Dig - General Discussion

[EyewatchTV211]

I also saw Sarah Palin in one of the photos with Billingham. Interesting...

[Collinwood]

Am I the only one who would gladly trade in this "special event" series for 10 episodes of Jason Isaacs walking around Jerusalem describing what he sees and talking to anyone on the streets that he finds interesting? I find the lighting, photography and camera angles to be pretentious to the point where I can't concentrate on the story and so really, seriously I would rather watch JI eat lunch at a local café (bonus points if the place has a hokey name like The Last Supper or Communion Cabobs.) than watch the show.

[slothgirl]

Am I the only one who would gladly trade in this "special event" series for 10 episodes of Jason Isaacs walking around Jerusalem describing what he sees and talking to anyone on the streets that he finds interesting?

And then have him live tweet about it during the broadcast!

[AnnA]

Even though I looked forward to it, I'm not sure I can stick with Dig.  I tried to watch this episode three times - once live and twice on my DVR but found myself having to rewind because I wasn't paying attention.  If a show can't hold my interest, what's the point in watching?

[leighdear]

The only thing is that, if she has all the other stones in her safe, why continue to wear one around.

My thought was since she said there was 1 left unfound, she wore the one around her neck so that if they found the last one, and then the case fell into enemy hands, they wouldn't have the complete set.  Once they found the last one, she would take the one from her necklace.   It makes sense in my head!

[caprice]

My thought was since she said there was 1 left unfound, she wore the one around her neck so that if they found the last one, and then the case fell into enemy hands, they wouldn't have the complete set.  Once they found the last one, she would take the one from her necklace.   It makes sense in my head!

If there is one left to be found, either a show runner needs to go back for remedial math, or I need to get my hearing and eyes checked. Are there supposed to be 12 stones? I saw ten in the box, and that was after Lilly put the newly-delivered stone with the others.

In fairness, I really do need to get my eyes checked....

[lovemytvshows]

I would rather watch JI eat lunch at a local café (bonus points if the place has a hokey name like The Last Supper or Communion Cabobs.) than watch the show.

 

Hahahaha I could watch that! Although I doubt there's places with hokey names like that in the holy city, they seem to take things really seriously. That said, I'm enjoying Jason Isaacs livetweeting each episode. 

 

 

 

My thought was since she said there was 1 left unfound, she wore the one around her neck so that if they found the last one, and then the case fell into enemy hands, they wouldn't have the complete set.  Once they found the last one, she would take the one from her necklace.   It makes sense in my head!

 

Makes sense to me too! I wonder if she'll lose her neck because of that gem. But from what we've seen, there doesn't seem to be competing groups who've been after the gem. The Essene seem to be going after the the red heifer. But perhaps they haven't yet shown another Essene person going after the gem.

 

 

 

If there is one left to be found, either a show runner needs to go back for remedial math, or I need to get my hearing and eyes checked. Are there supposed to be 12 stones? I saw ten in the box, and that was after Lilly put the newly-delivered stone with the others.

In fairness, I really do need to get my eyes checked....

 

I went back to rewatch and paused, there was only 9 in the box. With the red one, makes 10 and if she was wearing one green one on her necklace (11), then the final missing one makes 12.

Edited March 16, 2015 by lovemytvshows

[Giselle]

The Chick-Fil-A cows are boycotting Dig. ;-)

[proserpina65]

Not sure (will have to re-watch), but I could have sworn there was also a photo of Billingham with Mitt Romney.  Guess it's a BiPartisan Apocalypse :P

 

That's who I thought it was, too.

 

Not sure how I'm feeling about this show.  On one hand, it's Jason Isaacs, and he's been at least partially unclothed at some point during both episodes.  Plus, I'm finding Lauren Ambrose's character interesting.  And I'm with the person who doesn't want anything to happen to Avram (is that his name) or the little red cow.  On the other hand, this kind of 'trying to bring about the end of times' conspiracy thriller almost the exact opposite of my thing.  And I don't want to see another poor little cow get killed, which I'm sure is what's planned for the red heifer.  But I guess I'll stick with it for now.  'Cause, you know, JI might take off his shirt again.

He seemed pretty freaked out when he was trying to swim upstream through that river of Nuns

 

"Nuns!  Reverse!  Reverse!"  (Thank you, Father Jack.)

