Sky Atlantic has closed a deal with 20th Century Fox Television Distribution to acquire the exclusive first-run rights to NBC’s drama series Awake. The show’s 13 episode first season is set to receive its UK premiere on the channel later this spring.

Awake was created by Kyle Killen and stars Jason Isaacs, Steve Harris, BD Wong, Laura Allen, Wilmer Valderrama, Cherry Jones, Dylan Minnette and Michaela McManus and follows an NYPD detective (Isaacs) whose wife and son are killed in a car crash and in order to cope his mind invents two realities which he lives in; one where his wife survives the crash and his son dies and one where his son survives the crash and his wife dies. The series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, with Killen, Jeffrey Reiner and Howard Gordon (24, Homeland) serving as executive producers.

Speaking of the acquisition, Sarah Wright, Sky’s Director of Acquisitions, said: “Sky Atlantic HD is committed to bringing the best drama exclusively to our customers. Awake with its stellar cast and intriguing plot lines, together with Game of Thrones and Smash will ensure Sky Atlantic HD has the perfect drama schedule this spring.”

Source

On NBC’s “Awake,” Michaela McManus plays Tara, the tennis instructor who helps a teenage boy deal with the death of his mom and the stress that event put on his relationship with his dad (Jason Isaacs).

Except there’s a good chance that it could be the son who died and the mom who lived, and Tara’s reality could all be a dream.

“Awake” presents both realities every week as Isaac’s character, a police detective named Michael, goes to sleep in one world only to wake up in another. He can’t tell (and neither can viewers) which reality is the dream and which is, well, reality.

McManus acknowledged that it’s a heady premise for a primetime drama.

“Because it was so different and unique and special, I was wondering how they would carry that through an entire season,” McManus said. “I’m so happy with the way they are turning out. The writers are incredible.”

And those writers won’t try to pull a fast one on audiences and reveal that, say, Michael is dead and both worlds are fake.

“They’re very clear … There is a dream world, and there is a real world,” she said. “It’s not just going to explode in your face.”

Ultimately, McManus hopes viewers don’t focus more on the destination than the journey by dwelling too much on which reality is a dream.

“By the end, it was like I didn’t want to know. You’re so drawn into both story lines, it’s like you don’t want one to go away.”

Before “Awake,” McManus starred for one season on NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and had a recurring role in The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries.” But locals might remember her most from the year she spent in Wilmington filming the CW drama “One Tree Hill.”

Read the Full Interview Here

NBC will give the new sci-fi-tinged drama “Awake” the Thursdays-at-10 timeslot now held by “The Firm” beginning March 1, and is moving the struggling legal drama to the Saturday-night TV no-man’s land.

“The Firm” will move to Saturdays at 9 p.m. beginning Feb. 11, and “Grimm” repeats will air on Thursdays at 10 beginning Feb. 9, until “Awake” takes over the timeslot.

Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus and Kelly Curran have rounded out the cast of David Hackl’s “Red Machine.”
Thesps join James Marsden, Piper Perabo, Thomas Jane and Billy Bob Thornton in the film from Indomitable Entertainment and Paul Schiff Prods.

Pic centers around two estranged brothers (Marsden, Jane) who reconcile on a camping trip with their girlfriends. Once in the remote wilderness, however, things go horribly awry when they are attacked and relentlessly stalked by a horrifying grizzly bear — the Red Machine.

“Saw V” helmer Hackl will direct from a script by J.R. Reher.

Paul Schiff, Tai Duncan and Hadeel Reda will produce. Indomitable’s Dominic Ianno and Stuart Pollok exec produce.

Source