Jeff Wilbusch steps into the shoes of hopeful NYPD detective Avraham Avraham in the trailer for Peacock's new crime drama The Calling. Formerly known as The Missing, the series adapts Dror Mishani's story of an investigator whose belief in mankind is his superpower with regard to uncovering the truth. When a case gets flipped on its head, Avi's faith and religious principles are shaken as he begins questioning his own humanity. The trailer shows the detective nearing his breaking point as he searches for a woman's missing son.
Immediately, Avraham reaffirms his faith in humanity as he steps in to the missing persons case, only he'll have a partner. Janine Harris (Juliana Canfield) volunteers to join Avi on his search, though she's in for a wild ride as she tries to figure him out. Avi seems to have a preternatural ability to find leads with little to no information at his disposal. This case goes far beyond a simple kidnapping though, as the detectives are placed on a bomb scare that Avi is certain is connected in some way. He's so convinced he's close to cracking the case wide open, and yet he's haunted every night by dreams of the son. As everything gets more convoluted, Avi is pushed to the brink in his desperation to put an end to the madness.
Mishani's Detective Avraham series spans across three books following separate cases the detective navigates largely through his faith. Originally released in Hebrew, the crime novels became an international hit, eventually being translated to 15 different languages. This won't be the first time one of Mishani's books has been adapted as the series was also adapted into an Israeli television show in 2019.
The Calling brings together a superstar creative team led by Emmy-winning television giant David E. Kelley, the man behind Ally McBeal, The Practice, Doogie Howser M.D., and, more recently, The Lincoln Lawyer among others. He writes and serves as showrunner while Oscar-winning Rain Man director Barry Levinson helms the series. Rounding out the trifecta is legendary composer Hans Zimmer, who serves as co-composer alongside frequent collaborator Steve Mazzaro. In terms of cast, Wilbusch is joined by Canfield, Karen Robinson, and Michael Mosley.
With the trailer dropping, Kelley issued an official statement complimenting Mishani's work and reveling in the creative team, saying:
Dror Mishani wrote a riveting and emotionally complicated series of books, the center of which is Avraham. Avi is a deeply mysterious, spiritual and compelling detective unlike any protagonist I’ve encountered before. Jeff Wilbusch brings him to rich and hypnotic life in front of the camera, and behind the camera Barry Levinson is... Barry Levinson. What a privilege to have him at the helm. Add Hans Zimmer to the mix, and the final product is something we hope thrills, moves, and instills a bit of hope in the audience.
The Calling premieres all eight episodes on Peacock on November 10. Check out the trailer below.