If there is one left to be found, either a show runner needs to go back for remedial math, or I need to get my hearing and eyes checked. Are there supposed to be 12 stones? I saw ten in the box, and that was after Lilly put the newly-delivered stone with the others.

In fairness, I really do need to get my eyes checked....

Maybe because she's wearing one in her necklace?  That's my thought anyway, although, to be honest, I didn't think of that until just now.

Am I the only one who would gladly trade in this "special event" series for 10 episodes of Jason Isaacs walking around Jerusalem describing what he sees and talking to anyone on the streets that he finds interesting? I find the lighting, photography and camera angles to be pretentious to the point where I can't concentrate on the story and so really, seriously I would rather watch JI eat lunch at a local café (bonus points if the place has a hokey name like The Last Supper or Communion Cabobs.) than watch the show.

The Travel Channel needs to get on this idea right away.

[shrewd.buddha]

We watched because of all the promos, but it did not live up to its own hype. And the only thing that managed to stand out was the lead guy almost hooking up with the red head who was the spitting image of his dead daughter. What an icky choice for a plot point.

The clues were too cryptic , too many and too far between. It just gave the impression of a long, drawn out slog that wouldn't be coming to any type of satisfying conclusions for a long , long time. And the killing of cute calves and young children wasn't a real hook for me...

Edited March 19, 2015 by shrewd.buddha

[shrewd.buddha]

Ugh. I think we watched all of it, but the cryptic mini-plots feel as if they are multiplying. And the budding buddy cop story is not that appealing.

For me this show needs more mini resolutions and less story hopping.

So far the only character I'm rooting for is the little red calf.

At least everyone gets to smoke like chimneys on cable network.

[mledawn]

I'm having a tough time with how darkly the show is filmed. I mean that literally - I'm watching on a laptop and I tilt and twist and turn, but it's often too dark to really make out what is happening. Except when JI takes his shirt off - that is always well lit. And I am grateful.

[meep.meep]

Am I the only one who would gladly trade in this "special event" series for 10 episodes of Jason Isaacs walking around Jerusalem describing what he sees and talking to anyone on the streets that he finds interesting? I find the lighting, photography and camera angles to be pretentious to the point where I can't concentrate on the story and so really, seriously I would rather watch JI eat lunch at a local café (bonus points if the place has a hokey name like The Last Supper or Communion Cabobs.) than watch the show.

Loaves and Fishes!

 

Sign me up.

[Annetteboardman]

I think, unfortunately, that this is it for me.  I find that I care less and less about the characters along the way.  Life is a bit too short for this mess.

 

[slothgirl]

I find myself wanting to make a list of everything that bugs me about this show.

 

First up:

 

Anne Heche's glasses.

Edited March 20, 2015 by slothgirl

[lovemytvshows]

I'm happy to suspend my disbelief and whatever else when watching Dig because I still find it interesting and the overall mystery intriguing (having read up on the origins of the real world prophecies), but what the heck is the deal with Peter's very icky sexually-charged obsession (I don't know if that's the right term) with Emma/dead-daughter doppelganger. Kinda hope they clear that up eventually. 

[kikaha]

Another good episode that held my interest the entire hour. 

 

Peter is coming back to life.  One trivial but still revealing sign: he no longer covers himself up during love-making with his boss.  Emma and this case are the key.  I don't believe he identifies Emma with his daughter.  But Emma is helping him confront that unthinkable tragedy involving his daughter.  He has a pretty long way to go still.  I suspect as the mysteries take more shape, so will Peter's grip on himself.  i.e. corny as it sounds, by saving the world, he will also save himself. 

[Constantinople]

They need to tie in the Gale Boetticher cult to the result of the story beyond one phone call and Josh's Bar Mitzvah.  At least Red and her caretaker are heading towards Jerusalem.

 

FBI guy's made a lot of progress, from almost fucking the Manic Pixie Dead Girl as a proxy for his dead daughter, to fucking his boss as a proxy for the Manic Pixie Dead Girl.  Perhaps by the end of the series he won't be a total pervert.

 

Which stone was the fake, the purple stone or the red stone?  I could totally believe the red stone was a fake since it looked like a gum drop.

[pezgirl7]

Which stone was the fake, the purple stone or the red stone?  I could totally believe the red stone was a fake since it looked like a gum drop.

