♪ ♪people who killed her are planning something that could bring the whole region into chaos. maybe the world. >> the people are planning something that could bring all regions of chaos. maybe the world. >> some kind of sacrifice. >> stop! >> action!

>> "dig" is one of the most eagerly anticipated shows of the year. over the next half hour, you'll get an inside, behind-the-scenes look at this gripping new series in the vein of national treasure and the da vinci code, including interviews with the cast and creators. exclusive footage from the set, and a sneak peek at some of the fascinating real-world conspiracies at the heart of the story. this is "the making of dig." >> body was found this morning by two teenagers. >> "dig" is a cliffhanger. >> i know it. >> it is a conspiracy. >> it's like the fbi. >> it's an edge of your seat murder mystery. who can you trust? can i save the world thrill. >> "dig" brings together an all-star cast, exotic locations around the world, and an

explosive story from two of the most acclaimed writers and producers in television. >> what are you doing? >> "dig" comes from gideon raff the creative mind behind homeland and tim kring who created heroes, one of the most imaginative tv series of the last decade. >> between homeland, heroes i mean when you get a call that says that these two men are working to the to create something this intense and this extraordinary, it's an honor. >> take that other shows. >> absolutely love what tim brings to this project. i've been a huge fan of his for a very long time and we became an immediate partnership and friendship. >> there's a storytelling component that gideon and i both share. the kind of aggressive storytelling from multiple points of view. >> between them, they've told some of the best stories on television, in my memory and we're just lucky enough to be along for the ride. >> it's a bigger than life thing that they're tackling and you don't want to put that in the hands of too many people.

but with them, you do. >> any time the new script came i'd rip it open and wouldn't stop until i got to the end. >> the story of "dig" begins with an investigation into a murder, unraveling a conspiracy 2,000 years in the making. the plot weaves together three interrelated narratives, one set in new mexico. one in norway. >> okay, here we go. and one in jerusalem. >> the story is about people's extreme faith. the lengths that people will go to if they think that god is on their side. and there are some people doing some quite crazy things that turns out they really do do in the real world. i thought it was just the imagination of the writers. but they're all people doing some of the things that the characters in our story do. >> you should bring it back --

>> no, i'm not bringing it back for questioning. too late. >> stop! >> the plot evolves around peter connally an fbi agent stationed in jerusalem who is played by jason isaacs, the star of the harry potter films. >> there are people who would like to end the world in order to make it start again in a fashion that they would like. in our story it's my job to stop them. >> everything okay? >> yeah. >> emmy nominated actress anne heche plays his boss. >> is your boss, we don't have to be close. i am your friend. that requires a little bit more. >> the impressive cast also includes david costabile from breaking bad, lauren ambrose from six feet under, golden globe winner regina taylor,

israeli star ori pfeffer and singer song writer alison sudol. >> you're married? >> no. well i mean yes i'm married but we're not, not anymore. >> there is a real intensity to the type of characters that we're depicting in this show. peter conley, jason a socks character is a very broken man. >> he had a beautiful wife and a beautiful daughter and suddenly it all shattered. >> coming to get away from the memory of my daughter who died tragically and then i see someone who looks just like her. >> when i saw you earlier today, you pointed your gun at me. >> you're american. >> the same time we have the character of emma who is the exact opposite. >> emma represents his joy, and this love to which he's doing and i think that's really intoxicating for him. >> there is something that means that much to that many people.

someone's going to find it. >> anne heche plays lynn, who is his sort of love interest. but she's a woman with balls you know, she's running the u.s. consulate. >> personal -- doesn't understand. >> as the story moves back and forth between all three locations, we delve into the lives of each character, and begin to understand the dangerous conspiracy that ties them all together. >> you're not going to believe this. >> digging underneath jerusalem and digging for the history of the world in many ways it's mostly about the characters. >> security. >> back entrance. not many people know about it. >> you coming in or not? >> what binds us to our past. what imprisons us and how you free yourself. and what do you believe in? >> like the da vinci code, "dig"

is a story that will capture the imagination, and raise as many questions as it answers. coming up on "the making of dig" we'll explore the real-world inspirations for this epic story and you won't believe how much of it is true. the setting is perfect. but then erectile dysfunction happens again. you know what? plenty of guys have this issue, not just getting an erection, but keeping it. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain; it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach and abnormal vision. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. ask your doctor if... ...viagra is right for you.

