Genre: Fantasy | Procedural | Drama

Air Date/Time: March 1 at 10/9c

Network: NBC

Created by: Kyle Killen

Director: David Slade

Writer: Kyle Killen

Summary:

When Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs, Brotherhood and Harry Potter) regains consciousness following his family’s car accident, he is told that his wife Hannah (Laura Allen, Terriers) perished, but that his teen son, Rex (Dylan Minnette, Lost), has survived. As he tries to put the pieces of his life back together he awakens again in a world in which his wife is very much alive, but his son Rex died in the accident. In order to keep both of his loved ones alive he begins living two dueling realities. Trying to regain some normalcy Michael turns to his work solving crimes in both worlds with the help of two different partners, Detective Isaiah “Bird” Freeman (Steve Harris, The Practice) and Detective Efrem Vega (Wilmer Valderrama, That 70’s Show). He begins to solve impossible cases by using his dueling realities to gain unique perspectives and link clues that cross over from world to world. Helping Michael to navigate his new existence are his bureau assigned therapists Dr. Evans (Emmy Award winner Cherry Jones, 24) and Dr. Lee (BD Wong, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).

This is a great show. It could even end up on my A list. It’s smart, there are mysteries on three levels, it requires that you pay attention, and it’s a fresh idea. Oh sure, the two-worlds thing has been done a bazillion times. But this… is brilliant. The premise includes a procedural aspect that keeps things moving and adds an extra freakiness issue. The writing is tight, you can’t really half-watch this and enjoy it, but it isn’t as taxing as, say, Fringe.

It reminds me just a bit of the sadly-single-season Journeyman: A man caught in an untenable (and happily for us, weird/impossible) situation not of his own making or choosing, doing his best to cope. In Awake, however, the main character doesn’t want things to change, even though there may be dire consequences if they don’t.

Puzzle hounds will have fun with the pilot, noting which element goes with which reality (hint – watch the color washes), but it’s not necessary. My first watch was my favorite kind, just taking it in and not taking any notes, and I was able to follow it along, though I might not have always known which reality I was watching. I don’t know if the challenge will continue or if we’ll learn, but it’s fun for now.

I have always loved Jason Isaacs, I’ve been watching his work for years, and I’m thrilled that he’s in a series here in the U.S., especially one of this caliber. He does particularly well in the pilot as the barely-holding-it-together yet still strong lead character. The psychologists are fabulous. Steve Harris, wonderful. Wilmer Valderrama, happily nothing like the few bits of That 70’s Show that I’ve seen. Laura Allen is as terrific and vulnerable as she was in Terriers. Dylan Minnette is believable as the raw hurt adolescent coping with the devastating loss of his mother and the newly-required dependence upon his often-gone-to-work father.

The directing in this episode is clean and interesting, and the presentation of the accident is particularly well done. Handheld shots are used throughout the episode but seemingly not exclusively, and not with such a shaky hand that you’ll need some Dramamine. The visual and sound editing is absolutely fantastic, with some really beautifully layered and overlapping and intercut scenes. The music is alternately subtle, eerie, and pounding as necessary.

This episode is one of those that just keeps getting better with every rewatch, as you pick up more and more subtle visual touches. I can’t wait to see what they do with this series.

I give Awake: Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot” Five Out of Five Stars.