 

I'm pretty sure it was the purple stone, the last one they need, since Yussef was waving the little scanner in front of it and shaking it, because it wasn't going off. The scene at the gay club really confused me at first because I didn't recognize the guy. I'm assuming it was the guard at the purple stone house?

 

I don't understand why Peter hasn't sat down and thoroughly read through Emma's journal. He just seems to have just flipped through it some, instead of analyzing it, like you know, an actual detective! I did like that Peter and Cohan were working together and trusting each other more.

[kat165]

I'm really disappointed that this show isn't attracting many viewers here. I enjoy discussing the shows I watch & reading everyone's insights. This show isn't great, but it's holding my interest. I can't quite put my finger on why it's not as interesting or exciting as, for example, 12 Monkeys, which I also watch.

 

At times I'm very confused. I haven't gotten many of the characters names down yet and some of them I feel at this point I should be able to connect with and haven't. The boy with the red cow, was he originally going to be killed? But then he and the guy who came to get him & Red were ambushed so his life was saved by inheriting his mission?

 

The older guy who was in that shiva when Peter & Israeli cop were there, was he the same older man with senator in that small gathering in her office? Is he connected with boy & the cow?

 

I knew that cop was going to turn Lauren Ambrose in! And that kid is creepy. His forehead is enormous. Loved the beat down in the bathroom.

 

None of the characters on the show so far seem very strong. I like Peter, but the only character I'm connecting with at all is the boy with the cow.

[kikaha]

At times I'm very confused. I haven't gotten many of the characters names down yet and some of them I feel at this point I should be able to connect with and haven't. The boy with the red cow, was he originally going to be killed? But then he and the guy who came to get him & Red were ambushed so his life was saved by inheriting his mission?

 

The older guy who was in that shiva when Peter & Israeli cop were there, was he the same older man with senator in that small gathering in her office? Is he connected with boy & the cow?

 

I'll take a shot at answering your questions:  yes, I think they were going to kill the boy who is caring for the calf.  The ambush saved his life. 

 

The older guy you ask about did meet -- not with a senator -- but with the US Ambassador, in her office, along with the archaeologist.  They are part of the plot that involves recovering all the stones for the breastplate. 

[lovemytvshows]

None of the characters on the show so far seem very strong. I like Peter, but the only character I'm connecting with at all is the boy with the cow.

 

I have to agree. Avram and little Red calf became my favourites by the second episode and that didn't take long at all. Not that I'm jinxing it but I have a sinking feeling that Avram might be killed off later down the track and it's gonna hurt since most of us have grown quite attached to the character. That's a death I'm not looking forward to. The calf was always destined to go so I'm prepared for that to happen.

 

It's a little worrisome that I like Det. Cohen more than Peter at the moment. Peter's crappy investigative skills and his continual weird/bad life choices (sleeping with the boss, unhealthy obsession with Emma, still ringing his estranged wife who wants nothing to do with him, etc) are making me shake me head.

 

And that kid is creepy. His forehead is enormous.

 

Ha! Yes, it gets quite distracting when trying to concentrate on a scene.

 

A Twitter poster commented about Emma Wilson's screentime and Alison Sudol replied along the lines of "keep watching" or something like that. I wonder if that means we'll get flashbacks of Emma and/or Peter's dead daughter, Vicky, or if by some weird conspiracle (I know that's not a word) twist, Emma or Vicky actually aren't dead. 

[Gianthambeast]

For some reason every time  I see Peter I think Don Draper.  His weird incestuous fantasies make him extra-skeevy.  I'm pretty indifferent to most of these characters, except for Avram and Red.

 

So, is the creepy little boy the Anti-Christ?

Edited March 21, 2015 by Gianthambeast

[slothgirl]

I can't quite put my finger on why it's not as interesting or exciting

 

At times I'm very confused. 

 

I knew that cop was going to turn Lauren Ambrose in!

 

And that, in a nutshell is why this show isn't working. It's both confusing and totally predictable at the same time. We aren't sure who characters are when they are shown or what their relationship is, but we know pretty much exactly what they are going to do and what will happen to them.

 

That story construct is exactly the OPPOSITE of what it should be.

 

I couldn't remember who the 2 people in the van murder scene were. I eventually surmised that the victim was the american fugitive Peter had been chasing (why was he being hunted again? I've forgotten that too) The murderer was someone I've seen, but for all I know, I'm remembering him from a different show. I think maybe he was on NCIS.

