Dig finished this week. I was

[Ilsa]

disappointed in how it wrapped up.

What was the point of Pastor Billingham being denied entrance to the final ceremony? Or his freak death? And then that group just disappeared from the rest of the story except for hearing that they were arrested.

Golan's death didn't seem well explained. I ended up feeling confused about Emma Watson. I guess she wrote her name next to Golan?

Is this going to be a series?

[catchnrelease]

1. The ending was ok (spoilers)

But I think it could have been better. I think there were many loose ends that were not tied up well. Like it wrapped up too fast.

I think Billingham's death was just sort of a karma thing, he had been such an ahole--had no problem having the first boy, and several others just killed off. He was arrogant and seemed to think he was some anointed person and that he could control the upcoming ceremony. I'm not sure if his death was supposed to be godly retribution or what.

I was sad about Golan's death. I guess he had to go when he did because he had figured out what was going to happen and if he had lived and reached Peter sooner, they would have stopped the ceremony and the explosion etc before it happened. I believe that he wrote Rebecca's name before he died so that Peter would know she was not who they had thought she was. She was pretty clearly mentally damaged based on her motives for the whole thing.

I was greatly relieved about how Avram's story ended. He didn't have to do anything bad and really was the only completely good guy in the story. (I was kind of hoping he'd go back to the girl that he seemed attracted to while taking the calf to Jerusalem)

There was never anything to show what happened with the Essene group. Did they just go back into hiding? Disperse? Who put the Rebecca file on Peter's desk? What happened to Joshua--speaking of someone with mental problems?

Not sure if it's supposed to be a series, I have not heard anything about it going on, or what the reaction to it was.

[madfloridian]

2. Interesting article about controversy behind this series.

I had read it was funded in large part by Israel. I just ran across this article, but I am not that familiar with the website. I have not watched the series at all. Just found this interesting.

http://mondoweiss.net/2014/06/locations-occupied-jerusalem

Washington, DC- As Palestinians mark 47 years of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, human rights groups are accusing NBC of complicity in Israel’s violations of international law and human rights by filming its new series DIG in occupied East Jerusalem, after clearly stating that they would not do so.

The series, which according to Israeli media has already begun to be filmed, has outraged Palestinians and human rights groups, who have been calling on NBC to cancel it since it was announced back in November 2013 because it would give legitimacy to Israel’s policies in the city. Nir Barkat, the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, and the Israeli Keshet Media Group declared at the time that most of the filming would take place in the “City of David National Park,” an illegal Israeli settlement located in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem. In a letter dated December 20, 2013, Cory Shields, Executive VP of Communications at NBC Universal, wrote to the General Delegation of the PLO to the US: “NBC Universal Cable Entertainment reiterates that there are no plans, and there will be no plans, to film ‘DIG’ in the City of David National Park or the village of Silwan.” Subsequently, activists wrote to NBC seeking assurances that the series won’t be filmed in any other East Jerusalem location and were met with silence.

[Ilsa]

4. So the complaint is that NBC (for USA Network)

was doing business with Israel (only) and not recognizing it was occupied territory. Wow. I wonder if they considered that the controversy might be good for their program. I enjoyed the setting. It isn't often that a nonreligious US-made series is set in Israel.

The storyline never touched on those political issues or human rights issues, just the plotting by an American group and Orthodox Israeli Jewish group to initiate the End Times by first destroying the Islamic Dome. There was ceremonial stuff, including the two groups creating the new priest and the calf to be slain. I think there may be some story left there. The ending felt anticlimactic.

Thanks for the article.

[trumad]

3. So glad Red made it.

I hate when a complicated show with a lot of loose ends tries and ties up all loose ends in the last show.

So they just arrested the clan and the little boy? That would have been great to see it happen. I also found it hilarious how the Anne Heche character could climb a couple of ladders end get into the Ambassador's private office and living quarters. Great security there.

Golan wrote Rebecca in blood before he died...Not Emma.

All in all----it was fun to watch.

[catchnrelease]

5. Yes!

Thank goodness Red was ok! Pretty sad that the one I rooted most for was the calf, well and Avram as I said above.

There were really a lot of implausible things in the show but at least it was not the same old cop/detective story.

I do think it was political, at least my understanding was that once the dome was destroyed then the Islamic world would retaliate and that would set off their armageddon.