Guilty (Awake)
"Guilty" | |
---|---|
Awake episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 3 |
Directed by | Jeffrey Reiner |
Written by | |
Production code | 1ATR02 |
Original air date | March 15, 2012 |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"Guilty" is the third episode of the American
The show centers on Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs), a police detective living in two separate realities after a car accident. In this episode, John Cooper (Clifton Powell), a convict that Michael arrested 10 years ago, escapes from jail. Tara (Michaela McManus) and Rex (Dylan Minnette) go to tennis practice. Cooper hits the car Rex is in, incapacitates Tara, and kidnaps Rex. John kidnaps him for "justice", claiming that he was innocent. Michael later finds out in the "red reality", that Jim Mayhew (William Russ) had framed him for murder. He wears a wire to set him up, and obtains a confession. Meanwhile, Hannah's (Laura Allen) friends organize a service for Rex's death in the "red reality". Michael can't come because of the "green reality".
Plot
The episode opens in the "green reality" (where Rex is alive and Hannah isn't), with John Cooper (Clifton Powell), a convict that Michael arrested 10 years ago, who is transferred to a medical clinic for dialysis because he is missing a kidney, by Nancy (Lolly Ward). As the guard takes Cooper to the car to go back to prison, he complains that the prisoner is getting preferential treatment over his mother, who is on the waiting list. As they arrive at the van, Cooper uses a paralytic vial hidden in his bandages to knock one guard out. He takes his gun, and makes the other security guard shut the door. Cooper claims his has "nothing to lose". Later, at home, while Rex's tennis coach Tara (Michaela McManus) takes him to tennis practice, Michael gets a call from Isaiah "Bird" Freeman (Steve Harris), his partner, that Cooper had escaped. Rex and Tara are talking about Rex's guilt about his father, when Cooper hits the car, and puts a chemical thing on Tara, and kidnaps Rex.
Michael and Bird investigate in the case, and Michael, with evidence, finds out where Rex is, and runs away. Meanwhile, Rex wakes up inside of a shed, handcuffed to the floor. He tries to dial
Michael leaves the prison and calls Mayhew, and offers to come over for a beer. However, once Michael comes over, he reminds Mayhew that Bell had a million dollars but only $100,000 ever turned up. He figures that Mayhew killed Bell, took the money, and planted the gun in Cooper's house. When Michael demands his share of the stolen money, he kept stating that there was no money. However, as Michael leaves, Mayhew says that he has the remaining money for him. Michael leaves, Mayhew goes to the door, and finds out that the police are there. They arrest him. Michael's partner in the "red reality", Efrem Vega (Wilmer Valderrama) admits to Michael that he wasn't sure if his partner had dreamed up the entire thing. Later in the "green reality", Michael and the team head to the shed to get Rex, and take him to the hospital. In the shed, Rex had left a video message, which Michael had watched. Rex had said that he loved him. Michael wakes up in the "red reality", and speaks to Hannah about their experiences.[1]
Production
The episode was written by series executive producer and showrunner Howard Gordon and consulting producer Evan Katz,[2] and was directed by Jeffrey Reiner.[3] It marked both Gordon and Katz's first writing credit in the series, and director Reiner's second directing credit, with the last episode he directed being "The Little Guy", the second episode aired on March 8, 2012.[4] This is the first episode that was not written by series creator and executive producer Kyle Killen.[2]
Casting
The episode featured guest performances from many actors including:
Reception
Ratings
"Guilty" was originally broadcast on March 15, 2012 in the
Critical response
"Guilty" was well received by most television commentators, who praised its storylines. Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a complimentary review.[6] He claimed that the episode "effectively ramped up the tension".[6] Fowler thought that it "might have been a bit too much to accept that poor Rex had to suffer through yet another near-death ordeal", and that "the episode itself was able to provide genuine thrills mixed with some incredible moments of tenderness".[6] Fowler noted that Michael fully took "advantage of his unique, tragic, situation by having him purposefully use one world as a source of information to help him solve a case".[6] Stating that the episode had "top-tier entertainment", Fowler concluded his review by giving the episode a "9 out of 10", classifying it as "great".[6] Nick McHatton from TV Fanatic mainly enjoyed this episode.[11] McHatton claimed that Rex's current behaviour and thoughts are "understandable" and "heart-renching".[11] He concluded his review by giving the episode a "4.7 out of 5" score.[11] Caroline Preece from Den of Geek gave praise in the episode.[12] He thought the episode was "built around a gripping premise".[12] Preece wrote that the series is "still very odd" after the episode.[12] HitFix's Alan Sepinwall noted many parts of the episode.[2] Sepinwall stated that there was a "notable change in feel or style" from other episodes, because of different writers for the episode.[2] He noted that "the idea of the loved one getting kidnapped feels like a very big card to play this early", and that "it does fit in with the theme of the show".[2] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave less praise and enjoyment in the episode.[13] In his "B−" review, he noted that the "premise has been established".[13] He stated that it is "a clever device".[13] He argued that the "plotting isn't helping" the episode.[13] The Voice of TV's Mary Powers gave the episode an "A−" grade.[14] She called the episode "fabulous".[14] Carl Cortez from Assignment X gave much praise in the episode.[3] He called it a "twisty/turny adventure".[3] Cortez claimed that it "feels too early and convenient" for Rex to get kidnapped.[3]
References
- ^ Delman, Matthew (March 2012). "'Awake: Guilty' - Recap". Science Fiction. Archived from the original on May 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Sepinwall, Alan (March 15, 2012). "Review: Awake - Guilty: I am a cop! Looking for my son!". HitFix. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Cortez, Carl (March 16, 2012). "TV Review: AWAKE – Season 1 – "Guilty"". Assignment X. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Awake Episode Guide 2012 Season 1 - Guilty, Episode 3". TV Guide. March 15, 2012. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ "Listings - AWAKE on NBC". The Futon Critic. March 15, 2012. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ News Corporation. Archivedfrom the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (March 16, 2012). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Idol', 'The Office', 'Missing' Adjusted Up, 'Private Practice' Adjusted Down + NCAA Game Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ Bibel, Sara (March 9, 2012). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Idol' Adjusted Up; 'Parks & Recreation' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ BARB. Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e 20 May 2012", listed under Sky Atlantic
- ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". BARB. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e 13 May 2012", listed under Sky Atlantic
- ^ a b c McHatton, Nick (March 15, 2012). "Awake Review: Forced Perceptions". TV Fanatic. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c Preece, Caroline (March 18, 2012). "Awake episode 3 review: Guilty". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Handlen, Zack (March 15, 2012). "Guilty". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on June 27, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ a b Powers, Mary (March 16, 2012). "'Awake' Review: Guilty". The Voice of TV. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.