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[Awake] CSI Sliders: Parallel universe parenting advice

Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered User regular
edited March 2012 in Debate and/or Discourse
awake.jpg
From Executive Producer/Writer Kyle Killen (Lone Star) and Director David Slade (30 Days of Night, Twilight Eclipse) comes the story of Michael Britten, (Jason Isaacs: Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender,) a police detective who gets into a car accident in which his wife dies. Or was it his son? The problem is that Michael doesn't know as whenever he falls asleep he wakes up in an alternate world, one of which it was his wife (Laura Allen) that died and the other where it was his son (Dylan Minnette.) That's not the only thing that's different though, he has different partners (Wilmer Valderrama and Steve Harris,) different therapists (B.D. Wong and Cherry Jones,) and even different cases. The cases start to overlap and Michael is left wondering, which world is real and does he even want to find out?

The pilot is available online, here.

This concept could have gone very badly indeed, but it didn't. In fact, it ended up being really interesting. There are bags of potential here. We should all watch and then bitch when it gets squandered and/or it gets cancelled before the first series ends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDbF8b9wkMs

Spoiler Rules: These forums don't have a well defined policy, so in the interests of keeping shit clear to avoid tears, we won't be doing anything weird. Once an episode airs, it's fair game to discuss without spoiler tags. Only use tags for things from preview trailers, leaked episodes, slip ups about future plot lines by the writers, etc. etc.

Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
Mojo_Jojo on
«13

Posts

  • TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    Man, the pilot was so good.

    I'm afraid the show becomes too police procedurally, though.

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  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    My fear is that I'm not sure how they can develop the mythology of the premise without bursting the bubble. The pilot is good as it leaves you doubting whether his mysterious accident has led to him living in two parallel worlds at the same time, or whether he has just created a fantasy world to escape into.

    I think the latter could be more satisfying actually. That he gradually accepts one world as fake and moves on (possibly with it being his choice). The other route seems to involve a conspiracy and becoming a weird sci-fi show. It also seems hard to tease out either idea in a gradual manner. I'm hoping that the writers have something in mind though that doesn't mean we get flapping around as a procedural with a sudden reveal as a finale.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • ToldoToldo But actually, WeegianRegistered User regular
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

  • mindsporkmindspork Registered User regular
    I still need to watch it, but I'm going to keep thinking about that Dr. Who episode every time I see it.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    I was going to do some things right now, but I read the series synopses in the OP and I'd be a goddamn fool to not look into this. Loading the pilot episode right now.

    I can easily imagine that the show can only carry the premise on for so long, but y'know what? It'll be a fun ride anyway, who knows how long that could take. Oh, I should shut up and watch now.

  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    Calling it now, He's the one that died.


    OooOOOooOOooooooooo

  • Linespider5Linespider5 ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGER Registered User regular
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    My fear is that I'm not sure how they can develop the mythology of the premise without bursting the bubble. The pilot is good as it leaves you doubting whether his mysterious accident has led to him living in two parallel worlds at the same time, or whether he has just created a fantasy world to escape into.

    I think the latter could be more satisfying actually. That he gradually accepts one world as fake and moves on (possibly with it being his choice).

    I'd like a premise like this, where the main character just decides to make a level-headed decision about everything special happening to him and decides to just let it ride. I don't really care if one world is real or not, if the main character gets to interact with both equally, it becomes an irrelevant question for the purposes of the story. Just give me a believable guy who accepts the premise of his situation and decides to see where it can take him.
    I worry about him eventually meeting other people that share his dual nature, like in later seasons of Quantum Leap. That could make things boring real fast.

  • OakeyOakey UKRegistered User regular
    Sleep deprivation as a result of his accident. Nothing worse than hallucinations as a result of sleep dep. So yeah, basically The Machinist in televised form.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode. Then again I dunno how substantial AV Club is. Nor do I care necessarily.

    I liked the pilot episode a lot though. I can easily see how this show can turn into so many other things that have come before it. I think one of my favorite aspects, if they choose to continue to have it run in the series, is
    dueling therapists. I like that they were made aware of each other, and also have ways of proving themselves to be real to the guy.