 

Meanwhile in another plot line: Girl escapes. Manages to find a friendly policeman. Police turn out to be in cahoots with baddie she is tryign to escape. Zzzzzzz..... TIRED TROPE ALERT! The only thing that would have been MORE tired and predictable would be if she was running down a deserted stretch of road at night (in the rain, natch), flagged down the only car, and it turned out to be Baddie driving the car.

 

The guy gets into the embassy and is told to get out "the same way (he) got in" so OF COURSE no one can find him. Zzzzzzz.... but after trained detectives lost him repeatedly, our murderer had no trouble tracking him down in a gay bar AND getting him to go somewhere isolated for sex AND turn his back on a stranger.

 

"Why can't we take the running car?" ... "No, let's hide behind the chainsaws!"

 

Yeah... this show is operating on THAT level!

 

And the there's Anne Heche. Sigh. Could we just get rid of her completely? The character adds nothing. The relationship with Peter adds nothing. There's ZERO chemistry between them even in bed. All her scenes add nothing and take time away from The Story of a Boy and his Little Red Heifer which is far more compelling. Even with those giant ill-fitting glasses that make her look like a little girl playing with her grandfather's spectacles, they can't see that her storyline needs to be dropped ASAP.

 

It feels like this show is being written by a bunch of different writers who are totally isolated from one another, and that at some point down the road, someone will bring it all together for the few people still watching just to see JI shirtless. (and I'lll probably be one of them... sigh.. but maybe I record and fast forward through everyting else)

Edited March 21, 2015 by slothgirl

[kat165]

Thanks, Kikaha! Do we know who ambushed the boy? And maybe the ambush was on purpose to save the boy's life? Or not. :)

And thanks for cluing me in about the senator being an ambassador.

 

So how many factions to we have so far? The cops; the ambassaor's group; the Israeli cop's Uncle (?) who is maybe supporting the boy w/cow group and then boy with cow group; and the crazy assholes in New Mexico. Missing anyone/any other connections? Then there's the dead redhead, Emma, but I think she was just a random who stumbled into something.

 

Thank you, Lovemy, for the cow boy's name. He is very sweet. I hope he does not get killed as he is the only character I really like.

I kind of like Det. Cohen too.

 

Peter's bedsweats/nightmares/sex scenes were confusing. How many times did we see him rolling around in bed, with Emma, with Ann Heche, with no one. Which ones were hallucinations? Also, Ann Heche must be hard up for work because she's got a really shitty, useless role. Any random actress could have filled this role.

 

Yeah, Josh's forehead's even got a bigger part than Heche.

 

Lovemy, I was also wondering if Emma/Vicky are really dead, too. And I love that word, conspiracle. Sounds very sparkly!

 

Every time I see Peter I want to see as Lucius Malfoy as I thought he was really hot in that role and more interesting. :) And yes, that creepy little boy would make an excellent anti-Christ.

 

Slothgirl, you nailed it. Thanks! Yes, it is confusing and predictable. Crazy born again shooting the first Josh? Almost sex scene, Peter/Emma in the cavepool. Cop turning in Lauren? I get that there might be some confusion as the separate factions aren't being tied up yet, which I can deal with, part of the mystery. But rather than be confused we should just not know yet & be intrigued to learn more, rather than be puzzling over what we're seeing because it's not very clear.

 

Yeah, I've seen that murderer before too and I keep confusing him with the guy who played Monk, but I know he's not. I know him fron Fringe. He played one of the Cortexifan kids.

 

Speaking of our murderer, the guy he murders that he picked up in the bar, it would have helped to figure out who he was if he didn't look completely different & needing a shave from the last/first scene we saw him in.

 

Anne Heche's storyline doesn't need to be dropped. She just needs to be given one.

[justmehere]

I eventually surmised that the victim was the american fugitive Peter had been chasing (why was he being hunted again?)

-------

The guy gets into the embassy and is told to get out "the same way (he) got in" so OF COURSE no one can find him. Zzzzzzz.... but after trained detectives lost him repeatedly, our murderer had no trouble tracking him down in a gay bar AND getting him to go somewhere isolated for sex AND turn his back on a stranger.

