'Awake' is one of the best dramas on television

'Awake,' starring 'Harry Potter' actor Jason Isaacs, deftly handles themes of grief without going over-the-top.

The topic of loss can be something of a hard sell to audiences.? In addition to the different feelings loss and mourning may evoke in all of us, it has the tendency to bog the viewer down with an ever-present cue to the frame of mind they should be in. Some dramas have handled the concept very well ? albeit in small doses ? while others ride the lowest common denominator all the way to ratings glory. The key, it seems, is to utilize the concept of death and loss, and from it build a convincing story that holds some value beyond reminding us of the eventuality we all face. Thankfully, NBC?s newest drama, Awake, manages such a feat.

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By now you likely know the concept: Los Angeles police detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) wakes from a horrific car wreck to find himself split between two realities ? one where his wife Hannah (Laura Allen) survived, and one where his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) lived. As he alternates back and forth between the two planes, he must face the notion that although both of his loved ones still exist on a part-time basis for him, Britten?s wife and son are left in a world where the other no longer lives. Awake is, at once, heart-wrenching and compelling, and it is easily one of the best dramas on television, right now.

The project comes from screenwriter Kyle Killen, whose last two projects, FOX?s Lone Star and The Beaver, garnered him a hefty dose of critical acclaim, even though neither project managed to find a large audience. Notably, when it comes to Awake, certain thematic elements regarding duality and the idea of separate, but connected lives led by the series? protagonist, are shared with the con man of Killen?s Lone Star. So, if nothing else, its clear that Killen is interested in revisiting themes that he obviously didn?t get to explore the first time around.

Right off the bat, though, Awake feels like a completely different animal ? one that is more mature and interested in examining itself through thought-provoking ideas, which it is capable of since it is not constrained by the burden of perpetuating a con. Instead, Awake has the realm of the unknown to play in, and it does so by leaving many questions unanswered, yet still manages to tell a thoughtful and complete story in the series? pilot.

For Britten, his seemingly fractured world is the only way in which the life he had prior to the accident can still exist, and he sees it as a better alternative to the permanent loss his wife and child must endure. This reluctance to see his two realities as either a dream or coping mechanism brought about by a combination of grief and guilt vexes his two therapists, Dr. Lee (B.D. Wong) and Dr. Evans (Cherry Jones).

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/lNoY0eiBfNY/Awake-is-one-of-the-best-dramas-on-television

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