Comic-Con 2015: CBS's Under the Dome

I remember the announcements about Steven Spielberg and Stephen King coming together for Under the Dome, and for a while I had an appreciation for the sci-fi series. However, that show really jumped the shark at the start of Season 3 when everyone wound up back under the dome after spending two seasons getting out. Plus, only three weeks have gone by on the show, so the pace is unreal... are they trying to be 24 here??

Mike Vogel, Colin Ford, Marg Helgenberger are the only three actors who were present, but rounding out the panel were EPs Neal Baer and Tim Schlattmann. [I'm totally wondering why Dean Norris, Rachelle LeFevre, and Alexander Koch weren't there...] 

Vogel talked about his bond with Rachelle LeFevre (Julia on the show), hinting that she's his favorite actress to work with on the drama. [I've gotta say... hearing Vogel use "all y'all" threw me... he's from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, guys!] Helgenberger preferred to talk about how grateful she is that people come from all over the world to attend Comic-Con. Ford has learned a lot about playing a villain from the other actors on the show... but the fate of humanity may soon rest on his character, Joe, so being evil won't help a whole lot.

We were treated to bits of future episodes (tonight's as well as the two following it), so look forward to seeing things like a tent city near the school, Christine talking about how everyone could soon suffocate if amethysts dying calcifies the Dome, a lot of injuries, and Christine joining Big Jim (and dog) in jail!

Under the Dome is on CBS Thursdays at 10pm (ET/PT).

Comic-Con 2015: Thursday's CBS Block

We are at Comic-Con for the fifth year in a row! Last night was spent getting exclusive merchandise from Exhibit Hall and catching some of the Warner Bros. pilots, but now we're diving right into the good stuff!

Thursday we're starting off with a large block of CBS programming, including panels and previews for Extant, Limitless, Scorpion, Under the Dome, and Zoo.

These run from 12pm-3:30pm (PT) so it's a huge chunk of time for essentially one panel, whereas in the past it's been clear that 12-12:30 was Show 1, 12:30-1:30 was Show 2, etc. It also means that there will either be no swag or a large swag bundle, which is an interesting change from years past. Speaking of swag and changes, the Fulfillment Room is now being called Programming Premiums... though I don't think that'll catch on among veterans anytime soon.

Of this block of shows, I am most thrilled to see more Scorpion, which had a good showing last year and is easily my favorite drama from last season's premieres. I could care less about the highly discussed Extant, but Halle Berry will, of course, be a highlight. I've been on the fence about Zoo since it began its promotion cycle, but maybe this will turn me into a fan. I have not been enjoying Season 3 of Under the Dome, but it has such a peculiar following that I'm intrigued to hear what sorts of questions the audience in the room may pose. Limitless is the least publicized series on this mega-panel, so it's a bit of a mystery as to what they'll showcase there...

Stay tuned for posts as often as we can do them, or pop over to Twitter and Facebook for more updates! They are cracking down on electronic devices during panels this year, so if you see large chunks of time go by without anything, it's because we're being treated to special goodness!

Under the Dome: The Truth about The Abyss

Every single time this show begins and the audience hears Mike Vogel's voice say it's been two weeks since the Dome came down, I cringe. Why? Because the second season premiere mentioned it had been three weeks, and the inconsistency kills me. There are so many intricacies to track with this series, why let a little thing like that slip? Especially when the date is clearly being recorded in parts of the project - the billboard in Zenith showed it was Dome Day 17. Also, now that we've seen Pauline's painting of a red door that's on Barbie's father's property, I've written off my interest for her predictions, which is pretty directly related to what the show is thriving upon at this point. Six episodes to go this season, and who knows how much ground to cover... literally, as the size of the show's universe just expanded to, well, the world.  

cbs.com

Under the Dome "Going Home" (S02E07): Junior doesn't believe that Sam committed suicide, so Barbie decides to rappel down to find Sam's body, as the scratches will prove he killed Angie. But, as a flare doesn't hit the ground, a laser pointer can't reach across the abyss, and a compass spins, the situation is more dangerous than the group once believed. [so, like, we're at the North Pole?] As Barbie goes down, the anchor rips from the boulder, and he cuts himself loose to avoid Julia and Rebecca being pulled over with him. Joe sends down a quad-copter, and the last part of the recording shows it landed at a playground in Zenith. Junior, Melanie, and the egg arrive, and the egg confirms that Zenith is out over the abyss. [only a mind like Stephen King's could even come up with this stuff!]

In Zenith, Barbie goes to his place, but it's been staked out by the crew he was working for when the Dome came down. Barbie heads to his home, but he's almost immediately followed by the crew he was doing a job for when the Dome went down. [how long were they just gonna stalk the place?] They demand he finish, but he gets out of it by leading them to his father's home and dialing a panic code into the alarm system. [risky move!] Barbie then asks the man to get him to the Dome so he can send a message to Julia, but Barbie's deceased mother already had the VIP pull a lot of strings. Still, he's willing to help his son.

Meanwhile, Sam visit Pauline at the psychiatric institute, where Lyle is in a trance repeating Melanie's name. [creepy!] Sam tell Pauline about Melanie's resurrection.

Back in Chester's Mill, BigJim threatens Rebecca after she and Julia lie about Barbie's whereabouts. He decides to organize a memorial service with the aim to put himself back in power.[no real surprise there!]

Under the Dome: The Abyss

The last thing this show needs is more romance. I don't care about Barbie and Julia, but I care even less about Joe and Norrie, especially if they're going to turn into a will-they-or-won't-they couple. Speaking of the teens, it occurred to me that it's going to be tough to stretch this series into five seasons (like the EPs hope to do), as there's months between filming but the kids are going to visibly age more than the couple weeks each season's stories seem to run. But, that's a future problem, and I don't know that there's a definitive future at this point... at least the pink stars are back!