 

 

I think you've got these backwards. The victim was the guard at the place where the purple stone was. The murderer was the American fugitive - Khalid. Khalid killed someone in the U.S. - presumably in pursuit of a stone - and so was being tracked in Israel by the FBI. He got into the embassy to deliver the red stone to the U.S. Ambassador - and he got out again the same way he got in. Next, Khalid visited the place with the purple stone and met the guard, who had the key card to the vault. Khalid then tracked down the guard in the gay bar. Khalid lured him to the van/car on the pretext of sex, and then killed him to get the key card to the vault. The guard was the naive one, not the American, Khalid. The purple stone was a fake, and now the ambassador, the archeologist, and the rabbi (sounds like a joke intro) from the shady yeshiva/Jerusalem center are trying to find the real stone.

[pezgirl7]

The guy gets into the embassy and is told to get out "the same way (he) got in" so OF COURSE no one can find him. Zzzzzzz.... but after trained detectives lost him repeatedly, our murderer had no trouble tracking him down in a gay bar AND getting him to go somewhere isolated for sex AND turn his back on a stranger.

I think you're confused, unless I misunderstood what you wrote. Yussef Khalid is the guy that broke in to the embassy, and is the same American fugitive Peter has been chasing, because Yussef killed the son of an American politician. Yussef killed the guy he picked up in the gay bar, because he was a security guy for that antiques dealer who had the purple stone. Yussef dyed his hair and shaved, and got a nice white suit, and looks pretty different than he did before. I think he is a professor, but the way he killed the guard makes me wonder if he has a darker past.

ETA: or what justmehere said. :) Looks like we posting at the same time.

Edited March 21, 2015 by pezgirl7

[kikaha]

There are certainly lots of groups and sub-groups, some of them moving the conspiracies forward, others resisting them, and others (like Peter) caught up in the middle, trying to piece together this confusing puzzle.  Of course something this complex will have some plot/logical holes in it.  They don't bother me.  The various themes and sub-plots are all racing towards something big, on a global level. 

 

I like just about everyone so far, including Anne Heche.  I'm especially eager to learn how Peter got swept into the plot, as it did not seem just coincidence to me that he met Emma the way he did, encountered again later that same day, and then had the adventures with her that ended with her slipping a stone in his pocket. 

[lovemytvshows]

Yeah, Josh's forehead's even got a bigger part than Heche.

 

Kat165, I may have dribbled my coffee reading that! Hahahaha!

 

Anne Heche's storyline doesn't need to be dropped. She just needs to be given one

 

For now she seems to have been relegated to looking disapprovingly at Peter, then sleeping with him. 

 

There are certainly lots of groups and sub-groups, some of them moving the conspiracies forward, others resisting them, and others (like Peter) caught up in the middle, trying to piece together this confusing puzzle.  Of course something this complex will have some plot/logical holes in it.  They don't bother me.  The various themes and sub-plots are all racing towards something big, on a global level.

I like just about everyone so far, including Anne Heche.  I'm especially eager to learn how Peter got swept into the plot, as it did not seem just coincidence to me that he met Emma the way he did, encountered again later that same day, and then had the adventures with her that ended with her slipping a stone in his pocket.

 

Agreed. I don't bother to nitpick about the plot and whatnot because this is fast becoming one of my guilty pleasure shows and I'm enjoying all the conspiracies and twist and turns. It doesn't have to make too much sense now, just as long as at least a good 95% of it gets tied up by the end. Because they've weaved such an intricate web, I'm sure they writers might end up forgetting to resolve about 5% of the remaining story. 

 

If Peter encountering Emma wasn't a coincidence, then how was she "planted" to have met him? Surely someone must then know that he is a cop and know about his backstory with the dead daughter? And then decided that Emma was the best person for the job?

[kat165]

Thanks, Lovemy. Pezgirl7, Kikaha & Justmehere. Now this is the discussion I was hoping for. :)

 

Lovemy, interesting theory. I never thought of Emma working in cahoots with some faction or other. I just figured she was a random student who stumbled into this. If she is not, that's even more interesting

[AnnA]

 

"Why can't we take the running car?" ... "No, let's hide behind the chainsaws!"

 

Yeah... this show is operating on THAT level!

 

LOL............I was trying to decide if I should watch the last two episodes or not.  I have them recorded but the show has me both confused and bored at the same time and that makes absolutely no sense.

[lovemytvshows]

Kat165 I just feel like it was too much of a coincidence that Peter happens to bump into Emma while chasing Kahlid and then again later in the night. And she must surely know the importance of the gem which begs the question of why she would slip it into the pocket of a "stranger" she just met. 

