Amy Poehler is returning to live-action television in a leading role for the first time since Parks and Recreation ended more than a decade ago, and she is doing it alongside one of the people who helped create Leslie Knope.
Peacock has released the first images from Dig, a new archaeology comedy starring Poehler and Hugh Laurie. The 10-episode first season will premiere November 23, with every episode available that day.
The project reunites Poehler with Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur. The pair created Dig together and co-wrote the pilot, while Poehler also stars as Elise, the lead archaeologist at the center of the story.
Based on Kate Myers’ 2023 novel Excavations, the series follows a group working at an archaeological site in Greece whose discovery pulls them into a much larger international conspiracy.
Poehler Is Reuniting With Parks and Recreation Co-Creator Michael Schur
Poehler and Schur’s creative partnership goes back to Parks and Recreation, which ran for seven seasons from 2009 to 2015. Schur co-created the NBC comedy with Greg Daniels, while Poehler starred as relentlessly enthusiastic Pawnee public servant Leslie Knope. She received six Emmy nominations for her performance.
More than a decade after the series ended, Poehler and Schur created Dig together and co-wrote its pilot. Entertainment Weekly reported that Schur and writer-producer J.J. Philbin will serve as co-showrunners. Poehler is also an executive producer through her Paper Kite Productions.
Dig Sends Amy Poehler and Hugh Laurie to an Archaeological Site in Greece
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Peacock’s newly released first look shows Poehler alongside House star Hugh Laurie, who co-headlines the series. Poehler plays Elise, the lead archaeologist, while Laurie plays Neville, a British professor who genuinely loves archaeology and considers himself an inspiring mentor to the people working alongside him.
Geraldine Viswanathan plays Dylan, who returns to the Greek excavation after five years away to settle unfinished business. Antonia Thomas plays Clare, the preservationist overseeing the site’s lab and museum, while Fina Strazza plays Patty, Neville’s undergraduate assistant who finds herself far outside her comfort zone on her first trip outside the United States.
The series begins with four women at different points in their lives converging at the excavation. Their work takes a dramatic turn when they uncover a secret with potentially historic consequences and become caught up in an international conspiracy. Kayvan Novak, Jon Pointing and Bonita Friedericy are among the announced guest stars.
The Series Is Based on Kate Myers’ Excavations
Dig adapts Kate Myers’ 2023 novel Excavations, which similarly centers on women working at an archaeological dig in Greece. Peacock gave the project a series order in May 2025, announcing at the time that Poehler and Schur would create the adaptation together.
Myers is also an executive producer on the television series. Poehler had publicly praised the book before the adaptation was announced. During a 2024 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, she named it among her favorite recent reads and discussed her fascination with stories about archaeological discoveries and things being uncovered.
Production subsequently expanded with Laurie, Viswanathan, Strazza and Thomas joining Poehler in the main cast. Peacock confirmed that the series filmed in Los Angeles and on location in Greece.
Dig Is Poehler’s First Live-Action TV Lead Since Parks and Recreation
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Poehler has remained heavily involved in television since Leslie Knope left Pawnee, but Dig marks a notable change in front of the camera. Entertainment Weekly identifies the series as her first live-action television leading role since Parks and Recreation ended in 2015.
She did return as Susie for Netflix’s Wet Hot American Summer series and has continued working across television as a producer, host and voice actor. Her post-Parks work has included producing series such as Russian Doll, hosting unscripted projects and launching her Good Hang podcast.
Schur’s television career continued with The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Netflix’s A Man on the Inside. He will now return to Peacock with Poehler when all 10 episodes of Dig premiere on November 23.