Brownie Harris/CBS2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Under the Dome "In the Dark" (S02E06): The red rain dried out the topsoil, so now that the wind has picked up, dirt is blowing everywhere. This could cause a suffocation concern if the Dome gets covered, so BigJim tries to get the citizens to spread water into the air to get everything under control. It takes some time because the people don't trust BigJim, but soon they're working on hoisting a giant windmill. [I don't think BigJim knows what he's doing, though.]

Junior and Sam start exploring the tunnel, following footprints. Half a mile in, Rebecca calls for backup, and Barbie gets there just in time to save Junior from a booby trap. [can we find out HOW that tunnel got there and how Lyle knew about it??] Junior goes back the way he came and gets medical attention while Barbie and Sam continue on, unable to return through the cave-in. They reach a fork and split up, but the paths merge and they come upon an abyss that seems to be outside of the Dome. [interesting.] Junior goes to take care of the other "hands" while Julia and Rebecca look up maps of the cement factory tunnels, only to realize they go nowhere near the school. [this adds up with the fact that Sam and Barbie believe they're outside of the Dome walls.] To reach the guys, Rebecca mixes chemicals to make a bomb. [she's really proving to be quite skilled, eh?] As that happens, Barbie makes Sam tell him about the night Melanie died, and we hear about how Lyle killed her. Then, Barbie sees Angie's scratches on Sam and hears about Pauline's prophetic journal, which Sam believes means the hands must all die. He jumps off into the nothingness moments before Julia reaches Barbie. [Comic-Con suggested only one person was getting out of the Dome this season, plus Barbie will also fall into the abyss, so as that makes three people, I'm thinking it's not them who get lucky...]

The teens head out to the lake (where it's strangely not dusty), and touch hands to make the submerged egg glow. They take it home, touch it, and an obelisk-type object is created from pink stars. Melanie says there's something like that in her hometown of Zenith. [which they can't get to, so...?]

Under the Dome: Unraveling

Lyle is on the loose, there are many people with bits and pieces of unshared information that could potentially help Chester's Mill, Rebecca is still dangerous, and scheming has become the way of life. Things Under the Dome are looking bleaker and bleaker, so Stephen King fans are probably nicely settled in for the remainder of the season. However, the non-readers may not be as attached, as the viewing numbers are down to about half of what they were last season. Still, it's highly speculated that the series will get a third season, so who knows. Personally, I'm in it at this point purely because it has reached trainwreck status in my eyes and I can't look away. 

Brownie Harris/CBS2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Under the Dome "Revelation" (S02E04): The census suggests the mother who birthed the first Dome baby is the next to go, and Rebecca wastes no time determining how that will happen. She takes blood from a diseased piglet carcass, and injects eggs to grow a virus. Sam and Julia figure out what's going on as Rebecca continues to sell BigJim on the idea that this way, only those who are strong enough to fight the illness will survive. [weird pants on Julia.] Rebecca claims that they only have 7 days of food left, so they plan to put the virus in the water source at the diner or in the church, but Julia stops them, and warns Rebecca that the virus is stronger than initially thought. [Rebecca: "a virus is nature's way of leveling the playing field."] Both Rebecca and BigJim spend the night in jail.

Norrie doesn't believe that DomeGirl is Melanie, but Barbie leads the teens to use microfiche at the library, where they learn that Melanie vanished. She then wants to go to her old house, and once they're there, she recognizes a drawing she made of pink stars falling in the woods. [now they have a new house they can stay in!] They head to the woods, and Melanie has flashbacks of Pauline, Sam, and Lyle with her, looking at a meteorite that they all touch. It explodes, they find an egg, and Melanie tried to protect it, only for Sam to accidentally kill her by pushing her back toward the meteorite, where she fell and hit her head. [and the deep marks on Sam's shoulder suggest he's Angie's killer, too.] Barbie digs until they hit the meteor... and they find Melanie's necklace.

Junior frees Lyle from prison, and learns that he helped Pauline escape, and she sent him postcards telling the story of the impending Dome. [I'm kinda over the clairvoyance part of this show.] When they find Pauline's old journal, Lyle whacks Junior and runs out with the book. Barbie and the kids find Junior, then Barbie goes to talk to Julia, but she won't speak to him because it seemed he was on-board with Rebecca's Darwin scheme.

Under the Dome "Reconciliation" (S02E05): [The internet was two days ago] BigJim and Rebecca need a lawyer, and Carolyn takes the case. Phil goes to the jail to break out BigJim, but he just has Phil sabotage Julia. [that definitely sounds like BigJim!] Julia institutes a voluntary food-sharing program to make sure nobody goes hungry, but there's an explosion that destroys a lot of the food. Carolyn suspects Phil when she sees a stocked storage closet, and he beats her. [not that surprising for a man who has already shot someone when a small riot broke out!] Barbie shoots him in the shoulder, while Julia learns that there's more food around, thanks to Lloyd, who was a survivalist and left his wife with a lot of hoarded non-perishables. Julia also wants Barbie to take over as sheriff, but he's not initially keen on the idea.  

Barbie fills in Julia about Melanie while the kids are out seeing if Melanie will have visions when she touches the Dome. Norrie insults Melanie, Joe kisses the ghost, and then they decide to compare their blood samples... only they don't know what they're looking for and need Rebecca's help. [are we out of medical personnel at this point?]