  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    The pilot was so good. This show has just filled the void Chuck left in my DVR schedule.

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  • Captain TragedyCaptain Tragedy Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    Captain Tragedy on
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    for some reason it seems very nice to look at

    i dont know what it is but the photography feels great

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  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    Color me intrigued. I'd love to see one where the universes diverge really drastically, but there remained no clear reason to believe one or the other was real. Still if it remains primarily a standard procedural it could still be quite fun.

    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • Professor SnugglesworthProfessor Snugglesworth Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Wrong thread :?

    Professor Snugglesworth on
  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    Color me intrigued. I'd love to see one where the universes diverge really drastically, but there remained no clear reason to believe one or the other was real. Still if it remains primarily a standard procedural it could still be quite fun.

    This. I want this show to be, basically, "Radiant Historia: The Show".

    PEUsig_zps56da03ec.jpg
  • HeisenbergHeisenberg Registered User regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    Jason Isaacs and the cinematography are both so good that the show is still worth watching even if this is the case. Especially considering how many other, way more boring police procedural shows are out there.

  • AstaerethAstaereth In the belly of the beastRegistered User regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    You can't exactly blame the EP (Killen) for going the police procedural route after his other excellent beautiful show with a critically-beloved pilot about a man trying to live two incompatible lives was brutally canceled after two episodes. (In fact, Lone Star produced six episodes, which will probably never be available to the public due to music clearance issues. *tear*)

    I really enjoyed Awake's pilot; other than some more character development for his family and partners (which I assume will come later) and more detailed cases (which I assume will come later), I felt it was pretty much perfect. I love the color schemes and the myriad of signals that work on both character levels and as devices to help us tell the difference between two realities (redecorating the house, the rubber bands, etc).

    I think the pilot actually has everything I need the show to be; it's not missing any sci-fi or conspiracy mythology. So hopefully when they add that in it won't screw up the show.

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  • mindsporkmindspork Registered User regular
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    My fear is that I'm not sure how they can develop the mythology of the premise without bursting the bubble. The pilot is good as it leaves you doubting whether his mysterious accident has led to him living in two parallel worlds at the same time, or whether he has just created a fantasy world to escape into.

    I think the latter could be more satisfying actually. That he gradually accepts one world as fake and moves on (possibly with it being his choice).

    I'd like a premise like this, where the main character just decides to make a level-headed decision about everything special happening to him and decides to just let it ride. I don't really care if one world is real or not, if the main character gets to interact with both equally, it becomes an irrelevant question for the purposes of the story. Just give me a believable guy who accepts the premise of his situation and decides to see where it can take him.
    I worry about him eventually meeting other people that share his dual nature, like in later seasons of Quantum Leap. That could make things boring real fast.
    Yeah. I hated that when Journeyman did that. (That's the one doing the Astronaut's Wife thing, right?)

  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    mindspork wrote: »
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    My fear is that I'm not sure how they can develop the mythology of the premise without bursting the bubble. The pilot is good as it leaves you doubting whether his mysterious accident has led to him living in two parallel worlds at the same time, or whether he has just created a fantasy world to escape into.

    I think the latter could be more satisfying actually. That he gradually accepts one world as fake and moves on (possibly with it being his choice).

    I'd like a premise like this, where the main character just decides to make a level-headed decision about everything special happening to him and decides to just let it ride. I don't really care if one world is real or not, if the main character gets to interact with both equally, it becomes an irrelevant question for the purposes of the story. Just give me a believable guy who accepts the premise of his situation and decides to see where it can take him.
    I worry about him eventually meeting other people that share his dual nature, like in later seasons of Quantum Leap. That could make things boring real fast.
    Yeah. I hated that when Journeyman did that. (That's the one doing the Astronaut's Wife thing, right?)

    Journeyman he had one person with him the whole series with a similar problem, and then he met his predecessor (for lack of a better word) in the last episode. There were not nearly enough episodes of that show, but all of them were incredible.

