Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Awake' - 'Ricky's Tacos': Red world, green card

Britten prepares to move, while the show returns to the conspiracy theory

By Alan Sepinwall Friday, Apr 13, 2012 9:56 AM

Britten (Jason Isaacs) interviews a victim's sister in "Awake."

Credit: NBC

A review of last night's "Awake" coming up just as soon as I melt a dead body out of concrete...

As I mentioned on Monday, I never got around to reviewing "That's Not My Penguin," which was a really interesting episode that concentrated on one of the many questions raised by this show: Is our hero, in fact, crazy? Very compelling stuff, focusing on the emotions and psychology of Detective Britten.

"Ricky's Tacos," meanwhile, turned to a question we haven't lingered on since the conspiracy scene at the end of episode two: Who caused the Britten family's car accident, and why? And that, unfortunately, is one I'm not particularly invested in.

I did like the suggestion from both Dr. Lee and Dr. Evans that the conspiracy doesn't really exist, and is just Britten's mind telling him not to move to Oregon. We saw with last week's episode, and again with the drive-through scene near the start of this one, that not everything Britten sees and hears in either world is guaranteed to be real. So even though we're seeing a bunch of scenes where Captain Harper tries to talk the mysterious Carl out of killing Mike, it's still at least a possibility that those scenes take place entirely in Mike's head, even though he's not present for them. (We have enough evidence of non-Mike scenes in green world to know that they're not any kind of clue about which world is real.)

This episode at least devoted more time to establishing Harper as more than just a mysterious conspirator. As a commenter noted after my "The Little Guy" review, the show probably fumbled things by revealing both the existence of the conspiracy and Harper's role in it so early, rather than letting us get to know her before smacking us in the gut with the discovery. Had the park bench scene taken place at the end of an episode like this where she's so helpful and empathetic in the green world case, it could have been much more effective. (Though we'd have needed to move the warehouse story to the following episode at a minimum.)

But where "Awake" continues to be so effective — surprisingly so, given my tastes in TV drama these days — is as a police procedural that focuses more heavily on character than most of the CBS shows. Though the green world case telegraphed that the dad was a bad guy — Ebert's Law of Economy of Characters combined with a familiar guest star in Christopher Cousins (Ted Beneke from "Breaking Bad," among other roles) — the interview scenes with both Tim(*) and the younger sister were strong, emotional scenes that didn't just feel like they were about moving the story along. Ditto El Diablo's confession in the red world case, which was the show's latest instance of Britten coming face to face with another person living two lives (albeit never quite like he does).

(*) Played by Charley Koontz, aka Fat Neil on "Community."

Given the ratings, I fear any discussion of a second season is moot. But if the show comes back — because Bob Greenblatt likes it, and/or as cannon fodder in the fall so the network doesn't have to launch too many new shows at once — I'd like to think that Killen, Gordon and company recognize that the show can work just fine by focusing on Britten's cases and his home life, with the question of what's real always hanging out there but no huge mysteries beyond that.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Awake, Jason Isaacs, Kyle Killen, Howard Gordon, Steve Harris, B.D. Wong, Cherry Jones, wilmer valderrama, Laura Allen, Dylan Minnette, Alan Sepinwall

chrispepper

I love this show. Such a shame it's going to get cancelled, hopefully we get a good conclusion. I think I read that the writers said we would have found which reality is a dream at the end of the first season anyway, so at least there's that..
April 13, 2012 at 10:36AM EST Reply to Comment
blingbling

I'm in support of any show that gives Jason Isaacs a secure work visa here in the States, and I'm willing to forgive the car wreck conspiracy a pass, particularly if they really do something more interesting with Laura Innes like they did last night. That interrogation scene she had with the girl was great.

I agree the show will probably go in the "great but cancelled" file very soon, but I love this entire cast and I really do hope NBC gives it the "Chuck" treatment and listens to the fans who like to see great storytelling and great castwork even if the ratings aren't really there.

I did find it interesting that CBS put a rerun of "Person of Interest" in the same timeslot last night -- I watch both shows.