Sam digs out a wooden box with papers in it from Pauline's journal, and plants them in Lyle's barbershop. This makes Junior think Lyle killed Angie, and and he shares the other "hands" with Sam. Sam gets Junior drunk and plans to smother him with a pillow, but he doesn't go through with it. Instead, they return the school locker and discover a tunnel underneath. [uh huh. because that seems likely. ::eye roll::]

2014 Comic-Con: Thursday's TV Panels

So, we had initially planned our Thursday TV panels to start in the Indigo Ballroom, but when the line for Ballroom 20 was super-short at 8am, we headed into that instead. So, rather than see Betty White and the USA Dig panel, we were treated to 24 with Kiefer Sutherland, Under the Dome with a good chunk of the cast, and a screening of CBS's new drama, Scorpion. Not sticking around for Reign, we headed out and about to do all sorts of fun Comic-Con things before hitting an evening panel on the Psychology of Cult TV Shows. Included below are some highlights from these four events - look for more in-depth articles in the future. And, be sure to follow us on SmugMug, on Twitter or on Facebook for the latest throughout Comic-Con!

24, with Kiefer Sutherland and Jon Cassar.
- filming in London was very different. Sutherland talked about how many rules there are when it came to having weapons on the set, but onlookers were permitted to crowd outside the scenes and watch filming! At one point, 2,000 people watched a scene, then crossed the street for the next one!
- Sutherland wrote the backstory for Jack to become more aggressive and have less to fight for... so he didn't have to cover up his tattoos anymore.
- Sutherland likes Boardwalk Empire and Ray Donovan.
- Sutherland once jumped out of a car to help an elderly woman being mugged in Los Angeles. But, being Jack Bauer didn't work out... he interrupted a student film! 
- If Sutherland was cosplaying, he'd be a stormtrooper.
- He and his father never talk about work, even though they just made a movie together!

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

Under the Dome, with Mike Vogel, Dean Norris, Rachelle LeFevre, Alexander Koch, Colin Ford, Eddie P. Cahill (not Mackenzie Lintz), and Neal Baer.
- They just finished filming the season six days ago.
- 16 characters died in the first season. The second won't be quite as high, but once they start to fall, they'll fall fast! But, they can still make appearances, as ghosts and the like.
- It was hinted at that maybe a character will break out of the dome this season... and as Barbie appears to fall into a deep cave at some point in the near future, maybe it's him!
- Speaking of Barbie, his backstory is coming - we'll both meet his father AND learn that he turned away from life as a trust-fund baby!
- A fan asked each of the panel members to state who they would choose to have with them if they had to live under a dome. Vogel chose Chuck Norris, Norris chose Britney Spears, LeFevre chose Clive Owen, Koch said Dean Norris, Ford said his best friend, and Cahill said his wife.
- Viewers WILL find out what was in Melanie's locker when Angie died. 

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

Scorpion, with Walter O'Brien, Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Katharine McPhee, Nick Santora, Nicholas Wooten, Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, and Justin Lin.
* we will be reviewing the pilot in a future post.
- Walt may have a nemesis in the show, but the real O'Brien no longer does.
- McPhee talks about filming a tough scene by explaining that the car wasn't moving at all but they had to pretend there were high speeds, traffic, etc.

photo: Jonathan Bredemeyer

The Psychology of Cult TV Shows, with Janina Scarlet, Travis Langley, Ali Mattu, and Billy San Juan.
- TV shows can be educational and healing in ways folks don't normally think about. We learn messages like persistence along with the characters.
- The representation of war on TV makes audiences more compassionate and knowledgeable.
- When two people share a fandom (like a television show), they can become fast friends.

** find more pictures of these panels, plus others, the exhibit floor, and off-site events at our SmugMug site!

Under the Dome: Tough for Newbies

This series is getting tougher to watch for newcomers, as the two most recent episodes build heavily on the season opener. In this day and age, it's not too difficult to locate recent installments of shows, so this might not seem like a big problem, but it would definitely be frustrating to see someone channel-surfing and stumble upon the program, only to turn it off when they're utterly lost over who is who and what's going on. This is strangely coupled with the fact that there are many issues in Chester's Mill that are contained within a single episode, like the acidic rain... or last season's run on supplies or epidemic. It's somewhat confusing to have both long-running arcs and short issues that one would imagine would recur. Toss in the fact that audiences are being introduced to more and more of Chester's Mill's residents and following this series is becoming as complicated as Degrassi... or at least the daily soaps!

Under the Dome "Infestation" (S02E02): The Dome Girl runs off to the woods, and Norrie and Joe find her and bring her back to BigJim's house. All she remembers is that something made her go to the school, and she heard Angie scream. Julia goes to Sam and learns his identity, plus he shows her the drawing his sister did twenty years earlier.

Rebecca is going to start teaching again, so when Junior goes to open the school, he finds Angie's body in the hallway, covered in butterflies. BigJim and Junior each think the other is responsible, and Junior wonders if he could have done it while drunk the previous night. Joe, angry about his sister's death, brings DomeGirl's shoe to the police station, and it's a match to a print found in Angie's blood. [wow, for a radio DJ, Phil sure is taking to this police officer thing!] Though DomeGirl is arrested, a preliminary autopsy shows that someone with much larger hands must have been the killer, so DomeGirl is innocent. [Julia sure seems to have a strong stake in the girl's life...] Still, Joe, Junior, and Norrie nearly kill her, yet she does not seem wary of them. Joe searches for Angie's bracelet before the funeral, and finds it, just in time to hear BigJim use the funeral to make sure everyone in town still trusts him. [huge eye rolls over here...]

The influx of butterflies has led to more caterpillars, which will eat up the plants under the dome, so Rebecca lights the brush on fire to kill off the insects, but that won't be enough. [Barbie, of all people, knows that caterpillars typically feed on milkweed?] Barbie and BigJim both want to be in charge of crop-dusting, but Barbie wins out, playing a hero when he flies too close to the dome and nearly crashes. [haha, BigJim had a reserve tank for when he made drug runs out of town!] But, Rebecca is now concerned that there aren't enough resources for the number of people living under the dome, so more deaths are imminent.

