4]. However Claudia (who is also angry for his running into trouble in the subway) and Lester appear to have lost patience with him during the hunt for the Pteranodon.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f "Episode One". Primeval. ITV. ITV One. 2007-02-10. No. 1, season 1.
- ^ a b c "Episode Three". Primeval. ITV. ITV One. 2007-02-10. No. 1, season 1.
- ^ "Episode Two". Primeval. ITV. ITV One. 2007-02-10. No. 1, season 1.
- ^ "Episode Four". Primeval. ITV. ITV One. 2007-02-10. No. 1, season 1.
- ^ "Episode Five". Primeval. ITV. ITV One. 2007-02-10. No. 1, season 1.
| Primeval |
|---|
| Primeval main pages |
| Impossible Pictures Productions | Time anomaly |
| Main characters |
| Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) | Connor Temple (Andrew-Lee Potts) | Abby Maitland (Hannah Spearritt) Stephen Hart (James Murray) | Claudia Brown (Lucy Brown) | James Lester (Ben Miller) | Tom Ryan (Mark Wakeling) |
| Primeval lists |
| Episodes | Creatures | Minor characters |
