Stephen King's "Under the Dome," A CBS Summer Miniseries Sphere-Fest

[Dead & Messed Up]

Moved from Showtime. (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57556260/stephen-kings-under-the-dome-gets-series-order-from-cbs/)

The story is full of gruesome implications, but I suspect you could cut around a lot of things, like Junior's special lady-friends, and still end up with a perfectly offensive piece of tele-film. I wonder if CBS picked it up after the success of "mini-series" (short-seasoned) American Horror Story.

Could the 13-episode run be a viable format for network TV? Hope so.

Someone at some point said Doug Jones should play the Chef, and that is so correct that it literally hurts me.

The book is excellent.

http://nikkihopeman.files.wordpress.c om/2012/02/under-the-dome.jpg

[Thirdmango]

This sounds awesome. I haven't read the book, but now I want to.

[ContinentalOp]

Not too excited. Have a bad feeling that the network will neuter the tale. But I haven't watched any mini-series on network TV in a while. Maybe they'll get someone with clout to oversee that the strengths of the novel are maintained. I really enjoyed the characters and the relationships between the characters and was impressed by the unflinching portrayals of violence and betrayal.

[Ezee E]

I liked the Simpsons episode.

[ledfloyd]

i'm skeptical, but i will follow brian k. vaughan just about anywhere.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Shooting's officially started. Some of the cast:

Dean Norris as Big Jim Rennie.

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/dean-norris-baftas-7th-preemmy-tv-tea-party-so5r6Z.jpg

Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) as Dale Barbara.

http://hairstyles.thehairstyler.com/hairstyle_views/front_view_images/2931/original/Mike-Vogel.jpg

Alexander Koch as Junior.

http://scifimafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Alexander-Koch.jpg

Rachelle Lefevre as Julia Shumway.

http://www3.images.coolspotters.com/photos/564570/rachelle-lefevre-profile.png

[Winston*]

Storm of the Century was boss.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Storm of the Century was boss.

Definitely. Re-watched that last year, was surprised by how well it held up.

[D_Davis]

That dude is way too pretty for Jr.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Oh boy.

Ominous.

The casting announcement for Julia Shumway.


Per THR, Lefevre will play Julia, an investigative reporter who just moved from Chicago to Chester's Mill with her husband, a doctor at the town's medical center. She's the editor of the town's local paper and is intrigued after learning of multiple deliveries of propane gas to a nearby warehouse. She's baffled by the appearance of the strange dome but more concerned with the whereabouts of her mysteriously missing husband.

So...an entirely different character altogether.

If they're making Shumway's husband into the Chef (which seems to be the implication), is Sammy Bushey gone? And if Sammy Bushey's gone, what of the rape at the beginning that basically lights the long fuse that makes up the entire book? Not that I'm saying, "I was promised rape!"...but that scene is the first look at the book's overarching theme. I'd assume it'll be transferred onto a different character, but seriously. You'd think a thirteen-episode TV adaptation wouldn't need to make such dramatic changes.

And what about the destruction of the newspaper offices? If Shumway's a transplant, what's the frigging point?

Boy, there's a lot to extract and bemoan from that one change.

King rolled the characters of Rita Blakemoor and Nadine Cross into one character for The Stand back in the day, but it ended up ok. Not great, but ok. So maybe I'm over-reacting.

[D_Davis]

There's no way the Chef of the book could land a hot chick like that. That dude is completely toad-like - almost a mutant by the way it describes him.

Oh well - I'm not opposed to change, so long as it makes for a good thing.

My biggest fear is that they will soften it up, and it sounds like they might be doing just that.

Think they'll keep the secret in the closet?

[Dead & Messed Up]

There's no way the Chef of the book could land a hot chick like that. That dude is completely toad-like - almost a mutant by the way it describes him.

Oh well - I'm not opposed to change, so long as it makes for a good thing.

My biggest fear is that they will soften it up, and it sounds like they might be doing just that.

Think they'll keep the secret in the closet?

They'd better, or else they'll become the secret in my closet.

[amberlita]

So should I read this book or something?

[D_Davis]

So should I read this book or something?

If you like Stephen King's epic pieces, then yes. It's my favorite single novel by King. The first 200 pages contain the best writing he's ever done, and his mastery of character and place has never been better.

[Acapelli]

does he land the ending?

[Neclord]

does he land the ending?

I didn't think the ending was a total wash, but it's maybe the least interesting part of the book.

[D_Davis]

Complaining about King's endings was old in 1987.

[Dead & Messed Up]

does he land the ending?

In short: yes.

Longer: the pace flags with about fifty or so pages to go, but I think that's a very conscious decision on King's part, and I think it ultimately works to the story's favor. The reveal of the dome's creators isn't surprising, but King uses it to great thematic effect. It's not quite as energetic as the rest of the book, but I wouldn't call it disappointing.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Complaining about King's endings was old in 1987.

