We’ve been pretty ambivalent about NBC’s copiously hyped upcoming drama, Awake. On one hand, an entire show about a police detective who survives a car accident and finds himself split between two realities — in one, his wife is killed, and in the other it’s his son who doesn’t make it — sounds compelling. But on the other, who can hear the words “alternate reality” in connection with TV and not think of Lost‘s unsatisfying final season?
Thankfully, the network has posted a sneak peek of the show’s first seven minutes, and it’s convinced us that Awake is at least worth a shot. Judging by the preview, star Jason Isaacs is subtle and believable in what’s sure to be a difficult role, and his character’s conversations with different therapists in both realities provide an effective way of getting into the mind of a man who isn’t sure when he’s awake and when he’s dreaming. (What we don’t see in these first few minutes is the third possibility — that the detective may simply be in a coma, his unconscious mind exploring both options.) Watch the beginning of Awake after the jump and let us know whether you’ll be watching the premiere, March 1st. Or, you know, just weigh in on whether you’ll ever be able to deal with Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Isaacs’ partner in one reality, in any role besides Fez.
[via io9]