Dig - Prayer of David and Emma Wilson’s Father - Recap and Review

As the season reaches its halfway point, Dig is continuing to build momentum, as the stakes rise for the characters we’ve gotten to know. Episode 5, especially, hit the ground running, starting with a suspense-filled mob attack on Lynn and her driver as they headed to work, and continuing with a couple of deaths and dangerous situations for several others. I again apologize for missing a review this week. As a result, this is a combined recap/review of episodes 4 and 5 of the USA Network miniseries.

First, the Recap …

In the past couple of episodes, we learned a lot more about what’s at stake as we followed FBI Agent Peter Connelly and Jerusalem Det. Golan Cohen as they attempted to put the pieces together. We had previously learned that the object Yussef Khalid had been caught stealing in Israel was a breastplate worn by high priests who were believed to communicate to God. The breastplate had holes where stones belonged, and the conspirators who were hoping to rebuild the Temple on the Temple Mount, bringing about the coming of the Messiah, were trying to locate and gather the stones. We’re also reminded that rebuilding the template would be sure to bring unprecedented violence as the Temple Mount is considered sacred by the Islamic religion as well.

We learn the stones have been scattered to the four corners of the world – hidden for safe keeping – and that there’s a passage in the war scroll that leads to their locations. There’s also a religious sect called Sons of Light who live in the desert near the Dead Sea, who would die to prevent the stones from being found. The two law enforcement agents arrive at the museum to have the war scroll translated, only to find that it has been stolen and the curator has been murdered (we know it was done by Yussef Khalid). Peter and Golan, however, do leave with the imprint from the tablet, and in what is a nice camera sequence, we jump back in forth between two teams trying to decipher the code (Golan’s uncle, Golan, and Peter vs. Rabbi Lev and his group), as they race against each other to find the stone first.

Lev’s group wins the race as Khalid steals the final stone moments before Peter and Golan arrive. He escapes, but not before being wounded by a gun shot by Peter. Khalid is treated for his wound and after hesitating, gives the stone to Lev. He’s asked to sacrifice himself for the good of the cause, and acquiesces by killing himself. Meanwhile, the breastplate was stolen from police custody and is in the hands of Lev and his group.

We also follow Avram and his red calf to Croatia, where he meets up with a man who is introduced as his father, although the two don’t seem to know each other well, and the man’s daughter. While Avram struggles with adjusting to life outside of his very sheltered environment, as well dealing with as flirtations from the daughter, we see that a bald man is following him. A member of the Sons of Light maybe? The man, portrayed as a religious extremist, has the opportunity to kill Avram as he sleeps and steal the calf but doesn’t do so, telling the calf “it’s not time yet.” He later takes the identity of the man who was supposed to pick up Avram, driving off with Avram and the red calf in the back.

In Rev. Billingham’s compound, Debbie is locked up and chained, as she awaits sentencing from Josh. However, her call to Charlie, when she was at the diner, pays off, and he finds his way to the compound to locate her. With a gun, he forces his way in to search the compound but doesn’t find her. But he doesn’t give up and tries again, this time escaping with her and with Josh, whom they’ve taken as a hostage.

On a more personal level, we see Peter and Lynn grow closer and then break up after she was attacked by anti-U.S. protesters and Peter never made it to the hospital to visit. Her driver, Navad, was killed in the mob attack. Peter, meanwhile, continues to be haunted by memories from the suicide of his daughter and associations between his daughter and Emma. He locates some of Emma’s friends and learns that Emma had a boyfriend, who is later revealed to be her older archaeologist boss. In what is a very moving scene, we see Peter watch a video recording of Emma signing “The Rainbow Connection” and make connections to a happy family memory of his daughter signing the song as a child.

Thoughts

I’m continuing to be pulled into this story a little more and more each week as suspense grows and the plot and characters continue to develop.

The attack on Lynn and Nadav was by protesters was both riveting and surprising. I wasn’t expecting it because on first glance it didn’t seem to tie directly into the building the plot, but thinking more about it, the attack served as a reminder of the current violence in the area and the promise of more violence should the conspirators succeed. On a character-level, the attack served as the catalyst to cause Lynn to question her relationship with Peter and end it.

It’s interesting that there was the start of a second suggested incestuous relationship on the show. Avram was picked up in Croatia by a man who was suggested to be his estranged father, but there soon begins flirtation and a kiss with the girl said to be the man’s daughter. The first hint of incest was the sexual thoughts Peter was having about Emma, who we’re told reminds him of his daughter. The show has also introduced a number of references to homosexuality, including showing Goran in a relationship with a man. Given the story’s strong religious themes, I’m wondering how this is all tying in together.

I like the way that Debbie has come to represent the human element in this story. A highly flawed but good person, she came to the compound looking for help in managing her drug addiction. It seems her past struggles has given her good instincts in being able to recognize good from evil. Her good heart is contrasted with Josh, who on the surface looks like an innocent child, but is becoming more and more chilling with each episode.

They mysterious bald man is intriguing, and I loved the scene of the nighttime ritual by the sea. I’m looking forward to learning what role this third group that he appears to be a part of will bring to the story.

Finally, I really like the dynamic that has evolved between Peter and Golan. The two quickly fell into comfortable and teasing routine as they work together to solve the case. Golan’s uncle also nicely complemented the pair, bringing family affection and judgment into the scene with admonishments toward his nephew for not knowing more about his religion: “Your ignorance is a knife in my heart.”

The action is intensifying as the story continues to evolve. I’m hooked. Are you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

About the Author - Chris684

Chris is a New Englander with a background in print and digital media, who currently earns a living by making web and technology products easier to use. She has a weakness for TV characters who are 'dark and twisty' (to quote Meredith Grey) and reviews The Walking Dead, Legends, Halt and Catch Fire, and Dig for SpoilerTV.

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