A Look into the Series ‘Under the Dome’

This is my personal take on the series, Under the Dome. You are free to agree or disagree with me. Let me know in the comment section below.

Warning – Spoiler alerts for those who are yet to watch this show. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Under The Dome, the Netflix drama series based on the bestselling Stephen King novel of the same name, is a must-watch for anyone interested in Sci-fi shows. With only three Seasons, the show has managed to capture the attention of viewers, who have mixed reactions about it. The show was only meant to run for one season, but later extends up to three. Although it is a short series, compared to the other shows, it nevertheless manages to pack a lot of action and mystery. You can either hate it or love it, but you cannot stop watching this show without seeking answers for several mysteries and questions this show poses.

As the name suggests, the fictional town of Chester’s Mill is one day trapped under an invisible dome, which cuts them off from the rest of the world. No one can get in and no one can get out of this dome. The dome cuts houses in half, downs power lines, crushes cars that can’t see it, and most effectively and gruesomely, cuts a cow completely in half. The dome’s presence is known only when you touch it, which gives off a slight electric shock – enough to warn you but not to kill you.

The reason behind the dome is unknown and the citizens of the town are left stranded, with food, water and other resources running low. The citizens of the dome fend for themselves, with little to no help from the outside world.

As the show progresses, we see chaos happening within the dome. It turns into a dystopian society where violence, crime and other vices begin to rear their ugly heads. Certain characters try to bring about a sense of order, but it usually ends in vain.

The government approaches the dome’s citizens, looking for a mysterious egg, with very little concern about the people trapped under the dome. This egg later becomes the centre of the story and it is the catalyst for a lot of the action. The plot thickens and unravels as the show progresses, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

The characters are well-written and they all have their own past and role in the storyline. We see the lives of the characters interconnect into a tangled web and it is interesting to watch their development. The character of Julia Shumway, magnificently portrayed by Rachelle Lefevre, is a strong woman character that stands out from the rest.

The show has all the characters that are required in a good story – a Villain (Big Jim), a smart kid (Joe McAlister), a rebel (Norrie), a waitress who wants to see the world (Angie), a goody man with a dark past (Barbie), a never back down kind of a woman (Julia), a gay couple (Carolyn and Dr. Alice), a drunk with dark secrets (Sam), the kid with family issues (Junior), random high school kids, sheriff, and every other kind of character you can think of. It is an interesting mix and each character contributes something to the main storyline. The show focuses on the tales of the interconnected lives of a large cast of everyday small-town Americans. The show is shot beautifully, with great care given to the details in the setting and angles. The effects are stellar, and never fail to draw the viewer in and leave us on the edge of our seat.

The thought that ran through my mind when I first started watching this show, I’m sure most of you would agree with me, was to immediately think of The Simpsons Movie where the citizens of Springfield are all stuck under a similar dome.

The book Under the Dome was published in 2009 and The Simpsons Movie was released in 2007. It may seem like Stephen King’s version is the copy, and he thwarts these rumours by saying, “I have never seen the movie,” King replies on his website, “and the similarity came as a complete surprise to me.” But it doesn’t matter, he argues, because unless there is outright plagiarism, “stories can no more be alike than snowflakes. The reason is simple: no two imaginations are exactly alike.”

Although the storyline and a few elements may seem similar, there are a few contrasts between the two – mainly the origin of the dome. While the dome in ‘The Simpsons Movie’ is put down as quarantine by the USA government, the dome in ‘Under the Dome’ is caused by aliens.  

Whether it is for its stellar cast, or your love for sci-fi disaster shows, Under the Dome is a show that deserves a spot on your watch-list. It can also be a fun watch, where you can compare between the series and the Simpsons movie. Whatever your reason may be, this show is definitely a must-watch for all those who are a fan of Stephen King and Sci-fi alike. With a stack of movies in his arsenal, Stephen King repeatedly enthrals his audience. And when has Stephen King ever truly disappointed us?