April 13, 2012 at 10:42AM EST Reply to Comment
- Amrit Chuck's ratings in season 2 were roughly on par with NBC's average, they were around 2.4-2.6 and in those days that was ok. So come season 3 Subway did not have to subsidise Chuck too much one would think. Awake's ratings would take 3 or 4 Subway sponsors to keep this show on the air. Even when Chuck was being subsidised in season 3 the ratings were 2.0 to 3.0 and season 4 it was mostly over 2.0 until 4.14 and then it tanked sort of to 1.5. But Awake again is at 0.9 in its first season! Comparing Chuck to Awake or any of NBC's shows is apples and oranges since well....Chuck's ratings were always near the threshold anyway.
  April 13, 2012 at 1:06PM EST
- Brian J CBS is probably going to go for two hours of comedy on Thursdays, so the rumors and network moves themselves suggest. It's likely that "The Mentalist" will be moved to Fridays and "Person of Interest" will be moved to 10:00.
  
  If that's the case, it might be a net positive for NBC, as it creates an opening. (It does the same for ABC, but its not doing nearly as poorly as NBC on the night, if you can even say it's doing poorly at all.) I assume "The Big Bang Theory" is staying put, but even if it doesn't and CBS moves it to 9:00, NBC would be facing open time slots or established shows moving to new time slots, which is always risky, in at least one hour, if not two. This is one more reason why I will think NBC will try to overhaul Thursdays.
  April 13, 2012 at 1:28PM EST
- Ray @AMRIT, so you are telling me that Ricky's Tacos is no Subway?
  April 16, 2012 at 1:59PM EST
VBarkley

I so agree about the character studies - as a police procedural, and how they tie the 2 cases together - sum total makes the show really fascinating. I find the wife annoying though, and I kind of thought her wanting to move to Oregon was maybe the writers' way of saying she was dead, and she needed to move on. There's thought that he's in a coma and this is all a dream, so the wife is trying to get him to 'die' and move on with her. Just a theory.

The show reminds me of a few other stellar shows NBC has had in recent years, like Life and Journeyman, which were also very character driven, but canceled. At least Life lasted 2 seasons and had some closure. Awake's ratings are so poor, I'm getting the feeling we'll never really know what's going on before the 13 episodes are up, the show is canceled and once again the audience is screwed.
April 13, 2012 at 10:44AM EST Reply to Comment
- Col Bat Guano I find the wife's behavior baffling. Her son has died 4 months earlier and while she seems a little more bothered by it in the past few episodes, it just seems like no big deal in their lives. Her nonchalance leads me to think she is the unreal world.
  April 14, 2012 at 11:55AM EST
- filaphresh CBG, I assume the wife has moved on because they dont' want Awake to be The Killing-just us watching the mother and the son's grief in their respective worlds. It gets old pretty quick.
  Anyway, I don't think she's that nonchalant about it. It was, what, three episodes ago, that she was going to the ceremony to honor him? She's trying to live. Yeah, it might be more realistic if they showed her not leaving the house or moving for months and then over months going back to work but being morbidly depressed, and then months later finally discovering a new hobby that keeps her from waking up in tears every morning, but that's not how everyone mourns and anyway it would be really awful TV
  April 14, 2012 at 1:29PM EST
- pamelajaye I really liked Journeyman (possibly more than Quantum Leap - which is odd for a Bakula fan). Awake makes me think of it, but more of QL and, well, really of the movie 12:01 (which I saw that one time Fox aired it and remembered all these years, and then the DVD came out)
  Oddly, this ep, I think when Britten was looking at things and remembering, I was getting some major Chuck flash flashbacks.
  May 3, 2012 at 1:31AM EST
- pamelajaye >Yeah, it might be more realistic if they showed her not leaving the house or moving for months and then over months going back to work but being morbidly depressed, and then months later finally discovering a new hobby that keeps her from waking up in tears every morning, but that's not how everyone mourns and anyway it would be really awful TV
  
  also, it would be Twilight.
  May 3, 2012 at 1:33AM EST
Adam

It's a pretty good show. BUT - if NBC doesn't let it find a conclusion, it will be the last NBC drama I get involved in for years.

