‘Primetime’ strikes at the heart of reality television

Determined to “cleanse the world” of evil, “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) takes his job a little too seriously, playing “gotcha” with men who may (or may not) be trying to lure children into their homes.

He salivates when it looks like he might land a “whale” and doesn’t weigh what kind of impact his “work” could have on innocent bystanders.

Among them: an aspiring actor (Skylar Gisando) who has no idea what producers want him to do at the homes of strangers. He thinks it’s an acting job; Hanson knows it’s much more.

Because “Predator” isn’t quite as glossy — or respected — as “Dateline,” the host works like his is a mission, not lurid entertainment. Pattinson leans into everything and comes away with a performance that’s impossible not to watch. His Hansen is hardly the nonchalant pro we used to see on television. He’s a driven investigator looking to make Stone Phillips quake in his presence.

Key to making that happen is a producer (Merritt Wever) who knows just how fragile her host’s ego is. She tries several techniques to get him to land those questionable moments while keeping her own career in mind, just in case this implodes.

Director Lance Oppenheim blurs the worlds with real-life execs (Jeff Zucker offers a heightened version of himself) and filming techniques that suggest all is not right on the “Predator” circuit.

While Hansen’s goal is admirable, his tactics are hardly worth emulating. The residual damage that comes from a high-wire act like this suggests there’s no concern for who gets hurt, as long as the target is hit, much like an ICE roundup.

Pattinson delights in the minutiae of the character — practicing his lines, plotting his course, arguing his importance. His wife is disposable (Anna Faris offers the cameo); his place on the network schedule is not.

“Primetime” wouldn’t be as watchable, though, without Wever and Gisando. They provide the realism that confirms this isn’t just fun and games. She’s particularly telling when dealing with her employee. Knowing he needs to be handled with kid gloves, Wever talks down to Pattinson and gets what she wants. Always.

Such isn’t the case for Hansen, but this is a cautionary tale for journalists who think they’re on a mission. Reporting and crafting the news are two very different things.

Watch. And learn.