 

My theory is that she was probably in cahoots with Kahlid to some extent, hence being at the same market place where he was being chased by Peter and Det. Cohen. She was probably about to hand the gem over to him. But that theory also doesn't make sense because she later slipped it into Peter's pocket, meaning that she must know at least a little backstory about him to trust him with safekeeping of the gem and not wanting anyone else to get it? 

 

I might be overthinking this...

[kat165]

Lovemy, I think Emma "bumped" into Peter because she tried to bump into him. I think she was trying to "entice" him. Yet I didn't take it further as you did to think that she might not be in this alone & yet might be another faction & also why. If she was in cahoots with Khalid why wouldn't she just give him the jewel as he was looking for it? Why would she pass it on to Peter and get the cops involved, the cops who are trying to chase Khalid down.

 

And that was a pretty lame chase with Peter being the only guy to go after him after he and all those cops watching him on the CCTV.

 

Maybe you think you're overthinking it only because you haven't yet hit on an answer that makes sense to you. I haven't either. :)

Maybe she passed it to Peter because she didn't want Khalid and his crew to get it.

 

I'd like to know what the purpose of using the breastplate is, for all factions. What are they trying to accomplish by "talking to god?"

Edited March 22, 2015 by kat165

[lovemytvshows]

I think you're right Kat165 and it makes more sense that Emma passed the stone to Peter because she didn't want Khalid to get his hands on it. But it begs the question of why she chose him. I don't recall him telling her he's a cop and even if he did, how could she be sure that he wasn't the one of the baddies she's trying to hide information from?

 

The breastplate seems to be one of the tools used to usher in the apocalypse (based off this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/readings/forcing.html) aaand maybe "communicate with God". But otherwise, it sounds like a pretty lame thing overall.

[henripootel]

I glad the promo monkeys keep reminding me how awesome this show is cuz I keep forgetting this half-way through each episode.  There doesn't seem to be an actual plot, just a bunch of shit that keeps on happening.  I also strongly suspect that Lucius Malfoy is a bad investigator but I can't be sure because nothing seems to make much sense.  They don't give me something to hold onto shortly and I'm out.   

[kat165]

Lovemy, maybe Emma knew more than we know. Could she have possibly checked Peter out? Could she somehow be connected to his daughter (weren't they about the same age?), like a friend or acquaintance? It makes no sense for him to be a total stranger to her. We don't really know anything about his daughter, how she died & where.

 

Yikes, that was some article. I do my best to avoid religious discussions as I feel religion is a private thing and everyone has their own beliefs & fine with me, I have my own also. But the red cow stuff was fascinating. I'm biting my tongue not to say more. I have huge issues with religion.

 

"a plot is the gist of a story, and composed of causal events, which means a series of sentences linked by "and so." A plot highlights all the important points and the line of a story. Ansen Dibell writes, "Plot is built of significant events in a given story - significant because they have important consequences."Consequently, it also has the same meaning as storyline."

 

I had to look that up, henri, before responding to your post. I think the show does have a plot. It just really hasn't come together yet. We're being shown a series of events that haven't gelled yet. The main thing seems to be the stones & the breastplate and the red cow & bringing them together (& which faction will ultimately have control of that) to accomplish ???? What, I don't know yet. At least this is my interpretation. Lots of those "events" don't really work well or are too vague or unnecessarily mystifying or predictable. Which is poor storytelling.

 

I don't know if Lucias is a bad investigator. I do know he is a troubled man who is seemingly letting his emotions rule this investigation. It's not a great show, but I'm still interested in seeing where it goes.

 

If you're not getting anything out of it you're better off not watching. Check out 12 Monkeys which is a lot better, if you're into sci-fi at all. :) Of course, another poster with opinions is a boon to us all, so you're also more than welcome to stick around.