The writers strike kinda short-circuited the brilliant "Life," and it got conspiracy fast-tracked over a few episodes to bring it to a conclusion. That was the last time I gave NBC a chance with a drama, because any investment isn't rewarded. It's why I've not gotten involved in The Event, Kings or anything else: I didn't trust NBC to follow through.

The positive reviews of Awake got me on board, but if it just goes into internet ether I'll be back on the anti-NBC train.

They've cried wolf too many times. They're past the point of ratings and to the point of trying to save credibility that they do something - ANYTHING - other than throw out a few episodes and then pull out the rug.
April 13, 2012 at 10:51AM EST Reply to Comment
- dead souls Yawn.
  
  I enjoy Awake, and would like to see it continue, but it's not NBC's fault that the show has lost over half its audience since the pilot. Shows that perform that poorly get canceled, even on a network with standards as low as NBC. Anybody who would abandon a network over canceling shows in that circumstance is a fool.
  April 13, 2012 at 11:32AM EST
- adam Way to miss the point. It's not about the ratings for Awake, it's about the SOP for NBC. There's no reason to become invested in anything they do drama wise.
  April 13, 2012 at 11:39AM EST
- dead souls Any network will cancel shows that perform as poorly as Awake or the other shows you mentioned without letting them reach a conclusion. That's the way television works. There's no reason to single out NBC as though they are doing something different from anybody else.
  April 13, 2012 at 12:45PM EST
- mrbilliam I haven't watched this episode yet, but I don't feel this is a show where I need to see the final conclusion. If we only get one short season, I will still have enjoyed the episodes, and I won't be sorry I watched it.
  April 13, 2012 at 3:38PM EST
- kronicfatigue I think there's a self fulfilling prophecy going on with NBC dramas. There's a % of people who sit back on the sidelines and say "I'm not going to invest my energy into a show that could be good but cancelled. Let me make sure it lasts a second season and I'll just catch up on netflix". This is different than say HBO which consistently puts outs hits AND is willing to give the lower rated shows time to grow. You know, unless animals get killed.
  April 14, 2012 at 10:59AM EST
- Ray @Mr.Billiam, I'm with you. I felt from the beginning that this show would be better served focusing on the journey and not the destination. It's pretty clear we are only getting the one season, just enjoy it for what it is.
  April 16, 2012 at 2:02PM EST
- pamelajaye If the show is canceled early and not resolved, I don't think that's a reason to stop watching NBC - it's more a reason to stop watching shows that so much as hint that there is a mysterious secret.
  I was not aware that this show was going to be one of those, and so I watched it. If I'd known, I'd be DVRing and waiting for cancelation.
  
  I don't think it's just NBC that's stringing us along and then dumping us with unsolved mysteries. If it was, I wouldn't refer to it as Reunion Syndrome. (and there were some of this type of show on ABC too, yes? I've lost track of who aired Eyes, Daybreak, The Nine)
  May 3, 2012 at 1:38AM EST
coolsid

It's maybe pointless to theorize this, what with the show being in the ratings toilet and all, but are there two different reasons for Brittn's accident, or at least the involvement of Laur Innes's character may be different in both worlds? It does make sens because the green version has always been painted in a positive light(Even in the ep with the serial killer she is going along with the profiler reluctantly) If so, it may give even more possibilities for a hypothetical Season 2....
April 13, 2012 at 11:03AM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall I can't decide whether I want the conspiracy to exist in both worlds or just the red one. But as of now, as you say, the green version of Harper seems completely benign.
  April 13, 2012 at 11:15AM EST
- Peter Wilson hmm, I'm starting to think that this conspiracy theory is the show hinting to us that the red world is the dream world. The actual crash is something that hasn't really been brought up since the pilot but is probably something that still weighs heavily on Michael. I can see a reason for him to make up a conspiracy in his dream where the crash wasn't his fault.
  April 13, 2012 at 12:32PM EST
Tausif Khan

Fat Neil is not a rapist! Yay!

