Awake

Ahhhhh...I finally found an oasis in the middle of mediocre television! The premise behind this series is novel and provocative. After surviving a tragic car accident involving both his wife and his son, a detective finds himself living in alternating, parallel existences with two distinct (and contradictory) realities. I had to resist the temptation to think up different ways he could "validate" one reality versus the other...but then realized that you could distort either or both enough to make the storyline plausible. Using two different psychiatrists in the framework that debate the existence of the other is brilliant. The intersection of these two realities (where it appears the events in one reality are "co-incidentally" related to the events in another, in some enigmatic way, adds to the mystery. This show is an intriguing mind-bender that I suspect will become quite addictive!

This was one of the quickest and most engrossing hours of TV I have viewed in awhile. Jason Isaacs, B.D. Wong, and Cherry Jones are amazing in this series. It is just a tad strange not to hear Mr. Isaac's natural English accent, but I can adjust as I did for Hugh Laurie as House. I am worried that this show might not find an audience and it will end up with the same fate as many other brilliant, intelligent series - canceled with hardly a chance. The juxtaposition between the two worlds in which the character finds himself is clearly written and intriguing. Which reality is the correct one for Britten? It is hard to decide but makes for good storytelling.

Detective Michael Britten(Jason Issacs) while out with his wife and son, is involved in a car accident. But then things take a turn for the confusing, because he starts enduing two parallel worlds, one where is wife(Laura Allen) lived and there coping with the loss of there son. And the other is his son(Dylan Minnette) lived, and is a widower, trying to be a good father. Britten tries to keep his sanity in both worlds, And his Therapists from both worlds (Cherry Jones and BD Wong) try to convince him that both worlds are a dream, but the question IS IT?

A well made series, it is very clever in it's writing. I hope the writing will keep more interesting, and not give anything too quickly. Jason Issacs is really good here, has a struggling man trying to keep himself sane, you really get drawn in with his character. And everybody else in supporting roles is good too. I hope this show will go on for a while.

Only wakefulness and sleep. No dream. Or perhaps no reality? And who decides what is reality? An exciting new TV series, which began with an outstanding pilot. Crime, drama, mystery... wisely mixed ingredients that promise a splendid series. It will be hard to wait each week to see the sequel. And even more until mid-March, now. Unfortunately, as with many TV series with complicated plots, there is the risk of a sudden interruption. Let's hope not because it seems very promising. Amusing character played by B. D. Wong, as the counterpart played by Cherry Jones. Probably, "marble face" of Steve Harris fits for this part, or at least it seems appropriate to me. So far, however, only a good introduction: let's hope for a worthy continuation!

This review is written after episode 6.

Awake captured my interest with a highly promising premise. Detective Michael Britten experiences two realities after a car crash, one in which his wife died in the accident and one in which his son died. Every time he goes to sleep in one reality he wakes up in the other. Queue crime mysteries, excellent dialogue in Britten's therapy sessions and endless pondering about what is real and what isn't.

From episode to episode the writers find new ways of teasing the viewers, reminding us that we are as clueless as Britten about which world is real. With every crime Britten solves, we are given new insight into the exact nature of - and relation between - his realities. I will not spoil anything here, just say that I have been grinning at the screen at the end of many an episode, applauding the show for upping the stakes. However, although the viewer is left asking some major questions, the show is not confusing. The realities are color-coded - one in orange hues and another in blue - and not at a single time was I too confused, which is impressive given the premise.

Jason Isaacs (Britten) carries the show with an impeccable performance; without it the show would have failed. Laura Allen and Dylan Minnette are convincing as the wife and son; Steve Harris and Wilmer Valderrama play Britten's partners in the different realities. The really enjoyable performances are delivered by BD Wong and Cherry Jones as Britten's therapists. It is in these scenes the show shines. The dialogue is excellent and serves as a counterweight to the (only somewhat) more traditional crime and family story lines.

The show is refreshing in its originality, the story lines and most of the dialogue is, as far as I can tell, excellent craftsmanship, and great acting brings every episode home. In fact, the show has thus far shone brighter with every episode. I have long awaited a show like this, and it is by far the most interesting _new_ TV-series this year.