Under the Dome "Force Majeure" (S02E03): BigJim is interested in Rebecca, who is trying to harvest wind for power and has the kids head to the school to work on a windmill project. When they discover that they can access the internet, they check out email and twitter, and Junior gets a message from his mother that says she's alive, and to ask Lyle, the barber, for answers. [another new character to focus on?] The signal doesn't last, so they try to follow it, and wind up at the locker where Angie was killed. DomeGirl knows the combination somehow, and the locker is revealed to be empty. Joe uses the school office's records and old yearbooks to determine that DomeGirl is Melanie Cross, who had that locker in 1988, but hasn't aged. [creepy.]

When it rains, everyone plans to collect drinkable water, but it turns out that what's falling from the sky is red and acidic, injuring anyone with whom it comes into contact. [ouch!] Lyle kidnaps Rebecca when she and BigJim are driving along, leaving him to burn in the falling liquid.

Brownie Harris/CBS2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BigJim radios for help, and Barbie, Julia, and Sam take off in the ambulance to save him. Meanwhile, Lyle believes that this is the apocalypse, and baptizes Rebecca by pouring the acid rain down her back. She starts going along with Lyle's beliefs, but he knows she's faking, and is about to hurt her worse when Julia, Barbie, and Junior (who recently learned from his uncle that his mother also had blackouts) arrive. Julia is talking Lyle down when Rebecca gets free and splashes rain at him. She then works on neutralizing the liquid, while Lyle is sent to prison, where Sam visits him and cryptically mentions that they made a promise 25 years ago. [how very I Know What You Did Last Summer...] Then, Junior goes to see Lyle, who says that he'll grant him full access if he gets him out of jail.

On top of all this, BigJim sets a mandatory citizen registration, which includes a survey to figure out how to best allocate people as time goes by. However, it turns out to really be a checklist to help Rebecca figure out how to thin the herd by 25%, as they're running out of food. [I'm unsure what angle Barbie is playing here...]

Fun Friday: Under the Dome Schedule

With Under the Dome back on and Chester's Mill more filled with drama than ever, here's a little peek at how the schedule broke down for the bulk of the first season. Included is the episode number and name, the writer and director, prep and shoot dates, and the air date.

Kate Aurthur, a BuzzFeed correspondent, tweeted it out.

If something similar pops up for the second season, we'll feature that as well, though you might be able to line up some of the dates and figure out what they're currently working on based off of this chart! 

RETURNING: Under the Dome: Startling Start

Under the Dome wastes no time getting the ball rolling with its second season! Two major characters are killed off, two more may have been introduced, and the health and safety of Chester's Mill is in danger in a whole new way. For those who have read the titular novel, maybe these weren't that surprising, but I sure was taken aback by what's transpiring for this season! You've definitely got my attention, CBS, so hopefully you'll be able to deliver!

Under the Dome "Heads Will Roll" (S02E01): Only three weeks have passed since the dome came down, and the season picks up right where last season left off - Big Jim and Junior are about to hang Barbie when people are mysteriously fainting, and it turns out to be that the dome is now magnetic. [seriously? what's next? it dehydrates things?] This kills Linda, who gets trapped between the Dome and and SUV. [darn!] Phil gets her spot on the police force.

Now free, Barbie meets Rebecca, a high school science teacher who has been studying the dome, and they try to use an ultra-strong magnet to counteract the EMP contractions she believes are making everyone sick. [we could use another smart character, but she seems a little off...] Joe, Angie, and Norrie are very nearly seriously injured when trying to help the latter's mother, as the house collapses due to the metal being sucked from it. Because of this, they'll all be staying at Big Jim's. [keep your enemies close!] And, speaking of mothers, while unconscious, Junior envisions his. [hmmm...]

facebook.com/UnderTheDomeCBS

Similarly, Big Jim sees the ghost of Dodee, then of Linda, and realizes he must hang himself in sacrifice to save his son. [glad we had some Dodee!] Julia can't bring herself to do it, then cuts the rope so he lives... believing the Dome wants them to end the killing. The Dome calms down and everyone gains consciousness.

Elsewhere, in the woods, a guy (who turns out to be Big Jim's late wife's alcoholic brother) comes to the lake where Julia is saving a woman from drowning. [who comes out of nowhere, by the way.] A former EMT, he re-stitches Julia, and then Julia heads to town... as does the girl. This leaves the man alone, and he pulls out a book of paintings, including an image that looks like the girl, as well one of four red hands. [this is creepy.] He heads to town to look for the girl, whom Norrie followed into the school. But, when Norrie looks into the same locker the girl did, an ax comes out and kills her. [wow! first, I didn't see that coming. Now, I wonder if that means all four of the "chosen ones" must die...?]

Under the Dome: The Monarch is Crowned

It should be of no surprise that drama programs tend to rely on viewers tuning in regularly to follow the story arcs. The first season finale for Under the Dome is a prime example of this, as someone tuning in for the first time would probably be utterly lost as to what is taking place (and why). Another peculiar factor common amongst dramas is that the viewers manage to believe everything... I certainly don't think I would have made full sense about the lights going out in the middle of the day and the moon rising with you. But, maybe this is just why I don't do a lot of science fiction or fantasy shows... I just can't distance myself from what's happening on stage very well. Similarly, the trust that the characters (don't) have seems rather arbitrary at times. So, not only was there nothing close to a definitive ending with this season, it is almost as if the writers wanted the first season to have major cliffhangers in every way possible!

Brownie Harris/©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc.. All Rights Reserved

Under the Dome "Curtains" (S01E13) [season finale]: Linda questions everything about the mini-Dome, hoping to confiscate it and discuss its future with BigJim. When the monarch breaks out of its cocoon, black splotches appear when it touches the mini-Dome, and the realy Dome reacts the same way! Soon, it appears to be night, as the entire surface is soon covered. Linda alerts the officers to the location but when she touches the mini-Dome she is burned and knocked out. [just like Dodee!] The kids escape with it and head to the cement factory, where Angie and Julia meet them there after busting Barbie out of jail. The kids touch the mini-Dome to dissolve it, and the monarch circles Barbie several times before landing on Julia. [called it!] Then, the egg turns bright and starts making the place shake until Julia picks it up. But Junior doesn't think there is any monarch, so he threatens to shoot Julia if she doesn't hand over the egg. She tosses it to Angie and everyone gets away, except Barbie, who returns to custody once more. 