yoplait greek 100. the protein-packed need something filling, taste bud loving, deliciously fruity, grab-and-go, take on the world with 100 calories, snack. yoplait greek 100. there are hundreds of take on the world with 100 calories, snack. just because i'm away from my desk doesn't mean i'm not working. comcast business understands that. their wifi isn't just fast near the router. it's fast in the break room. fast in the conference room. fast in tom's office. fast in other tom's office. fast in the foyer [pronounced foy-yer] or is it foyer [pronounced foy-yay]? fast in the hallway.

i feel like i've been here before. switch now and get the fastest wifi everywhere. comcast business. built for business. go deeper behind the scenes of dig, usa network's new blockbuster thriller, as you go deeper behind the scenes of "dig," usa network's new blockbuster thriller you learn more and more about the actual conspiracy theories to help inspire the story. melding biblical prophesies about the end of days with an edge of your seat murder mystery, "dig's" three story lines come together to reveal a conspiracy that was set in motion thousands of years ago. >> and action!

>> when i went to see the righteous i said this is a fantastic story. where'd you get the idea? they said well most of it is true. i was like stunned and i thought they were joking or exaggerating so i started researching. i think that we tell the story right, people will be sitting way through the night with increasing horror at the numbers of people there are in this world that would like to bring it to an end. some kind of sacrifice. >> the focal point of the series is the holiest city in the world, jerusalem. >> every corner of it, every little stone, means something. you know? >> i think it also for the actors, for the crew, for everybody, you feel something special when you're in jerusalem. >> the dome of the rock, one of the holiest sites to muslims, the western wall, the most significant religious site in the world for jews, the church of the holy sepulchre where

christians believe christ was buried. three of the most important religious sites in the world within a mile of each other. and all three play a part in the story. >> can't help but feel it when you're doing stories about the end of the world, and you're sitting on the sound stage somewhere in california, it feels like you're telling a story. when you're telling those narratives here in jerusalem, it feels like you're reliving things that have been played out here. stones have history. >> jerusalem is a place that has 3,000 years of history and that's in the show. that's what's really exciting. we have lots of those elements. things from the bible. things that are mixed. things that we think we know about. we actually have an artifact. >> an ancient breastplate that's said to help bring about the second coming of the messiah. >> back to me.

>> of course >> each thread of the story plays a part in the prophesy. >> tell theize railites to bring a red heifer without defect or blemish and has never been under yoke. >> heifer? >> a cow. >> in norway a group of hasidic jews arrive to witness the birth of a perfect red calf. >> there are few that you need to rebuild the temple in jerusalem. one of them according to the torah is a pure red heifer. so these group who have been working hard on rebuilding the temple come to norway to witness the birth of this cow who we're later going to discover was genetically engineered to be purely red. if there's one thread of black hair it's disqualified. this is what incites the whole story. >> and we are told from your rabbi that the prophesy has begun. the prophesy is the beginning of

what's to come and what's to play out as we go through our journey and the red heifer takes us eventually to jerusalem. >> in new mexico a remote compound is home to a radical cult fulfilling a dangerous mission. >> it's time. >> it is both a religious community that also has a larger mission that they're all working towards and working very hard towards it. >> action. >> there's a little bit of a separation from them, from the outside world. and once you enter the compound, it is not like you can leave. >> hello, josh. >> you've been studying all these years for a very important reason. that time is upon us. that time is now. >> "dig" is also full of mysterious symbols that play a major role in the story. >> the audience will begin to see various symbols, and they all have a basis in natural, secret societies that have been out there for thousands of years. it's a series of lines that

