'Friday Night Lights' Creator Peter Berg Will Write and Direct a Pilot For NBC Spy Drama 'M.I.C.E.': 'I can’t think of a better time for television'

Since "Friday Night Lights" came to an end last year, Peter Berg has served as an executive producer on the (since cancelled) remake of the British series "Prime Suspect" (the pilot of which he directed) and HBO's boxing reality show "On Freddie Roach," neither of which got the attention generated by his acclaimed drama about a Texas small town. But there's always the next project, and Deadline's reporting that the "Battleship" director is headed back to NBC (the home of both "Friday Night Lights" and "Prime Suspect") to write and direct a pilot for a new spy drama entitled "M.I.C.E."

Short for Money, Ideology, Coercion and Ego, "M.I.C.E." is based on the Israeli series "The Gordin Cell," about a patriotic Israeli Air Force officer whose parents emigrated from the USSR in 1990 and were, unbeknownst to him, Russian spies. When their old handler turns up and tries to recruit him, the protagonist is forced to choose between his country and his family. 

Berg will executive produce the series alongside Sarah Aubrey.  The pair noted they were inspired by the success and quality of "Homeland," another Israeli adaptation.

While Berg is currently prepping SEAL action drama "Lone Survivor" for the big screen with Mark Wahlberg and "FNL" alum Taylor Kitsch set to star, he told Deadline about his enthusiasm for TV: "I can’t think of a better time for television with shows like 'Homeland,' 'Game Of Thrones' and 'Breaking Bad' where we see more and more of the unique point of view of television as well as depth and richness of characters we don’t see in film."