In an effort to raise awareness, NBC’s Awake is the latest series pilot to be put online ahead of the series premiere to drum up interest. In a part of a growing trend, the opening episode of the parallel universe drama starring Jason Isaacs is being made available 2 weeks before the series’ premiere on March 1.
This comes one day after the network put out the first seven minutes of the mid-season replacement series. The show is created by Kyle Killen (Lone Star) and also executive produced by Howard Gordon (24, Homeland).
A similar tactic was used for Smash, which premiered Feb. 6 to 11.4 million total viewers and a 3.8 rating following The Voice. NBC released the first episode for the “making of a Broadway musical” show beginning Jan. 16 via digital platforms, three weeks before it launched. The network also screened the pilot in select cities.
Awake makes its way to the small screen Thursday, March 1 at 10 p.m., taking over the slot previously occupied by Prime Suspect and The Firm, the latter now airing on Saturdays.
Awake centers on police detective Michael Britten (Isaacs) who finds himself living in two realities after a brutal car accident, one where his wife Hannah (Laura Allen) is alive and the other where his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) is.
Watch the full pilot after the jump.
http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/video/Pilot/1385322