actually have to do with the kind of blueprint for the building of the third temple. the jews have been talking about rebuilding the temple since the romans destroyed it. the stones were scattered to all four corners of the earth. >> the fun part about "dig" has been the conspiracy that peter connally is going to expose, something that is really happening. >> the story is one big long snowball and we light the fuse from the very beginning for a compelling thriller. >> but beyond the entertainment, a roller coaster thriller, i want to dig deeper. >> and the world is full of some bizarre and extreme people, and we put them all to the in a very, very entertaining way. >> i think it's going to allow the audience a chance to participate in a way that a lot of shows don't in terms of the fact and fiction nature of the story that we're telling. it's already in zeitgeist and it's already out there in the

ether and people will be able to participate by learning more on their own about this. >> we have a research on the ground in israel who's been meeting with archaeologists in israel digging in the places that we are talking about. so everything is based on reality, and true, and they're also feeding us a lot of cool stuff that turns into cool ideas. >> ours is a god of miracles. and you, son, are a miracle. >> i only hope that we have people fighting the good fight, as well as tim and gideon have been fighting our story. >> next, exclusive never before seen footage from the set of "dig" shot on location, and later, a sneak peek at some of the explosive story lines in the show.

ring ring! progresso! i can't believe i'm eating bacon and rich creamy cheese before my sister's wedding well it's only 100 calories, so you'll be ready for that dress uh-huh... you don't love the dress? i love my sister... 40 flavors. 100 calories or less. save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.d everybody knows that. well, did you know pinocchio was a bad motivational speaker? i look around this room and i see nothing but untapped potential.

you have potential. you have...oh boy. geico. some say buy gold. others say buy soybeans. i say, buy comcast business internet. unlike internet providers that slow down when traffic picks up, you get speed you can rely on. it's a safe bet. like a gold-plated soybean.

reliably fast internet starts at $69.95 a month. comcast business. built for business. >> okay, here we go. >> "dig," usa network's new action thriller, took the cast and crew across the world. >> i think what sets "dig" apart will be the use of real locations. that have been here for thousands of years. >> in and around jerusalem the series was given unprecedented access to iconic sites. >> we have been given access to places that haven't been shot before. some of them haven't been seen before by tourists. >> so when these incredible caves on which they dug the rock for a temple and the whole series of gaves goes down, down,

down. >> we needed to have a pond. there was no pond so we built this pond that you see behind us. >> took us a long time to build it. >> all the surrounding walls that could be around it. >> even though we are creating some stuff of our own this quarry was in use 2,000 years ago. >> and action. >> and so filming it gives it that reality that you can't build on a sound stage. but here, people are not used to film crew coming in, setting up a base camp. it's new for a city like this. >> it was extraordinary. it was kind of with jerusalem as it was waking up and feel the hustle bustle and be a real part of that. >> that craziness of being in the markets of the old city. that energy translates to the camera. >> here in couple jump we've been able to embrace what we wanted to do with this frenetic feel. >> and also has the fun of a kind of da vinci code because we're going to be in all of

these really exotic locations. down in the dead sea in the desert, in these tunnels underneath the city of jerusalem. so it's got that kind of adventure, thriller, aspect to it. >> the chase scene comes very early on and what i wanted to do was show the audience jerusalem but not just by showing shots of jerusalem. it's very easy to show a shot of jerusalem but i like to integrate the great use of jerusalem through a chase scene so you end up with a chase scene in the market. and then the skyline of jerusalem in the background. >> the prubz also shot under 9 middle of the jaw dion desert to recreate the american southwest the location of the cult's compound. >> you could feel the water in your eyes evaporating and just

the salt trying to form. >> the sun came up over jericho. it was like, so hot. >> okay so pick you. >> the story of "dig" also takes viewers to norway. the first day of filming was in a remote location in northern canada. doubling as scandinavia, with very real subzero temperatures. >> day one of "dig" is cold. it's been minus 27 today. >> we are 600 kilometers north of toronto. they sent location scouts to try to find a place that could double for northern norway and they came up with this amazing location. >> all right here we go. >> we're shooting the first scene which is the hasids come to norway to witness the miracle birth of a red heifer. the guys playing the hasids are

from toronto and they have been very helpful. >> and action. narrator: additional scenes were shot in new mexico, as well as croatia. isaacs: i hope that the show looks as exciting >> additional scenes were shot in new mexico, as well as croatia. >> i hope it looks as exciting as it is to shoot. i've been jumping over rooftops and diving down caves and through tunnels, and swinging down ropes, and i'm a guy who runs off bad guys. someone's got to do it. >> coming up an exclusive look at some of the twists and turns audiences will experience throughout the season on "dig."

