User reviews

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.

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!

I must say, the premise is admittedly frustrating: A man in a terrible car crash with his wife and son finds that each time he goes to sleep, he wakes up with a completely different reality. In one, his wife survived the crash, while his son died and in the other, his son survived, but his wife did not. Though neither outcome seems dreamlike. He lives and works in each, accepting both as absolute fact. Add to this already complex premise his duties as police detective having to solve not one, but two crimes per episode and...whew...I'm exhausted. But also, highly entertained and captivated! Jason Issacs, who plays the lead in this dual reality is superb, as always and surrounded by an exceptional supporting cast. I hope NBC renews this show, I have a feeling it will be must see television.

First of all, I'm happy to see Jason Isaacs in this new TV drama. Though I've seen him in many successful movies like The Patriot, Black Hawk Down, Peter Pan, and the Harry Potter series, I didn't know how versatile an actor he is until I saw the pilot episode of Awake. He deserves the role.

For Kyle Killen, I hope he continues to write better material for Awake because it has so much potential. Awake made me feel like I was watching The Twilight Zone and Inception all packed in one story. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.

To all the members of Awake production, thank you and keep it up!

This is my first review, did not consider reviewing any shows since almost everyone disagrees, but let's agree to disagree :)

My eyes were glued to the screen while i was watching the pilot and every single second of it, i did love.

Why? Because it's something new and believe me i have watched too many TV shows to be easily impressed by a new one, since its almost always the same "stuff" BUT..

Awake - did it, it impressed me. I'm highly grateful to those producers that gave this show it's awesomeness...

I see that many people do like this show and rated 10, in my opinion: that's exactly what this show deserves!

So if you are searching for a TV show where there is drama, mysteriousness, crime, awesomeness and at last but not the vary least NEW? This is a show you've got to see, don't take my word for it and see for your self ;)

Best regards Jusup

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.

Finally we get to see the long awaited pilot of Awake. I loved Jason Isaacs in "The State Within" so I was looking forward to this show. As the tortured main character, Detective Michael Britten, Isaacs is up to the task to show the pain and joy that he experience when going between both worlds, one where his wife survived a crash and his son died and the other where the son survived and his wife died. I enjoyed the back and forth between the two therapists in both worlds, each seemingly trying to convince him that their world was the real one, and the way the criminal cases he investigated unfolded. I'm looking very forward to more of this show!

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.

Awake is the story of Michael Britten, a police detective who is in a terrible car crash which has claimed at least one of his family. The premise of the show is that Michael does not know which one, his wife or his son, died in the crash. His mind has split into two realities, one in which his wife survived, and other in which his son did.

The pilot episode was very well made and engrossing. The two realities make for tricky and complicated television viewing: each has different police cases. and different character dynamics for Michael to navigate. There also seem to be links between the two worlds, as if Michael's mind is using one world to solve the problems of the other, but which is real and which the illusion is not known. I really enjoyed the different twists and turns, especially in the psychiatry scenes where Michael discusses his dilemma with two different psychiatrists, each with similar yet opposed theories about each other.

The show has an excellent cast. Jason Isaacs (probably best known to American audiences as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series) is brilliant as the tortured lead. Laura Allen (The 4400) is likewise very sympathetic as his wife. Wilmer Valderrama (That 70s Show) gets a chance to flex his dramatic muscles as Michael's partner in one world, while Steve Harris (The Practice) is a very different partner in the other. Lastly, Cherry Jones and BD Wong both excel as Michael's dueling psychiatrists.

One thing the show needs is an injection of a bit of action, or something to lighten the tragedy a bit. Dealing as it does with loss and grief and fractured psyches, it's a bit heavy, and will need something to keep an audience entertained along with the intrigue. It also has the unfortunate problem of hanging its hat on something extremely unlikely: that a cop who has admitted to no longer having a grip on reality would be allowed to keep doing his job. (This problem, however, hasn't stopped House from having a successful run, so...)

Overall I thought Awake was well-made and well-acted, with a strong story and very interesting twist that made it even more enjoyable. It's a welcome addition to my list of shows to watch. Rating: 3.5/5 Recommendation: Watch it!

First review ever on here because of this show. It was a great show, left viewers on a cliff hanger every episode. i couldn't stop watching it. The only reason I started it was because of the reviews stating it had solid ending even though it was canceled. I am writing for the first time on here to tell you it does not. This show was left for a plot in hopes of being picked up again. The director/writer of the series says they intentionally left it open-ended for the viewers to decide but that is nothing but a ploy for another broadcast agency to pick it up. Those types of finales never work. Look at the Soprano's....everyone knows better after that. The possibility for a great ending was there but it never happened. I've read all of the crazy possible "meanings" of the finale but I do not buy it. Awesome TV show but due to the ending I have to tell potential viewers don't waste your time. The finale will make you think about what you could of done with your time while watching it.

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!

I always enjoy a good mind-screw, so I absolutely loved the premise of Awake. Michael, a police detective, wakes up after a car crash to find that his wife, Hannah, perished in the wreck. The next time he wakes up, it is his son, Rex, who died. And so his realities alternate, and he is unable (or perhaps unwilling) to determine which life is real.