  • LuxLux Registered User regular
    Heisenberg wrote:
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    Jason Isaacs and the cinematography are both so good that the show is still worth watching even if this is the case. Especially considering how many other, way more boring police procedural shows are out there.

    That's what struck me most, other than decoding the story. It's a very stylish and nice looking show. I hope it remains consistent, though. I'm reminded of how great the first episode of Walking Dead looked and how mediocre the later episodes looked.

  • HeisenbergHeisenberg Registered User regular
    Lux wrote: »
    Heisenberg wrote:
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    Jason Isaacs and the cinematography are both so good that the show is still worth watching even if this is the case. Especially considering how many other, way more boring police procedural shows are out there.

    That's what struck me most, other than decoding the story. It's a very stylish and nice looking show. I hope it remains consistent, though. I'm reminded of how great the first episode of Walking Dead looked and how mediocre the later episodes looked.

    TWD collapsed under it's own weight. The first half of Season 1 was brilliant but ever since then it's gone steadily downhill. Season 2 is almost a complete train wreck. It just comes down to budget - even the best and most successful TV show will die if not given the amount of money it needs to be done properly. It's why HBO has the two best shows on TV right now, Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. They're flush with cash and know where to spend it.

  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Heisenberg wrote:
    Lux wrote: »
    Heisenberg wrote:
    Henroid wrote: »
    Toldo wrote: »
    Great pilot, but AV Club said it quickly just becomes a cop drama with a twist.

    Based on what? So far it's just the pilot episode.

    NBC sent out the first 4 episodes to critics. Others have said the same thing about those episodes being more or less a police procedural with a high concept.

    Jason Isaacs and the cinematography are both so good that the show is still worth watching even if this is the case. Especially considering how many other, way more boring police procedural shows are out there.

    That's what struck me most, other than decoding the story. It's a very stylish and nice looking show. I hope it remains consistent, though. I'm reminded of how great the first episode of Walking Dead looked and how mediocre the later episodes looked.

    TWD collapsed under it's own weight. The first half of Season 1 was brilliant but ever since then it's gone steadily downhill. Season 2 is almost a complete train wreck. It just comes down to budget - even the best and most successful TV show will die if not given the amount of money it needs to be done properly. It's why HBO has the two best shows on TV right now, Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. They're flush with cash and know where to spend it.

    The walking dead failed after it's story diverged further and further from the Graphic Novels. While divergence was needed and desirable, the 'momentum' of the story should have carried the characters towards the destinies laid out for them in the novel. Instead they were flush with the success of season 1 and decided to spin out what should have been the first 3 episodes of season 2 into the entire season of season 2

    edit - 'failed' is probably to strong a word. Diluted in quality is more accurate. There is still numerous episodes worth of high quality stuff, it's just they are strung out by a long distance which is killing the feeling of tension.

    tbloxham on
    "That is cool" - Abraham Lincoln
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    Well, they made it through another episode without a catastrophe. There was some conspiracy nonsense but it seemed like it was just related to his accident rather than his magical ability to exist in two universes / mental problems.

    And, I did enjoy that he didn't actually solve one of the cases. He just got some insight into one case from the other.

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • MalkorMalkor Registered User regular
    I'm keeping some hope for this. I loved the pilot, and all but the last 45 seconds of the second episode. Right now it doesn't matter (to me) if one side or the other is real. The conspiracy thing was pretty ham-fisted though. I hope it takes a real backseat to the original premise for awhile.

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  • _J__J_ Pedant Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    or whether he has just created a fantasy world to escape into.

    Either alternative would be a lame fantasy world.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Malkor wrote: »
    I'm keeping some hope for this. I loved the pilot, and all but the last 45 seconds of the second episode. Right now it doesn't matter (to me) if one side or the other is real. The conspiracy thing was pretty ham-fisted though. I hope it takes a real backseat to the original premise for awhile.

    The Truman Show in MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE.

