ikko Zond (Merriman) is about to get thrown out of yet another boarding school. The very intelligent, cocky teenager has spent a good chunk of his life in one boarding school or another since his archaeologist mother vanished before his eyes when he was 10. His father, Solomon (Carter), tries to change the dean's mind, but Nikko has pulled one stunt too many.
Solomon, who Nikko believes is an archaeologist in his own right, has spent little time with his son since his wife disappeared. The two barely know what to say to each other, and Solomon is furious that Nikko won't listen to him.
However, no sooner do the two take off from the boarding school than they discover they are being pursued by several cars. Nikko doesn't understand, especially when the back window of the car is shot out. Surprisingly, Solomon coolly makes a phone call to someone named Maggie (Cynthia Martells), and she
talks him through a series of maneuvers with the car to get rid of their pursuers. To Nikko's amazement, it works. Suddenly, he realizes his father isn't quite who he thought he was.
He soon discovers that his father is really the head of the Veritas Foundation, an organization that seeks to uncover the truth behind the mysteries of an ancient civilization that they believe may rewrite history as we know it. However, before he can confront his father about any of these newfound discoveries, Nikko finds himself on a plane to France with his father and the Veritas team. They are after an ancient container they believe might hold the key to everything.
Solomon also finds himself in store for a few surprises, as his exceptionally bright son helps the team discover the location of the container. Still, that doesn't stop Nikko from dragging his new beautiful tutor out on the town and getting himself in trouble. When Nikko spots the bad guy who shot out the window of his dad's car, he finds himself drawn into his dad's dangerous, mysterious world. Despite his better judgment, Solomon realizes he has to let Nikko into his world or he might lose him forever.
Indiana Jones and son dig deep
Veritas: The Quest takes a few pages out of the Indiana Jones book of archaeology. Pressing the right place on an ancient wall opens up a secret room, all secret rooms are booby-trapped, and all booby traps will eventually be set off, destroying any and all artifacts and creating lots of danger for the good guys. However, there's a new page or two this entertaining new series has to offer, largely in regard to the appealing actors and the concept that history isn't what we think it is.
The pilot sets the stage for a romp with all the fun Indiana Jones trappings, while allowing for the emotional baggage of a father and son who barely know each other. Both characters are believable, even if the situations are too fantastic. While the idea of a highly developed ancient culture that utilized advanced mathematical codes and laser beams lying beneath our present civilization is pretty cool, it's just too far-fetched to believe that no one would have stumbled across any of these "special" archaeological sites before Solomon and his team.
Still, Veritas: The Quest isn't about realism. It's about suspending belief and enjoying the ride. The series should have no problem developing a compelling mythology while still keeping the episodes contained based on the format up to this point.
Ryan Merriman and Alex Carter lead the cast hitting the right notes as Nikko and his father, Solomon. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Arnold Vosloo as Vincent. Vosloo, who starred as The Mummy so convincingly, plays against type as the wise, mysterious security expert.
Veritas: The Quest should appeal to both older children and adults, especially considering that the teenage Nikko character is the star of the show. However, it's not a kids' show, and children should watch with an adult. In the pilot, a sympathetic character gets killed off-screen, and there's plenty of action to keep the show moving along. Still, adults should enjoy the series, especially if the producers work at making sure the undercurrents of the mythology make sense.
