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[Snell]

<a href="http://www.hulu.com/embed/oq6kyhIEyM-KdkyoahUMBw" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.hulu.com/embed/oq6kyhIEyM-KdkyoahUMBw</a>

Here is a special full episode preview of Awake, an upcoming drama that will air on NBC, starring Jason Isaacs. The series is scheduled to premiere on March 1, 2012, and will air on Thursday nights at 10/9 Central.

Here's a description, but I caution you: if you learn more about the show beyond this, you'll likely lose some of the impact of the pilot. I went in knowing only this short description, and I'm glad:

In the aftermath of a fatal car accident, Detective Michael Britten struggles with dueling realities in parallel worlds.

Jason Isaacs did an excellent job portraying Draco Malfoy's father in the Potter films, and I think his performance in this new show is subtle and strong.

Critical reception

In June 2011, Awake was one of eight honorees in the "Most Exciting New Series" category at the Critics' Choice Television Awards, voted by journalists who had seen the pilots. Movie and TV review website The Filtered Lens raved that the pilot was gripping and thought provoking while also praising Jason Isaacs in the lead role.

[Lord Anubis]

I know a little more about it, and I think the idea is fantastic.  But it does strike as more of a finite story than an "ongoing series" story.  I'm just not sure how long the premise can carry it before tt starts to wear thin.

 

[Snell]

That's very true. Which can be okay, as long as the story goes out on its own terms.

On May 16, 2011, NBC announced that the show would serve as a midseason replacement during the 2011–12 television season.

What does that mean, exactly?

[Lord Anubis]

It basically means they've been keeping it in their pocket as a back-up show.  If something doesn't do as well as they'd hoped or just fails completely, they can yank it and put this in its place in the schedule.  Which apparently happened...

It's pretty common, especially since a lot of shows only get a trial thirteen episodes (at most) anyway.  If one of my "smash" fall shows doesn't work, I can quietly brush it under the rug and fill out the second half of the season with thirteen episodes of something else.

[Lane Adamson]

It basically means they've been keeping it in their pocket as a back-up show.  If something doesn't do as well as they'd hoped or just fails completely, they can yank it and put this in its place in the schedule.  Which apparently happened...

Sadly, to all intents and purposes, the show being replaced is the outstanding Prime Suspect, which I don't think ever really got a fair shake.  They moved it around, pre-empted it for one thing and another, then burned off the unused episodes on weekend nights.

Wish BBC America would pipe in the original.

[Wardog]

I watched this last night as I ate me dinner, if it wasn't for this thread I would have had no idea what was going on. Because I had a clue, I liked it - a lot.

[Lane Adamson]

Watched the pilot tonight, it was brilliant.  Writing and acting both top-shelf.  Don't see any reason why this shouldn't continue a good while, either; the premise isn't a one-trick pony like some others of recent memory, and there's lots of room for parallel development.  That tennis instructor is already making eyes at Jason Isaacs.

I noted he's (Isaacs) listed as producer, rather than executive producer as is often the case with star-driven shows.  That bodes well for the quality level, I think.  Producers are more hands-on.  Executive producer is a title generally reserved for those who gin up the cash to support a show.

[Snell]

Lane, glad you and Wardog enjoyed it! The concept is superb, and the way they unrolled it in the pilot is, I agree, top shelf. The opening is especially brilliant--an instant hook.

I haven't really formed a theory beyond what's been presented. What are your thoughts? Both real? That's my inclination. Honestly, I think that's more powerful because giving up a dream would be a lot easier than giving up an entire reality.

I'm looking forward to the second episode on Hulu.

I'm also ecstatic that MAD MEN returns this month, hopefully on iTunes or Amazon onDemand.

[Lane Adamson]

One thing the show sort of danced around in the pilot (it was mentioned in passing, but not really addressed) is that if Britten (Isaacs) isn't sleeping, pretty soon he's going to be a total basket case both physically and mentally.

[Snell]

That's a conundrum right there. If he only has the one body, and he really is dreaming, the above makes sense (which is why the shrink mentions it). But it seems like he has two separate bodies sharing a consciousness. So when one body goes to sleep at night, is its mind actively involved in the other world, or does it shut down like normal and just merge consciousnesses in the morning?

 

[Lane Adamson]

The review in my local paper (Dallas Morning News) said they previewed 4 episodes and the reality-swapping gets more involved--richer--but even better, storywise, than in the pilot.  Not any clearer what is or isn't real, mind you.  The critic pondered if the entire Britten family might be in some Lost-like purgatory.

[Snell]

I hope it's not some purgatory; that always seems like a cop-out. Otherwise, the next part of the season sounds promising!

[Wardog]

I just watched it again on HULU to see the stuff I might of missed - didn't miss much.

I don't think these are dreams so much as this guy is swapping back and forth between realities. When he's sleeping in one, he's living the other - and the awareness is shared between the two realities. If he wasn't actually getting any sleep he would be showing those symptoms quite quickly and psychotically. He wouldn't be functional at all.

I noticed two interesting things - one: Rex looks like Carl from "The Walking Dead" only bigger and older, two: during the promo for next weeks episode the captain is talking to a dude about the team that used "the night of the accident" which opens the door to some tin-foil hat stuff.

I really like this show.


ETA:

Wilmer Valderama is his partner in the "red" reality (his wife one) and a patrol cop in the "green" one (with his son), while Steve Harris is still his partner in the "Green" one and been moved away from him in the "red" one.

[Snell]

I just watched the second episode, "The Little Guy."

!!!SPOILERS!!!






The theme in this one might have been a little heavy-handed at times; the symmetry between universes is running the risk of becoming too convenient (if, indeed, both realities are real); and the wife's performance isn't great compared to Jason Isaacs--BUT...

The motorcycle arc was moving, and the ending has introduced a deeper conspiracy that could prove very interesting. Now I'm wondering whether the crazy homeless guy is really crazy at all.

[Lord Anubis]

Yeah, my lovely lady and I are really getting into this.

I think one of the reasons it works is that the dual-worlds thing isn't the main thrust of the show.  It's influencing Brittan's life, absolutely, but it's much more about his relationships and his police work.