  • _J__J_ Pedant Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    Malkor wrote: »
    I'm keeping some hope for this. I loved the pilot, and all but the last 45 seconds of the second episode. Right now it doesn't matter (to me) if one side or the other is real. The conspiracy thing was pretty ham-fisted though. I hope it takes a real backseat to the original premise for awhile.

    The Truman Show in MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE.

    Do not besmirch the Truman Show by comparing it to a quirky cop drama.

  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    The early reviews said that this fell apart in the third episode. It seems they were wrong!

    So, he finally explicitly used knowledge from one universe to help him in another. That was unavoidable, but does seem to have sealed off the "is he just crazy?" angle. I kind of want them to play up the angle of a relationship with billy's tennis coach. It could be interesting to see him having to justify cheating on his wife (she's dead! Sort of).

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • dkendken Level Design Police The Endless CabalRegistered User new member
    This actually reminds me of Life on Mars quite a bit. Premise is similar with a different execution; still it looks to be worth watching.

    STOP! Those trees do not go with that grass texture.
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    It's interesting to see them really hammer home that his wife/son dying isn't the point of divergence for the two universes. I hope that there's a reason for it.

    Otherwise, it' still good. I'm a little sad that nobody else seems to still be watching.

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • hippofanthippofant ティンク Registered User regular
    Welp, I'm a little confused now. I guess the two universes must have diverged BEFORE the crash? Maybe the point is irrelevant, but since the question was raised, it's bugging me now.

  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    Hmm. Apparently the episodes aren't being shown in order (this explains why Rex was upset about his mum being dead, rather than having been kidnapped). That is a stupid move on behalf of the TV network, all it does is weaken the continuity.

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    Hmm. Apparently the episodes aren't being shown in order (this explains why Rex was upset about his mum being dead, rather than having been kidnapped). That is a stupid move on behalf of the TV network, all it does is weaken the continuity.

    I swear to God, if this show gets Firefly'd...

    PEUsig_zps56da03ec.jpg
  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    Oh my gods. "That's Not My Penguin".
    First off, the penguin felt like a Fight Club reference, which is always welcome. Also, the "it was all a dream" trope is overused, but this episode actually used it VERY well at the end, with the revelation that Dr. Lee wasn't inside.

    On a more personal note, they managed to touch on all my deepest fears about mental illness and my own perceptions...just in the intro.

    Solid episode.

    PEUsig_zps56da03ec.jpg
  • hippofanthippofant ティンク Registered User regular
    Oh my gods. "That's Not My Penguin".
    First off, the penguin felt like a Fight Club reference, which is always welcome. Also, the "it was all a dream" trope is overused, but this episode actually used it VERY well at the end, with the revelation that Dr. Lee wasn't inside.

    On a more personal note, they managed to touch on all my deepest fears about mental illness and my own perceptions...just in the intro.

    Solid episode.
    I, alas, called the Dr. Lee bit as soon as I saw it. Still, cool. That episode really, honestly, freaked me the fuck out.

  • AistanAistan Tiny Bat Registered User regular
    This is probably my favorite new show at the moment. I'm amazed how well it has consistently held up as it has gone along.

  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    If they can continue playing up the "he's actually going insane, but making it work for him" angle, it has the potential to be a truly great show.

    PEUsig_zps56da03ec.jpg
  • Atlas in ChainsAtlas in Chains Registered User regular
    I'm rooting for the show to go full on sci-fi. I hope we find out the penguin sneaks into his room at night and hooks him up to the Matrix.

    I don't find the "going crazy" angle interesting because people don't go crazy this way. I know it's weird, but I can accept a parallel universe before I can accept a fully realized dream. Dreams only seem real until you wake up, then the surreal hits you and you can tell dream from reality.

  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    I was expecting the guy in the mental hospital to be doing the same world hopping thing, but no, he was just insane.

    I hope they address how his having a blue day in the middle of a yellow day knocks things out of sync (they've either just reversed order or he's a day ahead in one reality now).

    His son's girlfriend is also clearly evil.

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    His son's girlfriend is also clearly evil.

    Totally.

    PEUsig_zps56da03ec.jpg
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