Also I love that Britten shut down the CSI guy when he started to go into detail about how he found the body. To me that is a direct statement to the audience that Killen is not interested in the mechanics of a crime scene investigation and that he cares about character development and character interaction.

The fact that Killen featured two cases in this episode is also a statement to me demonstrating the same thought on how Killen wants people to see his story. The cases are not important the people are.

I liked that Wilmer Valderama got to participate in the drama by chastising "El diablo" and engaging in issues of the hispanic community and showing the audience the critical debates they undergo or have to undertake to make sure they put their best face forward because people like the foreman are always ready to judge harshly about whether or not they should be in the country. I liked Britten's advice to Valderama's character about hitting people in the wallet as opposed to in the face because for those same reasons.

Last weeks episode and a review I read had me looking at this episode a little differently. I am looking at these episodes now as if Britten is John Nash in a beautiful mind. These extra cases he is solving, the conspiracy theory and drive thru speaker giving him advice (a la Wesley on Angel only this series might not be supernatural) ground this theory for me.

What really made me think he is paranoid schizophrenic is that last week Britten compares himself to Billy Lush's schizophrenic character to show the psychologist he is normal. This week he went to another empty office building to a man we have never seen before alone. Combined with the warehouse he investigated last week I am starting to think he is paranoid schizophrenic.
April 13, 2012 at 12:04PM EST Reply to Comment
Dr. Gross

Fat Neil is, apparently, a very talented actor. His confession scene was heartbreaking.

I hope this show ends up sticking around for at least another year. It's a highlight of the TV landscape every week.
April 13, 2012 at 12:36PM EST Reply to Comment
Brian

NBC is gonna burn me again. Loved JourneyMan from the get go and same with AWAKE? Ugh
Maybe I should stick with jumping into shows in later seasons and catching up on DVD.
April 13, 2012 at 12:45PM EST Reply to Comment
- Awful time slot. Love thurs NBC comedies but the show would be better suited another day around other dramas.
  April 13, 2012 at 12:55PM EST
Brian J

I never tire of saying this, so I will repeat myself yet again: this show needs to come back. It's just very good. It might not be "The Sopranos" or "Mad Men," but it's well written, well acted, and unique enough to merit a second season. I'd say that even if were on a successful network like CBS, but since it's on NBC, its case for a second chance is even stronger. Yet again, let me suggest pairing it with "Grimm" on Fridays, at least for 13 more episodes. What does NBC have to lose? If budgets are big deal, trim them slightly. Promote the hell out of it over the summer and see what happens. If it at least matches the ratings of a show like "Grimm" on Fridays, what else can the network ask for?
April 13, 2012 at 1:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- Char Agreed with you, Brian. NBC could have done a lot more to promote Awake. Why didn't They put Jason Isaacs on hit talk shows like Leno?
  April 13, 2012 at 1:46PM EST
- Brian J CHAR,
  
  I am not sure what more they could have done to promote the show, because I am not sure what they did in the first place. Once "The Firm" crashed and died, it was kind of parachuted in, so I doubt it received the kind of promotion that "Smash" received. Still, who cares what happened in the past? There's more that they could do now.
  
  Budgets aren't unlimited, but as I keep saying, why not double pump it on Thursdays and Fridays this summer, and perhaps on as many cable channels as could be expected? Who cares if it's running at 3:00 AM on USA, as long as someone is watching it? Run ads for it before Universal's movies, give away DVD sets, and figure out a way to use social media like Twitter, in addition to having the cast go on Leno or something similar before the show (hopefully) comes back. None of this will be cheap, either in the direct monetary sense or in the sense of opportunity cost, but tens of millions aren't always necessary. This show isn't going to be "CSI" circa 2001, but it doesn't need to be. It just needs to be given a chance to grow and to be seen by as many eyeballs as possible. After a certain point, they'd be wasting their time and money, but I don't think the network executives are there just yet.
  
