Jason Isaac’s New “Must-See” TV series “Dig”

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) stars in the lead role of USA’s new TV series, Dig. The pilot episode of the new series airs tomorrow, March 5, and already has rave reviews. Isaacs plays a detective, Peter Connelly, who works in Jerusalem. As he investigates the murder of a young woman, an archaeologist, he uncovers “a conspiracy 2000 years in the making” (IMDB). Many reviews have praised the new series, including an article from the Las Angeles Times, which Jason Isaacs tweeted. The LA Times states:

Equally unique, at least among the USA lineup of character-driven procedurals, “Dig” is more entertainment than education, though one will no doubt feel compelled to Google at least some of the show’s iconography. Combining the sort of conspiracy theory that made Dan Brown rich with the endless fascination of Jerusalem, Raff and Kring set their story at the nexus of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

There’s also a cult leader (David Costabile) raising a boy in seclusion in the middle of the New Mexico desert, an archaeologist who may or may not be seeking the ark of the covenant, and Anne Heche as the complicated head of the FBI in Jerusalem. Most important, however, there’s Jason Isaacs, heartbroken and unleashed. As FBI agent Peter Connelly, in Jerusalem to recover from personal tragedy, Isaacs roils with pain and the ongoing curse of clarity.

So withdrawn and taciturn that his only friend is his supervisor (and sometime-lover) Lynn Monahan (Heche), Peter is, of course, constantly in conflict with local authorities. Including and especially Det. Golan Cohen (Ori Pfeffer), with whom he will, naturally, partner to investigate the murder of a young American.

Although designed for high-octane enjoyment — marketplace chase scenes, shootouts, enigmatic zealots, mysterious talismans — “Dig” takes its time, weaving its various plots together in a way both tantalizing and occasionally maddening. Certain scenes in early episodes make it clear that those involved in the conspiracy are willing to go to Any Lengths, though by the end of the third hour, we have no idea for what.

Tension is good, but the longer you build up any mystery, the more shocking and clever it dang well better be — the Grail was a woman! Soylent Green is people! Brody still isn’t dead! (No, wait, wrong show.)

The religious overlap — both Christian and Jewish extremists appear to be involved; the word is still out on the Muslims — lends “Dig” a certain resonance and depth, just as the location work in Jerusalem gives it authenticity. But in the end, it’s about a man who needs to save the world to save himself. Or maybe it’s the other way around.

Either way, “Dig” promises to be a whole lot of crazy fun to watch, proof that TV can be as wild and exciting as it is political and penetrating. And all on the same night.

 

The trailer for the series can be seen below. A caution to viewers, this show is geared towards an older/mature audience, and may contain disturbing images.