Among the more promising high-concept dramas to air last year was Kyle Killen's Awake. Unfortunately, the series failed to earn strong ratings and NBC cancelled it, leaving star Jason Isaacs available to pursue other TV projects. NBC's loss may be CBS' gain as Isaacs has signed on to star in a drama pilot for the network.
The pilot comes from Lie to Me creator Samuel Baum. It's called Surgeon General and TVLine says Isaacs will play the lead role of "America's doctor." His character is described as "a man of solid build and solid character," who's a rare mix of resolve, humanity and dry wit. With that in mind, it sounds like Isaacs is perfect for this part.
Isaacs starred as detective Michael Britten in NBC's Awake, a series about a man who continuously wakes up in one of two realities, one in which his son died in a car accident and the other in which his son survived the accident but his wife died. The series had him trying to make sense of his situation, while also grieving and appreciating the time he had with his wife and son. He also worked as a detective, solving crimes in both realities. Isaacs was one of the best things about the promising series, but it failed to develop an audience. Prior to that, his roles include playing the sinister Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, Captain Hook in the 2003 film Peter Pan, and Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot. I'd actually love to see Isaacs play another villainous role, but this new role sounds like a great fit for him, especially following Awake. We'll have to wait and see if CBS finds a spot for it on their 2013-2014 line-up.