  Obvious differences aside, "Cheers" was once the lowest rated show on television. It took a while for the show to grow. Perhaps, for any number of reasons, there's nothing like "The Cosby Show" coming to help NBC any time soon, but again, what else does the network have going for it? Perhaps better examples are "The Middle" and "The Big Bang Theory," both of which have managed to grow over the course of a few reasons, with the latter obviously more successful, even with its multiple time slot changes. Maybe, just maybe, more casual viewers (i.e., most of the effing population) get more turned off than tuned in when shows are switched in and out season after season after season.
  April 14, 2012 at 12:04AM EST
aamadis

Am I the only one who became more interested in the conspiracy plot after this episode?
April 13, 2012 at 2:19PM EST Reply to Comment
Ryan

So Charley Koontz is being type cast as a sweet but pathetic guy who people become friends with just because they feel sorry for them?
April 13, 2012 at 2:26PM EST Reply to Comment
Gabby

I'm starting to resign myself to the fact this will get cancelled too. I don't find it as compelling as "Person Of Interest" but the format is as strong as anything I've seen in a long time. Puts me in mind of "Life on Mars" (the UK version), and arguably is doing a better job of telling a similar story than the US version with the same name.

I do hope that if they cancel it, the makers will be able to wrap up the story in a satisfying way...that in itself would make it a classy 13 part drama series with good DVD/BluRay sale value.

Fingers crossed that there's life in the show yet though - as other people said here, why not give it another 13 episodes - what's the harm in that?
April 13, 2012 at 3:39PM EST Reply to Comment
Arrow

I like the show and I want smart television as much as anyone but was Awake ever a good show to get multiple seasons anyway?

Since the beginning, the question has always been whether the show could pull a "Homeland" and be able to get past a seemingly limited concept and turn into a show with enough legs to last many years. So far, I don't see it.

First, I'm okay with not knowing which reality is the real one right now but it's the kind of mystery I'd like to see resolve this season. Secondly, Britten has already shown signs of cracking up anyway and the show can't realistically keep him on the verge of insanity for very long.

I think a satisfying series finale this season is the best we can hope for.
April 13, 2012 at 4:43PM EST Reply to Comment
Jack

A series about a heavily grieving man who might be insane, has a dead son, or a dead wife, or maybe a dead son and a dead wife! I know why the ratings are in the dumper.
April 13, 2012 at 5:10PM EST Reply to Comment
bitchstolemyremote

Can't say that I'm enjoying the procedural elements very much (our take here: http://wp.me/p1VQBq-KX)

They're just too obvious and feel like Law & Order retreads. The show is at its best when they focus on Michael's family life, but this week both his wife and son were almost completely pushed aside. It's frustrating because the cases aren't adding that much to the show, even if it is interesting how he uses both lives to solve them.
April 13, 2012 at 6:41PM EST Reply to Comment
KobraCola

Good ep., though I liked last week's a bit more. You're right, though, Alan, in that I usually don't like police procedurals, but this one does great character work and the twist is good enough that I feel like I have to keep watching. The overall mythology feels a bit weak right now, but I have confidence that they can bring it in more and more in future episodes. Alan, what is the best way to help get this show renewed/help get it more viewers? Is it strategies similar to Community, i.e. tweeting about the show, tweeting to the show's commercial supporters about supporting the show, watching the show on the NBC website, etc.?
April 13, 2012 at 7:26PM EST Reply to Comment
The Noble Robot

I like the idea that scenes without Brittan may be in his mind (dreams do often work that way, it turns out)...

But as a last ditch effort to be okay with it if it *is* real, the "conspiracy" only seems to take place in the red world, and it seems to be unconnected to the universe hopping. This is a good sign, in that if it does exist at all, it might just be a regular ol' conspiracy, and not the kind of scifi timey-whimey nonsense conspiracy as seen in a few other recent one-season NBC and ABC shows that shall remain nameless.

Although the presence of Laura Innes *really* doesn't help things. I mean, not at all... she makes those conspiracy scenes seem so much worse than they really are, and I have to keep reminding myself that I actually like both her character and her performance.
April 14, 2012 at 7:20AM EST Reply to Comment
- The Noble Robot I also have to say that I find is worrisome when people theorize which world they think is the dream and which they think is real. I think the show has made it pretty clear that it's both or neither.
  