Not if it's still a legitimate flaw in his novels. The number of his novels (that I've read) with terrible endings far outweigh the endings he's nailed. It's the reason I can't bring myself to read Under the Dome.

[D_Davis]

I've rarely had a problem with any of his endings. I actually like most of them. :shrug:

Also, the ending is only one point - what's far more important is the other 99% of the book. At least that's how I read.

[number8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded& v=Irc2IcgkPKE

[number8]

By the way, I don't think this is a miniseries anymore (if it's successful, that is). They kept calling it "first season" at the Wondercon panel and said that they changed the ending to be open-ended so they can tell the story of the town for years and years.

[number8]

Yep.


The panel was emphatic that the show is not a mini-series and that they have plans for it to continue long term. Since it takes about 36 hours for civilization to fall apart in the novel they will be diverging significantly from the source material.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Well, that's a little discouraging.

[Dead & Messed Up]

First episode was okay. The network method of shooting is bizarre for me to watch, since I've been watching cable series almost exclusively in the past couple years. All the flat close-ups and floodlit lighting. There are some significant changes to the main protagonist's background that are not rubbing me in a sexually satisfying fashion, but other parts mirror the book and live and breathe on their own (especially the seizures).

I'll most likely keep up with this.

[Irish]

By the way, I don't think this is a miniseries anymore (if it's successful, that is). They kept calling it "first season" at the Wondercon panel and said that they changed the ending to be open-ended so they can tell the story of the town for years and years.

Ahhhhh. This is what I came here to find out. And wow, that makes no sense. If they're going to diverge from the source, does that mean they plan on teasing the origins of the dome for years? Jesus. Because I can't see anyone watching this over multiple seasons for any other reason.

I like King, but holy shit does he use archetypes as a crutch here. Small town sheriff. Menacing politico. Fiery journalist. Mysterious loner. The dome is cool, but the people living under it seem to be made of cardboard.

[D_Davis]

The best part of the novel was the first 200 or pages, in which King systematically guides the readers through the town, and what happens in the town right after the dome drops. It's some of the best writing King has ever written, and his control over scene changing and selection, and the introduction to the characters, is absolutely masterful. It's just an incredible sequence of action that sets up the rest of the novel. Like I said before, King is a master of the set up.

Dome is not King's best character work. As they say, when it comes to politics and art, subtlety is always the first casualty. Dome is King's most political book, it is very reactionary to post 9/11 America and the effects of fundamentalism on the culture. King was more concerned with examining how these archetypes would react to the situation at hand than he was telling a nuanced character piece (as in Bag of Bones, Insomnia, or Lisey's Story).

I'm disappointed that this is supposed to be an on-going series. I can't see how it would be interesting at all to stretch out the story. Bu who knows? Maybe the writers have some good stuff to show us.

[number8]

I'm guessing the network wants it to be like a Walking Dead, following a group of people surviving as they are isolated from normal civilization, which is how they're going to stretch it out. It'll be less about the dome itself and more about the relationships that happen inside a bubble.

[Dukefrukem]

So just one opinion so far?

[D_Davis]

I'm guessing the network wants it to be like a Walking Dead, following a group of people surviving as they are isolated from normal civilization, which is how they're going to stretch it out. It'll be less about the dome itself and more about the relationships that happen inside a bubble.

Yeah - that's pretty much the book. But it works because things happen fast.

I"m still really looking forward to the show, and I'll definitely catch up with it when the first season is finished.

[number8]

Yeah - that's pretty much the book. But it works because things happen fast.

I know, I meant that instead of just showing the immediate aftermath and powerplay of the dome dropping, the show seems to be changing it to a story where the townspeople have to figure out a new society as they live under the dome for years, more akin to TWD's survivalist theme.

[D_Davis]

I see what you're saying, and that makes sense.

[dreamdead]

This was never King's strongest with characterization, but he was nonetheless able to get into the interiority of people's thoughts as the dome came down. That sense of interiority was far less prominent here. It didn't feel nearly as effective throughout the opener, and so Junior especially comes off as trite. While he was always id, he's so far into a caricature here that I'm surprised Vaughan didn't try to get us into him a different way. And Vogel just feels too young for the lead.

Not that confident this won't deteriorate in quality, despite how much I like the novel.

[ContinentalOp]

I'm very disappointed with the pilot. I had a problem initially with all the characters being younger and prettier and my problem worsened with the characters being written so broadly (I hate what they're doing with Junior and the DJ and don't see why they're changing Barbie's background so much). The dome coming down and the immediate aftermath among the survivors was the best part about the book. The overwhelming sense of confusion and ignorance and its deadly consequences and the inventive reactions to the dome coming down are missing in the pilot. They're doing okay setting things up but it's a very generic set-up with only a few interesting scenarios/scenes keeping me interested. I'll give it another week.

