It is rare that film or television versions of Stephen King’s work turns out good. There are rare examples like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Carrie, Stand By Me and The Shining but there are more painful ones like The Lawnmower Man, Dreamcatcher, Thinner, Needful Things, The Tommyknockers, The Dark Half, Graveyard Shift and Maximum Overdrive. Under the Dome sort of fits into the latter category. Not because of the idea or story behind the television series because that is cool rather it is the acting that sinks this show. Poor and wooden acting by several of the cast members just detracts from the story.
It is a story of a small town that suddenly finds itself covered and isolated from the rest of the world by a huge dome that descends upon it. Residents of Chester’s Mill begin living a nightmare having to deal with an apocalyptic type experience. They have to deal with a lack of food, several plague-like occurrences and poor human behaviour. How will they get out?
Episode 1: Heads Will Roll: Big Jim (played by Dean Norris) has Barbie’s (played by Mike Vogel) live in his hands. The Dome becomes even more of a problem when it becomes magnetized.
Episode 2: Infestation: Rebecca (played by Karla Crome) discovers that there is an infestation of butterflies in Chester’s Mill. The butterflies pose a risk to the town’s food supply.
Episode 3: Force Majeure: Big Jim enacts a census on the residents of Chester’s Mill to help predict how long the town’s food supply will last. A welcomed rain storm turns into danger when he rain turns acidic.
Episode 4: Revelation: As conditions in the town get worse Big Jim and Rebecca consider culling the population in order to raise the chance of survival for those remaining. This decision causes a rift between Julia (played by Rachelle Lefevre) and Barbie.
Episode 5: Reconciliation: The town’s residents are divided when they learn of Big Jim and Rebecca’s plan for population control. Julia has now assumed the role of town leader.
Episode 6: In the Dark: Barbie and Sam (played by Eddie Cahill) set out to investigate the strange tunnel. While inside a cave in occurs and their exit is cut off.
Episode 7: Going Home: Barbie decides to search for Sam in the abyss in the tunnel. Once there he discovers he is in a place he knows very well.
Episode 8: Awakening: Barbie gets his father’s (played by Brett Cullen) help to contact Julia. Big Jim names himself sheriff of Chester’s Mill.
Episode 9: The Red Door: Barbie is captured by a group of men dressed in black and brutally interrogated. Big Jim makes a deal with a man on the outside.
Episode 10: The Fall: Big Jim finds out that his wife Pauline (played by Sherry Stringfield) is still alive. Chester’s Mill is now under attack from the climate.
Episode 11: Black Ice: The temperature continues to plummet causing Sam and Rebecca to act in order to save the residents of the town. Barbie risks his life in order to attempt to save Julia’s life.
Episode 12: Turn: The Dome’s movement threatens to crush the citizens of Chester’s Mill. Melanie (played by Grace Victoria Cox) gets sicker.
Episode 13: Go Now: There might be a way for the citizens of Chester’s Mill to get out of the Dome. They have to be quick as the Dome’s walls continue to close in.
Special Features: Inside Chester’s Mill, Reading From the Dome, Filming the Season Premiere, Stephen King & Season 2, Welcome Back to Chester’s Mill, A Journey Through Season 2, The Transmedia World of Under the Dome, The Visual Effects of Season 2, Ready for Action: Tales From Under the Dome – Paintings by Jack Bender, Ready for Action: Tales From Under the Dome – Creating Chester’s Mill, Gag Reel