Edited March 22, 2015 by kat165

[riverheightsnancy]

I am really liking the show, but I also loved all of the Dan Brown novels and the Killing (all seasons). I like a mystery, the more mysterious the better! I didn't want to pick on the kid playing Joshua 2.0 because, after all, he is a child actor, and I thought that it might be just me, but he seriously has a large, protruding forehead. What Tyra Banks would call a "five-head".  It is so large, I actually wondered if he was chosen because they wanted him to look "different" as in, "special". Larger pre-frontal cortex=special? Special powers? I am sure that I am over thinking this.  Josh 1.0's forehead didn't look that big. Maybe it was the purposeful way they did the first kid's hair, or it is just an anomaly? Does anyone know if the kid(s) playing Josh are really twins, or was it one actor playing both? Anyway, I find all of the theories on here interesting. I like that we really don't know what is happening yet and I have not been spoiled by searching out the answers or reading it online. I know that anticipation is often so great for shows like Mad Man, that I will actively search out what might happen, because I cannot wait to know! With this show, I feel like I am discovering the clues along with Peter. I find the girl from Six Feet Under (forget her name, but always remember her from that show), to be quite interesting. I would like to know how she got mixed up with these guys and it appears that she was setup too. Joshua 2.0 seems to have been in on it, but what exactly it was, I don't know. Is the kid EVIL? Or a pawn? Not sure yet. I am loving "Red", but that whole scenario brings up very bad feelings for those of us that watched the live feeds from the abysmal reality show "Utopia". There was cow and animal abuse on that show, including a newborn calf, that caused a lot of us to get involved in a real life way. It was very upsetting and VERY unpleasant. So, I hope little, "Red" doesn't die on the show like the other calf from the sacrifice scene. (I know that it is just a show, it just brings back bad memories from the other show). Are they intoning that Peter's daughter, who committed suicide, was a lesbian and that maybe they didn't really take her seriously or accept it and that they played a part in her suicide? 

[caprice]

At times I'm very confused. I haven't gotten many of the characters names down yet and some of them I feel at this point I should be able to connect with and haven't. The boy with the red cow, was he originally going to be killed? But then he and the guy who came to get him & Red were ambushed so his life was saved by inheriting his mission?

I think Avram was always intended to be Red's guide to Jerusalem. Comparing this storyline (red heifer with no blemish) to the New Mexico storyline (Original Recipe Josh died because his feet had touched the ground and was therefore impure), we see that cleanliness or purity is important. Having the soldier bring Red to the Temple would somehow make him unclean because he'd been handled by someone who was a killer. Avram was chosen for this mission for a reason and will probably be a sacrifice at some point which makes me sad.

[slothgirl]

Original Recipe Josh died because his feet had touched the ground and was therefore impure

So was it the ritual of killling the calf that made Josh 2.0 "immune" to the impurity of his feet touching the ground? The child only had to remain pure until then, and afterwards he could go out in the world?

 

Poor Josh 1.0.... he only had a couple more days to wait!

For those who want to speculate about future developments, the IMDB page has interesting statistics concerning the number of episodes different characters are in.

 

Or maybe they are deliberately making it confusing only listing for some characters the number of episodes that have aired so we won't know when they might be killed off.

 

There's also an actor listed with no character name.... yet.

[pezgirl7]

So was it the ritual of killling the calf that made Josh 2.0 "immune" to the impurity of his feet touching the ground? The child only had to remain pure until then, and afterwards he could go out in the world?

I thought he just had to remain pure for his bar mitzvah, but they never explained it so I was surprised when Josh 2.0 was let outside. I think he was really enjoying being in the car, playing the video game and drinking the shake, which makes his coldness even creepier. Is he just a brain washed kid, or something more?

[kat165]

River, I liked the Dan Brown novels too. But never saw the killing. Love mysteries.

 

Yeah, it's not nice to pick on kids. But his forehead is a looming presence. I agree, I think it was probably a factor in him being chosen for the role. He does have sort of a creepy demeanor.

 

So glad to have you join in on the discussion.

 

Where/how did you get that Peter's daughter was a lesbian or might have been a lesbian? I ask because I'm not the sharpest & I often miss a lot of stuff that might be obvious to others.

 

Yes, Slothgirl, I think after the slaughter of the calf somehow "purified" Josh 2. It was very subtle.

 

I just looked up the actor who plays Josh in order to answer River's question and I did note the number of eps he appears in. Something struck me then. Thank you for pointing out this clue. So of course I'm going to go back over there and see who is in how many eps. Sort of a game of hunt your own spoilers!

 

And yes, River, Josh is played by one actor. And His regular haircut seems to make his forehead stand out less. :) I think the show is purposely emphasizing it.

 

The actor without the character name is interesting. How is s/he listed at IMDB?  How do you list an unnamed character? I guess I will find out. Josh 2 seems more self-aware/informed than Josh 1 did.

