Following the Harvard symbologist as he treks across the global solving crimes with his cognition of art history, the bestselling series consists of pulpy action-adventure crime thrillers that sprinkle in more science and history than their usual music genre counterparts ( though those facts probably skew more arresting History Channel special than art history honors seminar ). And it worked : Brown nailed the page-turning appeal of good guys facing off against formidable villains with grandiose schemes, saving the day with their specific academician skill sets ( with the total serotonin hit of getting the answers correct in trivium ) .
Peacock ’ s new series, The Lost Symbol, based on the third base book in the franchise, delivers on that same thrill in its first episode, which airs on Sept. 16. With its extraordinary puzzles and nefarious diagram, this episodic aim on the material promises the lapp energy as the books — but with a slightly different take on lead fictional character .
The Lost Symbol is the lone book in Brown ’ south series to take place primarily in the United States. Unlike some of the other Langdon novels, which much interrogate the Catholic Church, this one investigates the Freemasons and the establish of America — with a bunch of freaky mind skill thrown in, because why not ? It ’ mho familiar district, and while this gamble comes after the events of Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, the series turns it into more of an origin report for the symbologist.
Reading: Peacock’s The Lost Symbol revives Robert Langdon in all his Da Vinci Code page-turning glory
The first gear sequence kicks off when a pre-dangerous-romps-across-Europe Langdon ( Succession ’ s Ashley Zukerman ) receives a call from his old mentor, Professor Solomon, and a valet claiming to be Solomon ’ s secretary invites Langdon to come to Washington for a league. Turns out, the man has actually kidnapped Solomon and left his discerp hand pointing toward the ceiling in the Smithsonian. From there, it ’ second puzzles and clues and cryptic call calls — sweeping Langdon off on a high-stakes deputation.
Zukerman imbues Langdon with more dorkiness than the fictional character ’ south frequently excessively suave literary counterpart. This man is an art history professor, after all ! In the books, Brown goes out of his way to remind readers constantly that not only is Langdon a scholar, but besides a tall, athletic water system polo musician and a aphrodisiac heartthrob with “ bedroom eyes ” who can ’ t stop women from hitting on him constantly. The television version of Langdon is more like an enthusiastic puppy, just starting out on his adventures. It ’ mho endear, and turns the character from a male world power fantasy — the James Bond of the art history earth — into person more relatable ( and decidedly more likable than his ledger counterpart ). This adaptation of Langdon doesn ’ triiodothyronine wholly deviate from the novels, but by positioning itself as a prequel, The Lost Symbol promises an actual arc for the Langdon character alternatively of merely dragging him along for a wild plot.
And could any of the plat practicably or logically happen ? No, not at all — as is the spell of Robert Langdon ’ second adventures .
Watching Langdon and a CIA policeman discover a shroud treasure trove by using their cognition of Latin, and throwing body of water onto a stone wall to disintegrate written letters to reveal a manage — all while the walls of a creepy metro chamber full of human bones lento near in — feels like something out of an edutainment video game. Mysteries invite viewers to follow along with the supporter ; in the font of Langdon ’ randomness adventures, where so many of the clues come out of textbooks, it adds an excess layer of intrigue. Of run it ’ randomness cockamamie and wholly unrealistic, but considering it ’ s basically an pornographic Carmen SanDiego CD-ROM game, that is precisely the appeal .
New episodes of The Lost Symbol premier Thursdays on Peacock .