It is more serious this time, though, as Chester's Mill has constructed gallows to hang Barbie as an example of how serious the town is about law and order. [did this ever work? Linda is off looking for the kids and stumbles upon the "pink stars" line painted inside Joe's barn. When she tells BigJim about her findings, he shows her his dead wife's paintings of pink stars falling in lines. Meanwhile, the egg group sees an Alice look-alike, who mentions that the Dome exists to protect them, and if they protect the egg, they will earn back the daylight. [and we're trusting this apparition/alien WHY??!?] BigJim announces that Julia has an hour to turn in the egg before Barbie is hanged, but rather than turn it in, she drops it into the lake, which causes pink streams of light to flood toward the sky and allow daylight once more. [this whole section confused me, and it'll practically none another year before this is solved.]

Junior asks the Dome for advice on why he should kill his father, then tells his father than he knows that the guy has done terrible things. [The Dome doesn't seem to answer just one person at a time!]. He decides to tell his father that the group wants to assassinate the councilman for killing others. BigJim admits to doing "what was necessary for the good of the town," but believes that their family is important to the future because of the painting predictions. [but why? and how? oh, that's right... Stephen King.]

Under the Dome: Corruption is Higher than Ever

I had forgotten that Angie was a candy-striper... why hasn't she been at the clinic all week? I guess she doesn't really care about helping people, and probably even less so after being held hostage for a few days, but still. Speaking of being held against your will, nobody questioning BigJim's actions or directions regarding Norrie and Joe was upsetting. The brainwash in Chester's Mill really is ridiculous, and it seems as if anyone can now go to jail for anything. Welcome to 1984 and Big Brother, guys.

Brownie Harris/©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc.. All Rights Reserved.

Also, I've had more than my fill of this show. We'll finish out the finale next week, but no more Under the Dome coming from us next season.

Under the Dome "Exigent Circumstances" (S01E12): BigJim declares a state of emergency, and groups perform house sweeps to look for felon Barbie. Linda initially objects, but people want to survive and it isn't long until volunteers are taking matters into their own hands. Junior, meanwhile, is left at the hospital to guard Julia's door. [I really need him to stop believing his dad!]

Dodee hears on the radio that the military is searching for the egg, and her memory rushes back about seeing it in Joe's barn. She thinks that it is necessary to alert BigJim, but when they both hear the military personnel talking about seeing BigJim kill the reverend, she realizes that BigJim is no savior after all. [I can't stop repeating how sick I am of everyone looking up to BigJim!] He tells her that the Dome can't come down, then he shoots her and knocks out the transmitter devices so nobody else can put together his crimes. [this guy is disturbed.] He then lights the place on fire and Phil suspects Barbie, as they've been broadcasting information about him night and day.

Speaking of the mini-Dome and egg, Carolyn learns about them when she walks into the barn. Worried about what BigJim will do, she urges the kids to hide it, so they take it to Ben's, as his place was searched earlier. [how would the kids know the order in which the town would be searched?] When BigJim shows up to search the barn, as per Dodee's tip, Carolyn tries to stop BigJim from illegally searching the barn, but it's no use. He claims "exigent circumstances" and Norrie and Joe are arrested for "obstruction of justice" for playing dumb about the egg. [seriously??]

Barbie goes to Angie and asks her to help save Julia. Angie gets into Junior's head so he will leave Julia's room for a minute. ["I need you" is probably a phrase that would snag most people, really.] Barbie winds up sending Julia and Angie in the ambulance while he stalls Linda by allowing himself to get arrested. [I questioned why he let this happen... to avoid being shot?] BigJim wants him to publicly confess to the charges or Norrie and Joe will be charged for various crimes. The soldier agrees, as long as BigJim lets the kids go and leaves Angie and Julia alone... but when the time comes, Barbie doesn't plead guilty after all. [ha!] Meanwhile, Julia awakens in a clinic storage room, and tells Angie the truth.

The episode ends with the mini-Dome making a lot of noise, the egg lighting up, and Linda learning about its presence.

Under the Dome: BigJim is Back on Top

If the Dome wasn't in place, BigJim would be in jail. Linda points this out and then continues to listen to anything the criminal has to say, which seems bizarre. If he was able to keep the propane sales under his hat for years, then why would he be honest about everything else in his life? It makes sense that Linda would trust someone she has known for years over someone whom she has known for only a week, but the degree to which BigJim continues to lie is astounding. It's not just Linda, either. Dodee has no qualms about offering up her radio knowledge about Barbie to BigJim, though someone who seems to be as intelligent as she might question WHY Barbie allegedly tried to kill BigJim... if there was a reason, maybe BigJim doesn't need extra information. Another strange Dodee fact is that she doesn't seem to be on the lookout for anything particular this episode... though she doesn't remember finding the mini-Dome, so one might think she would be after it once more.   

Under the Dome "Speak of the Devil" (S01E11): The teens try to figure out the pink stars' constellations, which they've painted onto the barn. [how did they do that? were they able to remove their hands and get up on a ladder while the pink stars remained?] The chrysalis has become clear, and they decide to let Julia in on the latest. While Joe is out to tell Julia, Junior tells Angie that he won't help with the mini-Dome if she won't be with him. [this kid and his father both seem to think that the world revolves around them!] The weather starts to get really bad, and when a funnel cloud forms, Angie convinces Junior to return the group, just as the cloud starts to recede.