[pezgirl7]

When Peter and his wife were on the phone, they were reminiscing and chuckling over a memory they had of their daughter wanting to be a lesbian truck driver for Halloween. I just took it as her being a quirky child, not that she was actually gay.

[riverheightsnancy]

Yeah, yeah, I know it was a stretch! :)  But I was just wondering if there was anything to it! She committed suicide for some reason. In real life the suicide rates for LGBTQ young adults is really high.  The article that lovemytvshows linked to above, really shed light on the entire story, seeing as I do not know the Bible very well. I don't think that it is spoilery because it is based on historical fact, but I do think that this entire show is based on this specific area of Biblical teachings. Looking foward to the next episode. 

[LuLu123]

So, is the creepy little boy the Anti-Christ?

I'm actually wondering if Joshua is supposed to be or will be presented as  the Jewish Messiah.  The deadline for beginning of the rebuilding on Temple Mount (currently occupied by Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock and considered the 3rd holiest site in Islam) is his arrival in the year 6000 of the Jewish calendar or 2240.

 

Some Evangelical Christians believe that the establishment of the state of Israel is 1948 and the continual gathering of Jews in the country fulfills Biblical prophecy.

 

However, the same Evangelicals who support Israel also believe that the rebuilding of the Temple is a sign of the End Times with the 2nd coming of Christ.  Dual covenant theory believes that Jesus' message (the new Testament of the Bible) was for Gentiles only and that Jews should adhere to the Old Testament.

 

So what if the conspirators got tired of waiting and are going to try and rebuild the temple which means the destruction of the Dome of the Rock which is generally considered be the location.  Although some scholars believe that the temple's exact location is next to the Dome.

 

This leads to all-out war with Islam and then Joshua is trotted out and Christians await the return of Jesus.  Everybody gets their own Messiah, except for Muslims that is.

Edited March 22, 2015 by LuLu123

[Gianthambeast]

^You may be right-- you know way more about the prophecies than I do.  At first I thought the cult  might be grooming Joshua as the Messiah, but I started to get a sinister Damien-vibe from him.  In the theology of the end times, does Anti-Christ have to arise first so that he can bring about the second coming and the final battle? If so, maybe the desert fanatic people are trying to kick start the process by cultivating Creepy Boy.

[kikaha]

Random thoughts:

 

Josh 2.0 seems very different than Josh 1.  2.0 is cruel, hard and completely on board with the destiny plotted out for him.  1.0 was sweet, vulnerable and desperate to escape.

 

I wonder if Peter's daughter really committed suicide?  She sounded so happy and full of life on that phone recording.  I figured that was the last he heard from her, and that a terrible accident took her life shortly after.  It astounded me to hear she took her own. 

 

I can't believe the show will portray Josh 2.0 as the Jewish Messiah.  More like an anti-Messiah. 

[Hanahope]

So is there some reason the cult is keeping the woman (who clearly doesn't want to be there) around and involved with the kid?  Is she supposed to serve some special purpose?

[slothgirl]

Just caught part of this ep again... was the book in the glass case at the place in Jerusalem really in English? (The brief shot of Peter reading #19 seemed to be, but it was too fast for me to be sure). Doesn't that seem unlikely?

 

But I admit, I am obviously not paying close enough attention to the show because I can't remember anything about the place (as far as what branch of the "end of times" religious consortium they were supposed to be) beyond the fat that they were creepy and they had a stone.. or thought they did.

 

Speaking of that.. what on earth is that geigercounter wannabe thingamajig supposed to be reading or measuring?

Edited March 24, 2015 by slothgirl

[slothgirl]

So is there some reason the cult is keeping the woman (who clearly doesn't want to be there) around and involved with the kid?  Is she supposed to serve some special purpose?

They can't let her go because well,, cults can never let anyone get out, and this one especially, seeing as how they are plotting the end of times, not just some localized suicide pact or brainwashing of followers to get their money.

 

My guess is that next episode, killing her (or talking about it, or attempting it, or making us think they did it, or whatever) will be a plot point.

 

I also wondered in the pilot if she was supposed to be possibly the boy's mother or sister.

[lovemytvshows]

I also wondered in the pilot if she was supposed to be possibly the boy's mother or sister.

 

Ooh! That would be a very cliched but plausible plot twist.