The premise seems full of potential, but it was also full of pitfalls. The dual realities had different characters, but there were also the same characters in different roles. For example, he was seeing a psychologist in each reality, but they were two different characters. His partner in one reality was merely an officer in another. The criminal in one reality may be an informant in another. That's all well an good -- if we saw these characters together or they talked about which reality they were in. But as the episodes went on, it could get very confusing. Which partner goes with which shrink goes with which survivor goes with which crime? Which reality are we in now? Some might say that we're supposed to feel confused because Michael is confused. But after the first couple of trips through the Twilight Zone, he seems to know what's going on pretty well. And regardless, I don't want to have to keep notes when watching a show.

Another problem lies with the concept of empathy. For example, Hannah is understandably distraught over the loss of her son in that reality. But to us the son isn't dead, so she comes across as more annoying than anything else. Some viewers may disagree with that, but here's the thing: Michael feels the same way. He has a very difficult time relating to his wife because to him Rex isn't dead. So he comes across as cold and callous. Maybe his reaction is understandable, but are we really expected to empathize with him in such an outrageous predicament?

And then there was the conspiracy theory in the show, which seemed more tacked on than essential. It smacked of the post-LOST era, whereas fifteen years ago the producers of such a show would have been happy to save such a thing for the final episode.

Awake had tremendous production values, solid writing and great acting. In fact, in almost every way it was one of the best new shows of 2012. But it was overburdened by the weight of its premise. It was a conceit that could possibly work as a novel, where the omniscient narrator could soften actions by showing the thoughts behind them, and could constantly but subtly remind readers of which reality they were witnessing at the moment. On television, that's much more difficult to do. Even the attempt at color-coding each reality wasn't enough.

So Awake is gone, disappointingly but unsurprisingly. But it's always refreshing to see an ambitious and daringly different new show, so I'm glad they made the attempt.

Well there goes another great, interesting, watchable, well acted, well written, thought provoking show.

That was one of my weekly highlights on TV and now it has gone after only one season.

I really can't understand what the bean counters are thinking when they pull every good piece of TV in favor of so much rubbish.

Please all you brainless vampire loving kids, reality TV addicted house wives and sports addicted red necks please let Darwin prevail and remove yourselves from the gene pool.

I never thought the film Idiocracy would end up turning into a documentary in my lifetime.

The only thing now even slightly taxing my brain cells now is Touch but I'm expecting that to be canceled any time.

The series is a regular cop procedural with the twist. After a brutal car accident Micheal Britten's world is split in two with every day being spent with a different loved one being either his son or his wife. This sense of duality also extends to his police partner and his psychiatrist who are different is both realities.

While the mystery itself is great the structure of most episodes is where this show suffers. Since this is still a procedural most episodes go like this: Two police cases get opened and solved, Sub-plot with either or both his son and wife, Regular visits to either or both his psychiatrist to determine mental state with case and overall mystery of the show.

That is a lot to cover in 40 minutes. So the whodunnit of the cases is either easy or simply unimportant while the overall mystery is a constant but never the focus until later in the season.

It's a good thing the writing and acting is always on point. Everybody brings it even down to the guest actors every week for the cases. It also looks great with L.A looking good and a nice choice of color palettes with both realities having a distinct color (yellow and blue) making it easy to discern which is which.

The episodes that stray away from it's usual structure are the strongest while also showing how well they managed to balance their multiple realities, characters and plot progression in those regular episodes. I will not go into the ending as i feel this show is worth watching. I will say that it is open-ended but satisfying at the same time.

So if you like procedurals like CSI and law & order or mystery shows like Lost know that this is a marriage between the two. Which also means you're only gonna get half of both genres in most episodes.

This has been a green review

Honestly----do the TV execs even watch the shows they renew or cancel? Here is a show which had it all---suspense, a Stephen King quality story line, (and for those who don't know----that's good), great acting, excellent casting, engaging plot----you name it----it was ALL great.

So----of course it got canceled. Not enough 12 year-olds----or people with IQ's less than 40 were watching apparently.

We need to face it----the people in charge of the network decisions just aren't too bright----and that may be giving them WAY, WAY, WAY too much credit.

So again----did they even WATCH an episode? My guess is NO.

I would say the regular season is an 8 or 9. But the last 2-3 episodes were just expertly done, had the finish and acting and twists more like a top notch movie than a TV series. The only thing that's awful about this show is that it only lasted a season. I get SO tired of the formulaic tripe on TV and film. Unfortunately I'm left to lament the lack of imagination from most TV viewers, which is the only explanation I can think of for this show being canceled. Such an incredible waste.

This is one show with great acting in multiple roles, not just the lead. The two psychiatrists in particular are excellent. I imagine some people thought the lead actor was a little to stolid but I think it was acted perfectly. He really became the character. Plus given the nature of his "issue" that really was the most fitting way to approach the problem.

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.

Great psychological thriller. Excellent show that makes you think.