  I love Sci-fi of all kinds, but I especially love how this show really isn't written as science fiction.
  
  When people compare this to "Lost-lite" shows like Flash Forward and The Event, even when they do it favorably, I get confused, because there aren't really a lot of similarities.
  
  Awake reminds me more of the US version of Life on Mars (I actually liked the insane ending of that one), in that even if the overarching dream-like scenario *does* have defined rules that the writers are playing by, the audience doesn't really get to see any of them, and while the plot doesn't ignore them (in that the characters aren't going to forget about it), ultimately, they aren't the most important bit.
  
  The surreal nature of it opens up the storytelling much more than any of those other shows could hope to.
  April 14, 2012 at 7:35AM EST
Eddie Vedder

Anyone else notice the realtor's name on the sign at the end of the episode? Heather Seiple? The last name is an anagram for "I Sleep" which means to me that the whole world with his wife is dream and she is really dead.
April 14, 2012 at 11:01PM EST Reply to Comment
- klg19 What *I* noticed was that the realtor on the Westfield building (Diamond Ferris--same as the Brittens' realtor) shared a name with the green-world victim, Sabrina Ferris, and I was waiting for that to be a connection.
  April 15, 2012 at 8:13AM EST
- Cuser57 If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members.
  
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast
  
  August 11, 2012 at 4:17AM EST
AUSpur

I'm inclined to think neither world is "real." May have been discussed previously, but the show title may be a play on "A Wake," meaning each of these worlds is his attempt to somehow come to grips with losing his family and that the conclusion is a reveal of him "sitting up with the dead," so to speak.
April 16, 2012 at 11:43AM EST Reply to Comment
Jason

I don't like to think too much about things like this; I prefer to just go along for the ride. But I thought I would add my own theory; it seems like fun. What if Detective Britten is the one who died in the crash, and both the worlds we see him experiencing is a kind of purgatory?
April 18, 2012 at 12:54AM EST Reply to Comment
Bob

Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!
April 18, 2012 at 11:40AM EST Reply to Comment
- H If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members.
  
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast
  July 12, 2012 at 12:55PM EST
Bob

Write a comment...Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!
April 18, 2012 at 11:40AM EST Reply to Comment
Bob

The realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!
April 18, 2012 at 11:45AM EST Reply to Comment
Matt Holmes

Has anyone else noticed that Britten is not a very good cop? He didn't notice his partner stealing money, he fumbled the ball in his son's kidnapping, he asks the evidence clerk to ignore missing evidence, he's often off doing his own thing instead of actually working with his partner on assigned cases, and he seems in general to be the kind of cop that would never be promoted - because of failure. Over and over again he shows that his police skills are meager at best. It's weird to watch.
April 18, 2012 at 4:18PM EST Reply to Comment
pamelajaye

The fact that I was three weeks behind (catching up!) and that I watched Community 3 times - the last time being tonight - led to my seeing Fat Neil get accused of foul play twice in one night on two different shows.
I just found it funny.
As for the deeper things... I may have to read some comments.
May 3, 2012 at 1:25AM EST Reply to Comment

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chrispepper I love this show. Such a shame it's going to get cancelled, hopefully we get a good conclusion. I think I read that the writers said we would have found which reality is a dream at the end of the first season anyway, so at least there's that..

Ray @AMRIT, so you are telling me that Ricky's Tacos is no Subway?

Col Bat Guano I find the wife's behavior baffling. Her son has died 4 months earlier and while she seems a little more bothered by it in the past few episodes, it just seems like no big deal in their lives. Her nonchalance leads me to think she is the unreal world.

adam Way to miss the point. It's not about the ratings for Awake, it's about the SOP for NBC. There's no reason to become invested in anything they do drama wise.

dead souls Any network will cancel shows that perform as poorly as Awake or the other shows you mentioned without letting them reach a conclusion. That's the way television works. There's no reason to single out NBC as though they are doing something different from anybody else.

mrbilliam I haven't watched this episode yet, but I don't feel this is a show where I need to see the final conclusion. If we only get one short season, I will still have enjoyed the episodes, and I won't be sorry I watched it.