HOWEVER, Junior's decision might not have been the impetus for the weather after all. At the same time that was going on, Max shoots Julia to get back at Barbie. [I was amused that Barbie was just about to take Julia to Peter's grave when this happens!] Barbie asks Linda to drive them to the hospital, but her gas has been siphoned. She commandeers Phil's car, but by the time they arrive, Joe had shown up to talk to Julia so Barbie enlists him to help get Julia to the clinic. Once there, for whatever reason, Julia isn't helped because of other patients, so Barbie uses what little field medicine he knows to save her when the weather takes a turn for the better. This causes Joe to think that Barbie must be "the monarch." [really? because I think the signs point more toward Julia...]

Brownie Harris/©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc.. All Rights Reserved.

BigJim knows Max shot Julia, but he tries to convince Linda that Barbie probably did, as he was with Peter the day the Dome appeared. He also tells her that Barbie works for Max, and Linda confirms with Phil that Barbie likely killed Peter. [apparently Linda cares about imprisoning Barbie, regardless of whether the Dome is in place...] She then surmises that he probably killed Julia when she found out the truth. More evidence against Barbie comes when Dodee decides to check the frequencies during the storm and learns that Barbie is a wanted man.

But before Linda can do anything, BigJim goes to Barbie to team-up and take down Max. It's become more important to BigJim after Max finds out who Junior is, as she might now hurt him to get to what she wants. [and now Junior knows about the artillery stock in the cellar.] Barbie knows it will take both of them, but he also wants to take BigJim down off his high horse. [one thing at a time.] They head to the cement factory, but Max gets the jump on them. She tells Barbie that BigJim killed her mother (she found her body on the shore), but there will be no way to verify that information soon, as when the guys get the upper hand, BigJim quickly kills Max and her associate against Barbie's wishes. [I actually didn't see that coming for some reason.] He tries to shoot barbie next, but the military mystery man is able to defend himself. Of course, then Linda shows up and BigJim claims Barbie killed those people, along with Max's mother. So, Barbie takes off running with a gun and BigJim issues a warning to all those in the Dome. [pretty impressive how everyone just believes whatever BigJim has to say!] 

But, maybe BigJim as King of Chester's MIll won't last much longer... when the kids decide to mimic the stars and touch a certain part of the Dome together, they see a wounded BigJim on the other side, and bloody knives appear in their hands. [interesting that Junior waffles once again about his feelings toward his father...]

Under the Dome: But What Does It Mean?

Four young adults now control a strange mini-Dome, that somehow wasn't solidly at the nucleus of the Dome. But, they don't know what it can do. Max is running an underground fight club, but why? To control the remaining money and goods inside the Dome? Linda discovers the truth (or at least some of it) about the propane stored in Chester's Mill, but what is she going to do about it? With a second season already promised, these questions don't all need answers in the next few episodes. But, at the same time, one might expect to find out a great deal more before the season wraps. Further deviation from the novel is pretty much inevitable, but at least the visualization of the scenes works out pretty well.

Under the Dome "Let the Games Begin" (S01E10): The teens sleep by the mini-Dome, with Joe's wrist tied to Norrie's so they would know if he got up in the night again. When they wake up, there's a monarch caterpillar inside the mini-Dome, prompting the teens to go looking for others who have had seizures. Well, they must not have gone far, as Dodee finds the mini-Dome and burns herself touching it, and the kids are right there to bring her to the hospital. [how did they maneuver her to the clinic??] They ask a nurse about seizures and she says someone at Angie's 10th grade dance had one. [it's been YEARS since ANYONE in town had a seizure??] She suspects Junior, as he passed out at that event, and when she tells Joe about it, she also shares about the kidnapping, then shows them Junior's mother's painting. Of course, Junior comes home to see them, and after a small fight with Joe, accompanies them back to the mini-Dome, which now houses a chrysalis. He adds his hand to the mini-Dome, and the egg inside creates pink stars all around them.

Brownie Harris ©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Linda tells Julia that she thinks there's more hidden information about the propane scandal around, so when they find Duke's lockbox key, they head to the bank. [so Duke meant for Linda to find out?] Inside is a Sheriff pin that Linda gave him and a confession from Duke (19 years ago, he lost his son to drugs and vowed to keep the drugs out of town, so he cut a deal with Max). They find out Lester and BigJim were involved. Then, they look in Peter's box... inside is his life insurance policy for one million dollars. [whoa!]

Barbie goes to BigJim's to talk about Max, and the guys look through real estate records to discover that Max owns a property on Bird Island. Of course, she catches them and tries to intimidate them, then they get split. BigJim goes to the property, where he finds Agatha, a caretaker. He plans to wait for the owner, Oliver Luckland, but finds out that Max is Agatha's daughter, and Agatha is really someone else who changed her name after getting pregnant at 16. [haha, she originally claimed not to know Max's name!] She lets it slip that Barbie killed Julia's husband, but the bigger issue is that, when Agatha falls off the speedboat BigJim is driving, he leaves her to drown. [wow, that's rough!]

Barbie, meanwhile, winds up at the cement factory, where Max has started an underground fight club. Entrance fees are goods, leading people to steal things like salt from the store. Junior commandeers one suspicious character's salt and attempts to check out the factory, but he's not allowed inside because he's a cop. [of course.] Mac forces Barbie to be the main event fighter, or she'll tell everyone that Barbie killed Peter. It's a brutal match, but Barbie throws it in the end. But that's okay, as Max figured he would and bet accordingly. [she was betting on her own staged fights??] The situation makes Barbie decide to confess to Julia, but she figured it out already, as Peter must have taken the life insurance policy so that he could get killed and she'd be okay. She tells him that he can't lie to her anymore.   

Speaking of lies, when BigJim gets home, Linda is on his porch, suggesting they should talk down at the station. She gives him until the morning. [will she really arrest him?]

