Game Day

Last night's new episode of Awake was a fun, slow build. The beginning seemed almost like a throwaway, acknowledging that Michael's two realities can vary in ways outside his direct control by showing us two outcomes to the football game.

By the time both cases were resolved, that turned out to be not a throwaway at all, but a very intriguing idea at the core the episode: both of the deaths Michael was investigating would never have happened in the other reality. A very neat idea to build the episode around.

But I've been saying all along that the show is at its most compelling when the personal drama with Michael's wife and son takes on a more key role, and this episode was a sterling example of that. The best material came in the final minutes with the revelation that Rex's girlfriend is pregnant with his baby in the reality where he died in the car crash.

This is a fascinating way to rip open the fresh wound of Rex's death for Hannah, and should make for some good drama in coming episodes. Also, this seems to be the thing that will keep the two of them from actually moving away from L.A. -- one can expect they'll choose to say close to their grandchild, their one remaining connection to Rex. (Well.... hers, anyway, if not his.) I've been wondering how the writers would call off the move, and I think this is a wonderfully creative way to do it that could add a great new dimension to things.

After a few off episodes, I think this was a fine step back in the right direction.