Ray @Mr.Billiam, I'm with you. I felt from the beginning that this show would be better served focusing on the journey and not the destination. It's pretty clear we are only getting the one season, just enjoy it for what it is.

sepinwall I can't decide whether I want the conspiracy to exist in both worlds or just the red one. But as of now, as you say, the green version of Harper seems completely benign.

Dr. Gross Fat Neil is, apparently, a very talented actor. His confession scene was heartbreaking.I hope this show ends up sticking around for at least another year. It's a highlight of the TV landscape every week.

Brian NBC is gonna burn me again. Loved JourneyMan from the get go and same with AWAKE? UghMaybe I should stick with jumping into shows in later seasons and catching up on DVD.

Awful time slot. Love thurs NBC comedies but the show would be better suited another day around other dramas.

Char Agreed with you, Brian. NBC could have done a lot more to promote Awake. Why didn't They put Jason Isaacs on hit talk shows like Leno?

aamadis Am I the only one who became more interested in the conspiracy plot after this episode?

Ryan So Charley Koontz is being type cast as a sweet but pathetic guy who people become friends with just because they feel sorry for them?

Jack A series about a heavily grieving man who might be insane, has a dead son, or a dead wife, or maybe a dead son and a dead wife! I know why the ratings are in the dumper.

Eddie Vedder Anyone else notice the realtor's name on the sign at the end of the episode? Heather Seiple? The last name is an anagram for "I Sleep" which means to me that the whole world with his wife is dream and she is really dead.

klg19 What *I* noticed was that the realtor on the Westfield building (Diamond Ferris--same as the Brittens' realtor) shared a name with the green-world victim, Sabrina Ferris, and I was waiting for that to be a connection.

Cuser57 If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast

Jason I don't like to think too much about things like this; I prefer to just go along for the ride. But I thought I would add my own theory; it seems like fun. What if Detective Britten is the one who died in the crash, and both the worlds we see him experiencing is a kind of purgatory?

Bob Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

H If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast

Bob Write a comment...Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

Bob The realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

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chrispepper

I love this show. Such a shame it's going to get cancelled, hopefully we get a good conclusion. I think I read that the writers said we would have found which reality is a dream at the end of the first season anyway, so at least there's that..

Dr. Gross

Fat Neil is, apparently, a very talented actor. His confession scene was heartbreaking.

I hope this show ends up sticking around for at least another year. It's a highlight of the TV landscape every week.

Brian

NBC is gonna burn me again. Loved JourneyMan from the get go and same with AWAKE? Ugh
Maybe I should stick with jumping into shows in later seasons and catching up on DVD.

aamadis

Am I the only one who became more interested in the conspiracy plot after this episode?

Ryan

So Charley Koontz is being type cast as a sweet but pathetic guy who people become friends with just because they feel sorry for them?

Jack

A series about a heavily grieving man who might be insane, has a dead son, or a dead wife, or maybe a dead son and a dead wife! I know why the ratings are in the dumper.

Eddie Vedder

Anyone else notice the realtor's name on the sign at the end of the episode? Heather Seiple? The last name is an anagram for "I Sleep" which means to me that the whole world with his wife is dream and she is really dead.

klg19 What I noticed was that the realtor on the Westfield building (Diamond Ferris--same as the Brittens' realtor) shared a name with the green-world victim, Sabrina Ferris, and I was waiting for that to be a connection.

Cuser57 If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast

Jason

I don't like to think too much about things like this; I prefer to just go along for the ride. But I thought I would add my own theory; it seems like fun. What if Detective Britten is the one who died in the crash, and both the worlds we see him experiencing is a kind of purgatory?

Bob

Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

H If you look on the show's IMDB page you will see that Heather Seiple was a crew member on AWAKE and nothing more. No hidden meanings. :) A lot of the names used in the show are crew members.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839683/fullcredits#cast

Bob

Write a comment...Realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

Bob

The realtor's name on their for sale sign is Heather Sieple. An anagram combination for Sieple is "I Sleep" which could mean full-color world is the dream!

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