Under the Dome: Hidden People

Is there anyone who thinks that the missing hand belongs to someone other than Junior? Between his mother's premonition and the terrible luck that Angie has, it hardly seems like there is any other choice. Whether it is Junior or someone else that the teens must locate to figure out the deal with the mini-Dome, it seems to be a hidden person, as one would assume the seizures would have happened by now. Angie's were probably only delayed because she spent the first several days locked below ground, where she might have seized with no witnesses anyway. And, speaking of "hidden people," Max came out of nowhere. Her low profile by squatting in a house for eight days is only believable because the bulk of the town's residents seem to stay home constantly - there's hardly anyone out and about when public places are shown. 

Brownie Harris/©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Under the Dome "The Fourth Hand" (S01E09): BigJim tells Angie that he has bartered with some farmers to get food for the townspeople, but she not only wants food to keep the diner open but wants the title, free and clear. [I'm surprised that she understands what that means, honestly.] Soon, she has the same seizure that Norrie and Joe have had, which Junior witnesses. Because she utters the "pink stars are falling" line, he tells her that his mother had a dream years ago about him on a hill with pink stars, which is portrayed in one of her paintings. [let's hope that she wasn't a professional artist!] 

Julia takes Barbie to see the mini-Dome, but it has disappeared. [I hadn't realized it was mobile...] Julia goes to borrow Dodee's tool, but it has allegedly stopped working. So, Joe and Norrie spend the day following the dog, who eventually leads them to it in Joe's barn. Angie claims that Joe went for a walk at 3am and brought it back. [this just gets more and more weird.] This forces the teens to decide that they shouldn't share anything about the Dome with anyone who hasn't had the seizures.

Larry, a druggie, claims that the Dome is talking to him, so he takes refuge in Ted's house. [Ted's story is pretty sad... his wife and son crashed into the Dome.] Ted accidentally shoots a neighbor trying to scare off the guy, leading BigJim to start a voluntary weapons collection before scarce resources make people more antsy. [not the worst idea ever, but (A) it didn't seem that the firearms were being inventoried well, and (B) offering people extra food/water/propane when they turn in a gun is rather unfair to those who do not own such things.] Barbie and Linda learn that Larry got a drug called Rapture from the preacher, so they search the preacher's place, finding drugs and a recipe that requires propane. [I remember learning that drugs were made with chemicals, that was so freaky!] As Linda heads to the propane yard to see what she can dig up, BigJim and Barbie go back to Ted's. The guy shoots at the car immediately, so BigJim enters the house to find the widower surrounded by a dozen weapons, including a grenade, which he attempts to activate. [holy cow!] Barbie collects the guns as BigJim brings Ted for sedation. Back over to Linda, she decides to break in and watch the security camera's footage, learning that Duke was aware of what was taking place. [that must have been difficult for her.]

Max shows up at BigJim's, and it turns out that he's not the only one who has worked for/with her... so has Barbie. She has tons of secrets on both of them, including knowing about the man Barbie murdered. [she's involved in the drug operation, too.] She demands Barbie help her in her new plan with BigJim to take over the town. Barbie is left without a plan as BigJim relocates the firearms. However, though they are supposed to go to the cement factory, he brings them to his bunker instead, which Junior sees. [disturbing.]

Fun Friday: Under the Dome vs. The Simpsons

With the first season of Under the Dome in full force, here is a look at how the series stacked up against a similar situation that occurred in The Simpsons Movie. Usually, it's South Park that makes jokes about The Simpsons doing every bit in the book, but that's not the only show to take a page from the long-running animated series. Many people have asked novelist Stephen King if his 2009 Under the Dome took anything from the 2007 feature film with Homer, Marge, and the rest of Springfield trapped in a dome, but there seem to be many more differences than similarities, at least when using the television show for comparison rather than the novel.  

First, a look at some basic rules for the Chester's Mill residents in Under the Dome:

CBS Communications Group

Continuing, here are some similarities:

• When the Domes appear in both Springfield and Chester's Mill, things are cut in half.
• In both, bullets bounce off the Dome and injure police officers.
• In both cities, the Dome is sound-proof.
• Love still blossoms in both, whether between Lisa and Colin or Joe and Norrie (or Julia and Barbie). 
• Both towns have issues with water contamination, though in Springfield, there are mutant fish whereas in Chester's Mill, the fish just die.

Transitioning into the differences:

• In both cities, supplies soon run low, and looting occurs as a result. But, it takes until Day 37 on The Simpsons Movie, whereas it occurs in less than a week on Under the Dome. Similarly, it is at this point that Springfield experiences intermittent power failures, compared to Chester's Mill immediately losing electricity upon the Dome appearing.

Distinct differences:

• In Chester's Mill, the Dome appeared mysteriously. In Springfield, planes put it in place as a punishment from the President. In fact, the people of Springfield learn right away that the US Government and EPA did this to them because “Springfield has become the most polluted city in the history of the planet” and that does not need to spread to other communities.
• In Chester's Mill, the Dome shocks you the first time you touch it. In Springfield there is no consequence. In fact, they write on it.
• In Springfield, people could see the Dome. In Chester's Mill, they cannot.
• In Springfield, there is no breeze, but wind can occur in Chester's Mill.
• In Chester's Mill, there is no contact with the outside world, but in Springfield, televisions still work so the news can be seen.
• By Day 93, the Springfield Dome cracks because of retaliation. Nothing anyone does can seem to fracture the Chester's Mill Dome.
• After less than a week, the military launches a WMD at the Chester's Mill Dome and does not even scratch the surface. The people inside are not told officially and are only aware of the impending doom because Barbie gets a little classified information from a soldier. In The Simpsons Movie, the President unknowingly authorizes the blow-up of Springfield, and the citizens of Springfield know it is coming because they see an apologetic video from the EPA before a bomb is lowered into the Dome through a hole at the top. This actually allows Homer and Bart to save the day and destroy the Dome. 