ring ring! progresso! i can't believe i'm eating bacon and rich creamy cheese before my sister's wedding well it's only 100 calories, so you'll be ready for that dress uh-huh... you don't love the dress? i love my sister... 40 flavors. 100 calories or less. this is the equivalent regular can of soda. and this is a soda a day for a year. over an average adult lifetime, that's 221,314 cubes of sugar. but you can help change that with a simple choice. drink more water. filtered by brita. ♪ and introducing our new advanced filter, now better than ever.

if legalzoom has your back.s, over the last 10 years we've helped one million business owners get started. visit legalzoom today for the legal help you need to start and run your business. legalzoom. legal help is here. ♪ [epic music] introducing aleve pm... the pm pain reliever. that dares to work all the way until... [birds chirping] the am. new aleve pm. it's the first to combine a safe sleep aid plus the 12 hour strength of aleve. for pain relief that can last all the way until morning. new aleve pm, for a better am. "dig," usa's new ten-part

action thriller series will take viewers on a roller coaster ride each week as the mystery unfolds, the intensity will increase. >> as the story goes on and i see a bigger and bigger conspiracy the people around me see less of it and think that i am either losing my mind or guilty or holding something back. and it becomes an enormous strain for me to try and find out what's really going on whilst keeping these forces at bay. >> you've got about five seconds, and after that i won't be able to help you. >> come on, don't do this. >> can't you see -- who are you working for? >> stop! stop! stop! >> what's wrong with you? >> wow. all right.

are you done? >> there's also another level of just whoa, what's happening? wow? how are these two things coming together. >> "dig" will reveal secrets that have been kept hidden for centuries while exploring the dramatic and unexpected connections between each character. >> just when you think it's going down a certain road, something happens, something is revealed. >> at every turn i discover one thing, and three things and not

be sideways for people who want to enjoy a great mystery the clues are there and they will come back and pay off. >> because it's a conspiracy theory, means that you can invest your own knowledge into it and get out of it whatever you want. >> people will enjoy an intelligently character driven show and want more. >> the enjoyment of the audience is thinking how are these elements all going to come together? and i could tell you, but i'd have to kill you. >> but the deeper the story goes the further you get from the truth. don't miss the most anticipated new drama of the year, thursday, march 5th, on usa network. "dig." it's a series you have to watch, it's a show you have to watch, >> "dig" is about the oldest conspiracy theory that exists. >> the theory is you have to watch. it's a show you have to watch. pay attention to it because there are layers and layers and

layers to be peeled back. >> what we're doing is building a really exciting imaginative piece that will keep you transfixed for the whole time. >> i think a lot of people will put their soul into what this is about. thanks for inviting me to come fishing. thank mary. speaking of mary, there's something i wanted to talk to you about. well, we've still got 11 hours til we stop. sir, your daughter and i, we've been together for... feel that? 236 lb-ft of torque i have to ask you something. i think i know what it is. 44 highway miles per gallon. the volkswagen passat tdi clean diesel with up to 814 hwy miles per tank. hurry in and you can get 0.9% apr for 60 months on the 2015 passat tdi plus a $2,000 bonus. ameriprise asked people a simple question: can you keep your lifestyle in retirement? i don't want to think about the alternative. i don't even know how to answer that. i mean, no one knows how long their money is going to last. i try not to worry, but you worry.

what happens when your paychecks stop? because everyone has retirement questions. ameriprise created the exclusive confident retirement approach. to get the real answers you need.

start bu starting at $599.99. hurry, ends sunday! know better sleep with sleep number. painting while drinking classes have become hot. but have you constructed a sustainable business model based on a trend. coming up next on "your business." small businesses are revitalizing the economy, and american express open is here to help. that's why we are proud to present "your business" on msnbc.