USA orders action drama from Tim Kring, Gideon Raff

USA Network has commissioned a six-episode run of DIG, an action adventure event series from Heroes creator Tim Kring and Homeland’s Gideon Raff.

The series has been in development at Keshet Media Group and US producer BermanBraun and will now go into production via that pair and Covert Affairs producer Universal Cable Productions and with the cooperation of city of Jerusalem, where it will be shot.

DIG tells the story of an FBI agent based in Israel, who while investigating the murder of a female archaeologist, uncovers a 2,000-year-old conspiracy that threatens to change the course of history.

The series, which launches on US cable channel USA late in 2014 as one of its first forays into event drama, marks the first NBCUniversal project Jeff Wachtel has committed to since taking up his role of president and chief content officer, NBCU Cable Entertainment, earlier this autumn.

It also confirms Kring’s first project with international partners, a move that comes after the Heroes scribe told TBI he was looking at scripted projects from the global market.

“I’ve since been thinking there might be formats that could be interesting to bring to the US and add an American take to,” he said exclusively at MIPTV in April.

Kring executive produces DIG alongside Keshet Media CEO Avi Nir and Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein from BermanBraun.

Nir called DIG “a very special kind of Keshet project” and added: “We cannot think of a more outstanding group of partners with whom to collaborate on such a captivating and original project. With the talented Gideon and a showrunner as prolific and prominent as Tim at the helm, the show is in the hands of those who are able to capture human nature and drama at its rawest moments.”

NBCU Cable Entertainment’s Wachtel said: “As we enter this new chapter for our studio and our portfolio, we’ve been looking for a project that makes a statement. This team of storytellers has put together a smart, sophisticated and compelling show that will hit the market with a big bang and a lasting impression.”

WME brokered the deal.