DIG Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Emma Wilson's Father
Carissa Pavlica
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This was the first truly emotional hour we've had on DIG and it was really well done.
Unfortunately, DIG Season 1 Episode 5 was also peppered with some unnecessary scenes and I think that's where the series needs to find its balance. The storytelling drags when the editing takes us out of the meaty stories and tosses us into a narrative that doesn't appear to make any sense overall to the rest of the hour.
So let's break down exactly what I'm talking about, shall we?
Things were riding along really nicely (if I can be so bold as to use that term when Lynn suffered a Homeland style car assault) focusing on Lynn, Peter and Golan and then Yussef. Their journeys this week tied in well together.
Throwing in Debbie's confusing escape and anything at all to do with the boy (who has a name! Avram!) and his beloved red heifer slowed things down. The boy could have easily been saved for the next hour. As for Debbie? Hmmm.
She went from being frightened near to death one second to wielding a gun like Bonnie with her Clyde the next. Considering she had been refusing food for days and was generally out of it mentally, the change was rather abrupt. Again, it would have been better suited for a day that wasn't bolstered by the emotional arcs we're going to note now.
I wish Lynn's most substantial installment to date wasn't one in which she started out with a tumble in the hay and a bit of fun with her driver and bodyguard only to learn how very alone she really is in the world and feeling responsible for her bodyguard's death.
She pushed it by going to the embassy despite Narvad's suggestion they do something different and seeing them both dragged from the car brought up those terrible Homeland memories. Lynn has been there for Peter and she saved his ass more than once.
They never defined what they were to each other, but it was safe for her to assume if she suffered an attack like that she might be able to count on him to pay her a visit sometime before the wee hours of the night. She couldn't. Instead she was left to break down in her kitchen alone, believing herself responsible for Narvad's death.
It was the greatest performance we've seen from Anne Heche so far and even though the end result put an end to their non-romantic affair, I'm glad we got to see her do something other than prop up Jason Isaacs.
That said, as exasperated as Lynn was with Peter and as disappointing as it was for her to realize the sum of their relationship might have meant nothing, she's known in her heart he's not in his right mind investigating Emma's murder.
Lynn: It's late, what do you need?
Peter: I need a warrant to search the Jerusalem Heritage Center. The place I told you about? I'm pretty sure they're linked to Khalid and whatever got Vicki killed. Emma. Got Emma killed.
Lynn: What's the difference, right?
The more Peter investigates Emma's murder, the more she reminds him of his daughter, Vicki, and it's hard not to see the similarities. Considering the nature of the show and the subject matter, I'm wondering if Peter wasn't brought to this place and time specifically for Emma. How or why I don't know. But it's eerie, right?
When Peter met Emma's friends and they played the video of her singing Rainbow Connection and it just so happened to be a song Vicki sang, that was eerie. It's no wonder he was still imagining her as he attempted to visit Lynn in the hospital and lost himself in memories of the day she died. It was almost impossible not to got back to that day.
Jason Isaacs has some really powerful scenes as Peter recalled his grief at losing his daughter, so the theme of grief and loss played out well overall.
Khalid delivered the stone and was asked to sacrifice himself, but not until he ominously said, "He's coming." I assume he is Joshua. The Rabbi wants to rebuild the temple to honor God to make atonement.
I get all of that, and it's interesting how the symbol aligns in the notebook, on the cave ceiling and architecturally in New Mexico. The breastplate is already in the wrong hands. Why did he sound so concerned? He's known of the plan. Surely he asked some other questions along the way.
It did seem as if Painter Pants from DIG Season 1 Episode 4 taking over Avram's trip wasn't according to plan. What else might not be going their way? Either there is another faction who wants in on the action or someone is trying to stop them.
What do you think? Can we agree this was a much better hour than the last? What questions are rumbling around inside your head? Hit the comments and let me know.
If you missed any of this interesting series so far, you can watch DIG online via TV Fanatic to catch up!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
