Dig

I am having trouble remembering when I wanted so badly to love a new series.

First the star, Jason Issacs, is one of the most under-utilized action heroes in the biz. I saw him a few years ago in a mini-series about politics in Boston and he was brilliant. He held the series together like glue. He has the kind of face that you instantly trust and he has the looks of a guys who gets things done.

And seeing Kring's name on the creator credit was also a plus. I am one of those fans of Heroes who still doesn't quite get why a show that was mesmerizing in its first year suddenly lost an entire audience? I still watch old episodes of Heroes even today, they are that good. ("Save the cheerleader, save the world" should be right up there with "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.") So, apologies made, this is not a series I can get my teeth into.

In my view it is primarily intended for viewers who love a good crossword puzzle or jigsaw puzzle or any kind of puzzle, because that's all you get from week to week. Puzzle pieces and clues.

In script talk, the long arc essentially dominates the short arc and the short arc exists only as a excuse to extend the long arc.

There are people who love puzzles that have no answers. I am not one of them.

But you might be.

I love crazy twists and turns. Things that make me go, "Whaaaaa...??" and Dig has a lot of that.

There's no swearing (it's on USA network for crying out loud) and the camera work has never bothered me. Bear in mind, I'm a non-religious, non-Hollywood type...so what do I know?

But -- if you want to get sucked in and taken for a weird ride, hop on.

It did help that I fell in love with Detective Golan Cohen, Peter's partner.

Regina Taylor is deliciously evil and Anne Heche (I know, right!?) is a fun find in this show. I was happy to see Lauren Ambrose in a great role... always love her.

While investigating a young woman's death, FBI Agent Peter Connelly (Jason Isaacs) based in Jerusalem uncovers a secret society. His boss and former lover Lynn Monahan (Anne Heche) is unconvinced. Debbie Morgan (Lauren Ambrose) is a recovering addict staying with a group in an isolated religious compound out in the American desert. She discovers a boy named Josh who is held in isolation. She tries to break him out but it's not what she thinks it is. A red heifer without blemish is born in Norway and a young religious Jew is tasked to accompanying it to the Holy lands. The three separate stories converge around a plan thousands of years in the making.

Tim Kring keeps coming up with convoluted conspiracy shows with religious overtones. I like them but it doesn't mean I'm a sucker for anything. There are some silliness going on in this show. All three stories are interest in their own way but also suffers from deficiencies. The cow is silly but I actually like the religious kid. I really like Lauren Ambrose but her story is unreal. As for the main story, it gets too complicated and too compressed. I started to lose interest in that section after a few episodes and the show ended weakly. This is an ambitious TV show that doesn't deliver all that it promises.

We watched this show each and every week. The entire house would discuss the intrigue and the complex plot, the baddies, who was a goodie, or not. Right up to the last episode and then ... then ... what happened, it just died, all the complex plotting all the mysterious characters, just dissolved into nothing and the show ended. We sat there on the lounge and looked at each other, we wanted to cry. How could they do this to us, who's responsible! What a crock of SH!T.

Even though we were left in tears of utter disappointment at the end, all the episodes until then were gripping and we loved every minute. I recommend watching all but the last episode, then just be happy with your fantasies about how it could have ended. Anything you dream up on your own will be better than that last awful episode.

Maybe it will become an internet meme - the "Dig" alternate ending competition. I still want to cry.

Intelligent shows that don't cater to a dumbed down viewing audience take time to build momentum! I don't really subscribe to the negative regarding new shows. I think after a season one can tell what the forecast might be for an upcoming story line. I'll give this one a try. I think we will see some really good acting and compelling conflict. I am a sucker for any pre apocalyptic adventures relating to old and new testament prophecies. I really liked the mixture of groups with varied interests in the show. We have the orthodox Judaic groups, a cultic group in the middle of New Mexico, political powers in lofty positions, religious fanatic hit men, FBI, Essenes, and then some. What is not to like? I love the cinematography in Jerusalem too. What a beautiful historic location. This show has much to offer for anyone who sees the glass half full.