The show opens in Oppland, Norway. A group of Jewish men follow Olaf (Christopher Heyerdahl), into a barn, where a cow gives birth. The animal is inspected to ensure there are no black hairs. When confirmed, one of the men suggest the prophecy has begun. One of the men is given a gun, which is supposedly from the Rabbi. Next, we jump two months later to Jerusalem. Peter Connelly (Jason Isaacs) and Lynn Monahan (Anne Heche) finish having sex. Peter confirms he has been in the city for 7 months, before Lynn departs. Peter places a call, but is ridiculed and told he needs to stop.

Afterwards, he watches a news report about Yussef Khalid (Omar Metwally) and looks at his documents pertaining to the man. Peter rendezvous with his partner, before they attempt to track Yussef. As Peter struggles with Detective Golan Cohen (Ori Pfeffer) Yussef makes his way to the roof.  The chase, which is hard to watch, continues for quite some time, until Yussef manages to escape. Afterwards, we’re introduced to Josh (Zen McGrath), who turns 13 in 1 day. Although it is suggested that the boy is ready, Debbie (Lauren Ambrose) insists he is sensitive and not ready. Josh is informed that his parents aren’t coming for him and they’re actually dead.

Next, Ambassador Ruth Riddell (Regina Taylor) belittles Peter and Lynn for letting Yussef escape. Peter suggests he could talk to the INP, but Lynn sends him home for a shower. Instead, he heads to the bar and gets drunk. Afterwards, he follows a strange woman through the streets. Peter gets stuck in the chaos and loses the woman. Instead, she confronts him and asks, whether or not he got the man he was chasing earlier. The woman, Emma Wilson (Alison Sudol), and Peter head off together.

Meanwhile, Josh is told that this is his destiny and he reveals he has heard another child talking to him. He suggests being taken to a spot again, before the pair head outside and the boy enjoys the sun and grass. Peter continues his stroll with Emma. She reveals she is in Jerusalem with the university on a dig. Emma takes Peter to their dig location. The pair follow the cave, until they reach water. Emma undressed and jumps in the water, before inviting Peter in. After a few seconds, he joins her. The pair begin to make out shortly after.

Peter says that Emma reminds him of someone, who he loved and lost. Distant voices interrupt them. They watch as a Jewish man grabs a lamp. They venture closer and witness and execution. Next, Yussef is interrogated. Yussef is shown an old artifact, which he is accused of stealing. Peter and Emma make their escape. Peter attempts to notify the police, but Emma refuses to let him. Emma slips something in Peter’s back pocket, before she leaves.

Next, Peter returns home and gets a voice message from his daughter Vicki. Afterwards, Peter learns that the police have found a dead body. Peter looks at the surveillance picture and discovers it is him, with Emma. Peter looks at the file and discovers that it is Emma, who has been killed. Meanwhile, Josh heads back outside, without getting caught, but the door shuts and he gets locked out. Peter attempts to speak to Lynn about the photo and she insists Peter shouldn’t investigate the murder. Despite her orders, Peter stops Cohen and insists they go to Emma’s apartment together.

The pair arrive at the apartment and begin scouring through Emma’s belongings. Peter discovers and takes a handwritten journal, before Cohen uncovers information about the dig. The pair meet and speak with Ian Margrove (Richard E. Grant), who seems to have difficulty remembering Emma. He insists he has much bigger problems to deal with. The pair exit, but Peter returns back inside and takes a look around alone. He returns to the water and discovers EW carved into the wall.

Next, Ted Billingham (David Costabile) receives a shipment of his books, before getting a call from Rabbi Lev (Shmil Ben Ari). After the call ends, Billingham learns about the boy’s escape, as they begin searching for him. Everyone is ordered to hunt for the boy. Back at his motel, Peter leaves Emma’s notebook with the clerk, before he speaks to Lynn. Peter pleads with her to allow him to work the case. She tasks him with helping with the extradition of Yussef.

Cohen meets with his uncle and shows him Yussef’s puzzle. He learns that the stones are missing. It is revealed that the item is the “Urim Ve Thummim”, or the high priest’s breastplate, and is used to communicate with God. Cohen informs Peter and suggests bring Yussef back, before their crash is rammed. Back at the compound, Debbie cries in Josh’s room, before hearing a boy giggling. She discovers a boy, who looks just like Josh, but he has no recollection of her. Meanwhile, the real Josh walks down the road, as cars speed towards him.

A woman gets out and insists it is too late for Josh, since his feet touch the ground and he has been soiled. With that, she shoots him dead. Peter wakes up and witnesses a few men taking Yussef. He manages to track down their vehicle, but everyone is gone. He enters the building, with gun drawn and discovers that the apartment has been ransacked. He lets his guard down and is taken at gunpoint. When he is forced to empty his pockets, he removes one of the gems from the Urim Ve Thummim.

He instantly recognizes the gem from Emma’s notebook, as the fugitive makes his escape. Peter thinks about going after him, but the police arrive and take him in for questioning, since they discover it was him with Emma in the pictures.

Review


For a pilot episode, Dig has some nice moments, but some of them were dull and difficult to watch. The chase scenes were nearly unbearable. The setup was lacking as well, since it was difficult to tell who was who and what was exactly going on, at times. In fact, it didn’t really feel like a pilot, since there was no proper introduction to the characters or anything. We were just thrown right into it. Still, the setting felt a little like Assassins’s Creed or Indiana Jones and was fun. Still, it felt a little lacking.

Hopefully things come together better in the future episodes. The pilot scores a 6.5 out of 10.