Last night, NBC unveiled their newest drama, Awake, on television. The network had made the episode available for viewing online two weeks earlier in an effort to get people talking about the show. Did that strategy hurt the ratings? It certainly doesn’t seem to have helped.
Per the fast affiliate ratings, Awake debuted to a disappointing 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.2 million total viewers. The show didn’t even have that much competition in the 10pm timeslot. It was in first place but thanks only to running opposite a repeat of The Mentalist and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
On the positive side, this was a better premiere than The Firm or Prime Suspect had but that can hardly be considered a success.
Will the numbers improve for the second episode because everyone who watched online will tune in? Seems very doubtful.
But, what do you think? Did you watch Awake last night or watch it online? Will you be tuning in to see the next episode? Do you think it will be quickly cancelled?
Image courtesy NBC.
Unfortunately in this country, any show that requires a person to think or use their imagination is absolutely doomed to fail. If the dialogue can’t be delivered with the brevity of a “tweet”, the average US citizen loses interest (unless of course the show has minors having sex…and then even the crappiest of shows can linger on for a few years).
Finally! NBC has come up with a winning drama. The complex plot may not be for everyone, but for people thirsting for a thoughtful drama, well acted, well directed and well written the drought is over. My concern is can the premise survive a full season? If the writers can create on-going struggles for the lead, they can have a good year. Can he avoid growing in therapy with skilled clinicians? Can he endure the pressure of knowing that he is not in reality in either situation? Can he keep the story straight in each life? I for one look… Read more »
we watched the pilot. too sad, repetitious, confusing & not very entertaining.
I LOVE this show. It is very fresh and smart and so interesting and you can you watch for clues, which are there, to let you know which life he is in at the moment….the one with his wife or the one with his son, Rex. I love the deep emotions shown, especially by the son, Rex. What a great actor at such a younge age to show such compassion. I plan to watch every episode, look for clues and enjoy the genius of this production. This show makes you think and I like that!!! LOVE IT….LOVE IT….LOVE IT.
I love this show. It is very fresh and smart and keeps you thinking and on your toes all through the show. I love the emotion that is shown, especially by the son, Rex. What a great actor at such a younge age. I plan to watch every episode. LOVE IT…..LOVE IT….LOVE IT……
Loved the show. I hope they don’t take it off the air. I’m still wondering if he’s dreaming the entire thing…
Disappointed is the best word I can come up with. I’ll give it a second and third look but cannot see any reason to watch this show. I much preferred Jeff Goldblum’s show as the detective who could see the victim and remain upset the network cancelled Prime Suspect. They are just fools.
Saw for the first time 3/2. Interesting. It was an accident that I found it. Everyone too eager to pull shows, too easy and cheap to run the reality dribble. Too little done to promote new shows. See a lot of comedy coming on. Too many one liners and very little of it funny. I see that “Awake” was to air 10/9 on Thursdays. Not finding it.
To those that make these decisions–sometimes the shows format are interesting and the wrong people are cast in them. Not always about looks, but personality or they just don’t fit the show.
Reading these comment, it seems belligerently obvious that people are sick of the inane reality TV. Yet, they seem to prevail over intriguing shows; such as this. It would be a pity if this show is canceled, to please the masses’ need for vicariously living through TV. I just hope that thru PR or word of mouth; people chose to give actual creativity a chance. That goes for a lot of shows, besides the one in question here.
Loved the premise and loved the premiere. Seems like quality dramas have a hard time these days. (Alcatraz being another one). Seems the majority of people just want to watch endless drivel consisting of those that are famous for being famous – Kardashians, Jersey Shore, etc. Reality shows that have some sort of competition are one thing, but all the other stuff, enough already. Loved “The Osbournes”, but hate the offspring it has produced
I didn’t paricularly care for this show but my gosh we do NOT need one more reality tv show put on the air. I’m to the point I want to puke when I see another reality show go on. I’m in my mid 50s. What happened to the days of good TV shows and you always had a Sunday night movie from 9-11. I think you had Mon and Wed night movies also. What happened TV” they take all the good shows off and put reality shows on. Please leave The Firm. That is one show I love
I love intelligent shows (see: quickly cancelled Rubicon), but this one didn’t intrigue me much. I didn’t like the minute-to-minute cuts between the two realities that was especially prevalent in the beginning half of the show. But by 3/4ths of the way into the show, I actually started to like it. The scene where he freaks out — and realizes his hold on reality is as tenuous as — a single lost rubber band was good and has me hoping the show will get better with time. I don’t care about the police procedural parts or even about any of… Read more »
I loved it. So they will probably cancel it in a couple of weeks and replce it with some
reality show. Intelligent, intriguing writing.
The online showing certainly didn’t seem to start many people talking about the show. I only knew about the show when my Tivo told me there was a new pilot.
There will be three camps of people related to this show. Those who enjoy being intellectually challenged with a show and liked this, those who enjoy being intellectually challenged with a show and did not like this, and those who’d rather see useless drool on TV like watching manure decaying. Most viewers unfortunately fall into the latter, dooming this show.
This show’s premise intrigued me and I am willing to give it another watch or too.