After this season of Under the Dome ends, more comparisons might need to be made, as there are still so many unanswered questions about how the Chester's Mill Dome works. For instance, could there be a black hole/sinkhole function? Maggie (and later the rest of the Simpson family) is able to get out of the Dome through a sinkhole, and, although unlikely, technically this could still happen on Under the Dome. Be sure to check back in September to see whether more similarities arise, and keep watching Under the Dome on CBS, Mondays at 10pm ET/PT. 

Under the Dome: Justice

This episode marks a switch from many storylines occurring to just a few, while also solidifying Julia, Barbie, BigJim, and Joe as the main characters. Barbie's role was relatively minor, though it seems it was more of a set-up for a larger conflict on the horizon with BigJim. Joe also didn't do much, aside from try to catch up with his sister, be dumped by Norrie, and tell Julia about the mini-Dome. On that note, Julia will undoubtedly tell Barbie about the mini-Dome next, and maybe Dodee, as they are seemingly the smartest people in town. That leaves BigJim, who has been constantly battling with his son, though perhaps a truce is not far off at this point. Anyway, the town is beginning to run out of food, though they haven't been able to cook it or keep it cold for about a week already. Also, it is still surprising that the town doesn't stink, that there are hardly ever townspeople milling about, and that nobody really seems concerned about how dire the situation is becoming. Sure, the series is based on a novel, but the issues with realism may be growing too large...

Under the Dome "Thicker than Water" (S01E08): Junior returns home, and BigJim confirms that his kidnapper son is no longer welcome there. [where does he expect his child to go, and how does he not think there will be backlash from the community?] At work, Linda takes away Junior's gun, questioning his ability to make smart choices. With no power and no place to live, it is no wonder that Junior decides to help out Ollie, who the town is currently against for harboring all of the water. As BigJim, Linda, Barbie, and some others are trying to convince Ollie that eminent domain means the well belongs to Chester's Mill, Junior disarms his father and then helps Ollie plan the next move. [I can't believe the injuries in this episode! the knee guy AND Phil!] Meanwhile, the townspeople go along with Barbie's plan to blow up the well, thereby diverting the water back to the original sources. [I really don't understand how that worked, but okay...]

Brownie Harris/©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Ollie tells Junior that his mother's death was a suicide, causing the troubled young man to seek vengeance upon BigJim. However, when it comes down to it, he shoots Ollie for pointing a gun at the councilman. [yeah, it does suck that your mother committing suicide means she chose to leave you. but, I don't believe that Trojan Horse thing for a second!] 

Norrie thinks that she and Joe shouldn't be together because that causes bad things to happen. Upset, Joe decides to confide in Julia about the mini-Dome and its egg, which is now pink inside. When Julia touches it, she sees a second Joe, saying "the monarch will be crowned." Meanwhile, Angie tells Norrie that she's familiar with the camp the outsider was headed for, then the two girls go bust snowglobes against the dome. [who wants all that glass everywhere?]

Photo Recapping 2013 Comic-Con: The Floor

a glimpse at how crowded just a tiny portion of the floor can be. by Amy K. Bredemeyer

On Thursday night of Comic-Con I was waiting in a line and got to talking with those around me, as normally happens. Well, one of the guys was on his fourth SDCC and was going to attend his very first panel the next day. I was dumbfounded and promptly asked how he spends his days, noticing that he had a four-day badge. Turns out, he is one of those people who literally spends all day every day in Exhibit Hall, known more commonly as "on The Floor." Now, after three rounds at the annual convention myself, I would say I spend 6-8 hours perusing the booths each year. I don't get to everything, I'm not able to wait in every swag line or preview all of the shows/movies/games, and I don't wait hours for autographs. But, spending your entire Con in Exhibit Hall just sounds so exhausting to me, both mentally and physically. If you've been, you understand what I mean. If you haven't, allow me to give you a small taste of the craziness that is The Floor, starting with some film booths:

Hobbit! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

more Hobbit. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Lionsgate and Summit had a combined booth this year, and it switched up its features, including Ender's Game. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

You could get customized t-shirts for Ender's Game! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

these are real guys dressed up! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

there are many book booths at Comic-Con, and you can pick up lots of older things for free! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Exclusive items are a big deal, and many people wait hours
in line for a chance to buy something! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

like this collectible! (not on the previous list)
by Jonathan Bredemeyer

time for television shows! ABC brought a ship replica you could enter to watch
a scene from the new third season of Once Upon a Time. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Starz brought a ship, too, for Black Sails. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

and a cannon! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

The Walking Dead had zombies everywhere, and a bit lookout stand. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

even classic favorites were there, like Dragon Ball Z. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

and you can pick up artwork for anything imaginable, including Castle and Firefly. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

what is this? I have no idea. But it moved and was scary. by Amy K. Bredemeyer

and now for some shots of some booths that really stood out for one reason or another... by Jonathan Bredemeyer

some kind of ice king or chill room or something? by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Max Steel. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

I don't remember what this was promoting, but it was heavily armored! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Daft Punk concert set model. you know, as there's something for everyone! by Jonathan Bredemeyer

I love the old toys for sale! Check out some of these TMNT classics! by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Star Trek bridge. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

obligatory Star Wars homage. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

 

some celebs did booth signings, like Joss Whedon at Dark Horse. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

and the cast from Under the Dome at the CBS booth. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

and this guy hung out on the top of FOX's booth. by Jonathan Bredemeyer

Now, this is such a small sampling of what there was to see, but you get a little taste of the variety, from movies and television to toys and books to original art and collectibles. There were also many comic book booths, of course, but selecting one over others to display is rather difficult. Stay tuned for more Comic-Con articles and photo recaps to come, including more shots from the floor but in more compact categories!