Jason Isaacs: 'Awake is a high-concept risk'

Jason Isaacs has claimed that his new NBC drama series Awake is "high concept" and "a risk" for network TV.

Awake follows the story of a detective who finds himself living out two realities. In one reality, his wife has died in a car crash and in the other his son has died. He is unsure which life is a dream and doesn't want to find out the truth because he doesn't want to lose either family member.

Speaking about the dangers of airing such a complex story on a major network, Isaacs insisted that he wouldn't be willing to dilute the plot to ensure the show gets a full season.

Isaacs told the Guardian: "There's a risk Awake is too high-concept for US networks. The US shows I love - Mad Men, Sopranos - would never work on network TV. This has to work on network TV, like House or CSI.

"And I've got producer credit. Lots of shows get canned mid-series because they didn't sell to middle America. If it flops, I'll live with it. I don't want to be in crap.

"Mind you, Brotherhood [his 2006 TV series] was critically praised and nobody watched it. I hanker for something that gets a critical mauling but is enormously successful."

Isaacs added: "I think this show I'm going to do, Awake, if it's done well, will not only be provocative and entertaining, but help people. I want to do that."

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