Rude Awakening is an American television sitcom series created by Claudia Lonow, that aired on Showtime over fifty-five 22-minute episodes spanning three seasons (1998–2001).Rude Awakening tells the story of Billie Frank, an out of work alcoholic ex-soap-opera actress. She tries to go sober and become a writer but continues to struggle with her self-destructive habits. The show depicts her relations with other members of AA, her neighbor Dave, and her mother, Trudy.