Turtles All the Way Down

"Turtles All the Way Down" is the thirteenth and final episode of the American television police procedural fantasy drama Awake. It premiered on May 23, 2012 in Canada on Global, and on May 24, 2012 in the United States on NBC. "Turtles All the Way Down" was scheduled to air on May 17, 2012, as part two of a two-hour finale. NBC had changed the order, and moved it to the following week. The teleplay of the episode was written by series creator Kyle Killen, from a story by Killen, and staff writers Leonard Chang and Noelle Valdivia. It was directed by Miguel Sapochnik. "Turtles All the Way Down" was well received by television critics, who praised its storylines. Commentators noted that the script was well written. Upon airing, "Turtles All the Way Down" obtained 2.87 million viewers in the United States and 0.9 million in the 18–49 demographic, according to Nielsen ratings. The show centers on Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) a police detective living in two separate realities after a car accident. In the episode, Michael Britten finds out the truth about the car accident that caused his split realities, and seeks out those responsible for it. He finds out that Captain Tricia Harper (Laura Innes) caused the accident, alongside Ed Hawkins (Kevin Weisman) and Captain Carl Kessel (Mark Harelik). Plot In his "green reality" (where his son is alive and his wife is dead), Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) sits in a prison cell temporary for killing Detective Ed Hawkins (Kevin Weisman), who caused Michael's car accident. Meanwhile, his partner in the "green reality", Detective Isaiah "Bird" Freeman (Steve Harris) finds heroin that Hawkins, under orders from Captain Kessel (Mark Harelik), had placed in a self storage unit. Meanwhile, Captain Tricia Harper (Laura Innes) shoots Carl Kessel in a hotel room, making it look like a suicide to cover up her involvement in Michael's accident. Michael is freed from the cell and Kessel's body is found. Michael regains consciousness (after having passed out from a gunshot wound when Ed Hawkins was chasing after him) near a dumpster in the "red reality" (where his wife is alive and son is dead). The still-alive Detective Hawkins takes Michael to his car, but Michael flees after attacking Hawkins and causes a car accident. Michael finds his therapist in the "red reality", Dr. John Lee (BD Wong), forces him to sew up the bullet wound, and takes him to the self-storage unit to show him the heroin stash.