‘Primetime’ Review: A Stylish Descent Into Network TV | Fantastic Fest 2026
Primetime is the type of film that could easily have been a disaster. It’s a very difficult task to put the audience against someone who is catching child predators. Especially since Chris Hansen has done work beyond the network juggernaut To Catch a Predator to help reduce child trafficking at home and abroad. However, since the documentary Predators, there has been some introspection about the show’s unintended consequences. Lance Oppenheim’s film digs deeper into those consequences and, thankfully, never sympathizes with the monster.
Instead, Ajon Singh’s screenplay comments on the brutality of a media circus. The Robert Pattinson led film is a stylish depiction of how network television can take something already objectively terrible and somehow make it worse. Here are my thoughts from the screening of Primetime at Fantastic Fest 2026.
What is Primetime about?
The film juggles various characters in the orbit of Chris Hansen’s new investigative program, To Catch a Predator. The first is Andie Binder (Merritt Wever), one of the film’s only fictional characters, who represents the network as a whole. In the film, Binder produces To Catch a Predator and constantly weighs how far is enough to boost ratings.
Then there is Dan Plumb (Skyler Gisondo), who seems to be based on real-life decoy Dan Schrack. In Primetime, Dan is overly naive and wants the job to achieve his SAG card. Then there is Mary Hansen (Anna Farris), Chris’s wife, whom he keeps at a distance while pursuing his network ambitions.
As we are introduced to Hansen (Pattinson), we are shown how performative he is as a persona. He rehearses the most sickening chatroom lines before trapping the suspect on television. And he does not rehearse the lines like a newsman; he rehearses them like a theater actor preparing for the stage.
Most of this is probably exaggerated to drive the drama, but once we see Pattinson take the stage as Hansen, the performance is tremendous and intentionally theatrical. And it’s within the success of the first episode that the film begins to point a finger at the artificiality of it all.
A corporate exec tells Hansen they want to move the show to “Primetime;” and not just any slot, but the hour slot, placing it in direct competition with the biggest show in the world, Lost. The time-slot transition fuels their ambitions, and the team pushes further into the abyss of catching child predators. This leads to the hiring of Dan Plumb, who becomes one of the show’s first victims of its overeagerness.
Ajon Singh’s script tackles the power of a media circus
From here, Singh’s script showcases the media circus’s extreme storm raining down on everyone. Plumb is slightly traumatized when a stranger exposes himself to Dan on his first day. It’s a moment even Bender acknowledges could become a problem for the network.
Hansen pushes for more predators to drive ratings, no matter what it takes. Meanwhile, Hansen’s personal life takes an ironic turn when paparazzi make him their target. Bender faces a dilemma as the stakes rise on set and the hunt for more viewers intensifies. Competitors warn her about the decision to save her from Hansen’s risky choices.
The editing builds tension beautifully as the network program’s liability increases. Daniel Garber gives the flow a magnetic push that keeps the audience hooked in every frame. The pulsing flow matches cinematographer David Bolen’s claustrophobic, high-pitched, saturated glow.
The framing is in a 4:3 ratio, evoking a surveillance-style television monitor, with high saturation and blue color schemes. The overall presentation feels incredibly stylish, especially for someone like Oppenheim, who began his career as a documentarian.
Primetime film rating and final thoughts
At a time when our politicians are attempting to demonize the media, there is concern about praising a film that could further inflame the situation. However, Primetime is less about the state of journalism and more about the corporatization of investigative programs.
The movie also ties into the Iraq War, showing Stone Phillips (Bill Heck) proudly boasting about his upcoming coverage of the war as a “one-up” against Hansen. Robert Pattinson plays Hansen’s showmanship and insecurities with great confidence. Calling this one of his most mature roles is an understatement; it shows the hard work and depth of his craft.
Overall, Primetime is stylish and humorous, depicting how network television can take an already terrible situation and make it even worse. The film’s sharp, clever satire highlights the industry’s exploitative nature while bringing a fresh style to Oppenheim as a filmmaker. Moreover, Robert Pattinson delivers an outstanding performance, embodying Hansen with a nuance that captivates from start to finish.
A24’s Primetime releases in theaters on September 25, 2026.
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