Veritas: The Quest
After being kicked out of an expensive private school, Nikko Zond discovers that his estranged father, Solomon, is not just an archaeology professor, but is secretly leading an international search for the truth about a civilization that vanished long before known history began.
Character biographies
Dr. Solomon Zond (played by Alex Carter)
A brilliant archaeologist and the leader of the secretive Veritas Foundation. Solomon dedicates his life to uncovering the truth behind ancient mysteries, partly driven by the disappearance of his wife during an expedition. He is intelligent, determined, and often emotionally guarded, especially with his son.
Nikko Zond (played by Ryan Merriman)
A rebellious but highly intelligent teenager who discovers his father’s true work. Initially curious, Nikko becomes an essential member of the team and shows signs of a deeper connection to the mysteries they investigate. His journey is both an adventure and a search for answers about his missing mother.
Juliet Droil (played by Cobie Smulders)
A skilled and resourceful member of Veritas. Juliet often handles logistics and field operations, combining intelligence with practicality. She acts as a stabilizing presence on missions and supports both Solomon and Nikko.
Calvin Banks (played by Eric Balfour)
The team’s tech expert and hacker. Calvin provides technological support, surveillance, and problem-solving skills during expeditions. He brings a more laid-back and witty personality to the group, balancing the serious tone of their missions.
Vincent Siminou (played by Arnold Vosloo)
A mysterious and morally ambiguous figure connected to Solomon’s past. Vincent operates with his own agenda and sometimes acts as a rival in the search for powerful artifacts. His motives are complex, making him more than a straightforward ally.
Maggie Hayes (played by Cynthia Martells)
An experienced academic and researcher within Veritas. Maggie provides historical and linguistic expertise, helping decode clues and artifacts. She often serves as the intellectual backbone of the team’s investigations.
Episode guide
Season 1 – Episode 1 | Reunion (27 Jan. 2003)
Nikko is astonished to learn his archaeologist father has a number of enemies who are willing to commit murder. All Nikko has to do is persuade his dad he’s not a screw up, stop trying to flirt with his tutor, and try to stay alive.
Season 1 – Episode 2 | Antarctica (3 Feb. 2003)
The team go to Antarctica in search of an ancient power source. But, when their plane crashes, that power source might be the only way to stay alive.
Season 1 – Episode 3 | Skulls (10 Feb. 2003)
A group of Neo-Nazis are willing to go to any lengths to find the a crystal skull, the last one of a set of four. Fortunately, a strange homeless man is determined to help Nikko get to it first.
Season 1 – Episode 4 | Heist (10 Mar. 2003)
Juliet goes undercover as a reporter but Calvin’s jealousy might be a problem. Nikko catches Vincent in talks with Dorna operatives.
Season 1 – Episode 5 | Wheel of Dharma (2003)
The team searches for a Buddhist relic in Tibet.
Season 1 – Episode 6 | Sangraal (2003)
The team searches for the Holy Grail in Nova Scotia.
Season 1 – Episode 7 | Mummy Virus (2003)
The discovery of a pre-Incan mummy leads to the release of an ancient virus which a pharmaceutical company tries to use for their own nefarious purposes.
Season 1 – Episode 8 | The Name of God (2003)
The team searches for a rabbi who can translate the ancient inscriptions from the time of Abraham discovered in Nova Scotia.
Season 1 – Episode 9 | Devil Child (2003)
The team searches for a Ukraine boy who can translate any language in the world to help them with the inscriptions found in a pyramid and to help Dr. Zond with translating his late wife’s diary.
Season 1 – Episode 10 | Avalon (2003)
The team investigates the discovery of an ancient Celtic sarcophagus in America and a sinister druid cult tied to it.
Season 1 – Episode 11 | The Lost Codex (2003)
The team is in Italy to find Leonardo Da Vinci’s lost diary which may hold information that could revolutionize technology.
Season 1 – Episode 12 | Eternal (12 Apr. 2004)
The Team is in Siberia searching for Dr. Zonds’ late wife’s diary which supposedly contains the information about the location of the fountain of youth.
Season 1 – Episode 13 | Helmholtz Resonance (2003)
The team locates a 12th century castle which supposedly holds the so-called Ring of Truth.
ABC’s synopsis:
What if you watched your mother mysteriously vanish in an ancient tomb? What if you discovered that your father was not who he seemed to be? What if the worst day of your life began your life’s greatest adventure?
Meet Nikko Zond, a hyper-intelligent but rebellious teenager still mourning the death of his renowned archeologist mother and a virtual stranger to his workaholic father, Solomon. On the day Nikko gets kicked out of the latest in a long line of boarding schools, he discovers his father’s career as a university professor is just a cover. Solomon is really head of the Veritas Foundation, whose agenda is to seek the truth behind the mysteries of history and civilization.
Teaming up for the first time with his father, Nikko finds his parents’ spirit of adventure clearly runs in his blood, as he inadvertently gets entangled in his dad’s dangerous adventures. Soon, and against his father’s better judgment, Nikko enters the high tech, classified world of Veritas and begins the adventure of his lifetime – a journey that will lead to the unlocking of universal mysteries and, hopefully, will bring him and his emotionally estranged father back together.
The Veritas team includes: The highly intelligent and mysterious Vincent Siminou, Solomon’s closest confidant and protector; Calvin Banks, a high strung but brilliant by-the-books archaeologist; and Maggie, a cool and sophisticated computer scientist. And charged with the difficult task of trying to keep Nikko out of trouble is Juliet Droil, a beautiful and brilliant former student of his father’s who will be Nikko’s tutor and friend.
From an excavation site of the pre-Roman civilization of Ancient Gaul to the North Pole, there is no place to which the Veritas Foundation will not venture in their mission for the truth. But a secret nefarious organization, seeking to destroy the Foundation’s research, will never be far behind.
The series stars Ryan Merriman as Nikko Zond, Alex Carter as Solomon Zond, Eric Balfour as Calvin Banks, Cynthia Martells as Maggie, Cobie Smulders as Juliet Droil with Arnold Vosloo as Vincent Siminou.
“Veritas: The Quest” was created by Patrick Massett and John Zinman (“Tomb Raider”) who will serve as writers and executive producers. It also marks the first television series executive-produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (TV’s critically-acclaimed “Annie” and “Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows”). The series is produced by Touchstone Television in association with Storyline Entertainment and Massett/Zinman Productions, and is shot in Montreal and Toronto, Canada.