[Irish]

Anyone for episode two? Anyone? Bueller?

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Junior stuff is getting irritating, and even accounting for the

reverend tweaking,

the fire felt like an arbitrary way to reach a climax.

At the same time, I get why they did it. Have a nice big group scene with all the mains, really establish the community, and then end with a pow. That gunshot at the end is a significant reworking of an important moment in the novel, and, yeah, the novel did it better. Doubling back on what Dreamdead said, a lot of that has to do with King's skill at immediate interior understanding of a character.

In the novel,

a kid has a eureka moment and figures that a rifle bullet could permeate the Dome, because nobody's try to apply pressure in a concentrated manner (i.e. the plane crash covers a large surface area). So he drives up to the Dome, aims his rifle carefully, shoots, and the bullet ricochets off and plugs him in the face.

Stuff with Barbie went about as I expected. I predicted immediately after the first episode, on Reddit, that Julia's hubby was up to bad things, and Barbie would end up having shot the man in self-defense. And that's an obvious bit of prognostication, because it's CBS. They can't have a genuinely dark hero, so they'll have someone who's kinda emptily misunderstood.

[Gizmo]

I think the show is interesting enough to keep watching so far. I haven't read the book. Didn't even know it was a book until I started reading this thread.

[Dukefrukem]

I think the show is interesting enough to keep watching so far. I haven't read the book. Didn't even know it was a book until I started reading this thread.

You saw the "Stephen King" in the title and thought he wrote or produced a series for ABC?

[D_Davis]

You saw the "Stephen King" in the title and thought he wrote or produced a series for ABC?

Stephen King's Storm of the Century wasn't a novel first, smart ass. ;)

[Dead & Messed Up]

Neither was Kingdom Hospital nor Golden Years. And this is on CBS.

[Dukefrukem]

Stephen King's Storm of the Century wasn't a novel first, smart ass. ;)

Honestly, I always thought it was. *ignorant smile*

[Irish]

The Junior stuff is getting irritating, and even accounting for the

reverend tweaking,

the fire felt like an arbitrary way to reach a climax.

At the same time, I get why they did it. Have a nice big group scene with all the mains, really establish the community, and then end with a pow. That gunshot at the end is a significant reworking of an important moment in the novel, and, yeah, the novel did it better. Doubling back on what Dreamdead said, a lot of that has to do with King's skill at immediate interior understanding of a character.

In the novel,

a kid has a eureka moment and figures that a rifle bullet could permeate the Dome, because nobody's try to apply pressure in a concentrated manner (i.e. the plane crash covers a large surface area). So he drives up to the Dome, aims his rifle carefully, shoots, and the bullet ricochets off and plugs him in the face.

Stuff with Barbie went about as I expected. I predicted immediately after the first episode, on Reddit, that Julia's hubby was up to bad things, and Barbie would end up having shot the man in self-defense. And that's an obvious bit of prognostication, because it's CBS. They can't have a genuinely dark hero, so they'll have someone who's kinda emptily misunderstood.

Was the fire not in the book? Interesting that they are deviating from the novel this quickly. King's stuff sounds much darker, and more interesting, than the show.

I laughed out loud when they gave Barbie an out -- it was self defense! -- so that the audience could continue to like him.

Show is alright. Just alright. It's got that unmistakable stink of a SyFy series, though, despite being on CBS.

[D_Davis]

The book is very dark, almost comically-so.

So much so that it has seemed to me a poor choice for network adaptation from the get-go. There are better King things for network television.

[D_Davis]

How are they handling Junior's friends in the closet?

[Irish]

How are they handling Junior's friends in the closet?

It's only been two episodes. All we know about Junior at this point is that he's a psycho. He's got his girlfriend chained up in his father's old bomb shelter and he's attacked Barbie out of jealousy.

That's it. That's all we know so far. The characterizations on the show are thin. Everybody is an archetype. They get one or two defining characteristics ("Lesbian from LA") and then only talk about the plot.

[D_Davis]

The book definitely does a better job of showing Junior's madness.

He keeps two dead chicks in a closet, and has sex with their bodies throughout the book

[Irish]

The book definitely does a better job of showing Junior's madness.

He keeps two dead chicks in a closet, and has sex with their bodies throughout the book

Holy shit. Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and guess that CBS will never show that on this series. :lol:

[D_Davis]

Holy shit. Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and guess that CBS will never show that on this series. :lol:

That's what I'm saying! The book is fucking crazy. Almost Lansdale-esque (but not quite - nothing will take Lansdale's crown in that department: see "Drive-In Date" for reference) in its depictions of human cruelty (which is the entire theme of the book, completely reinforced by the ending!). So when a network can't depict the theme properly, then why even bother with an adaptation? I don't mind when plots/characters are changed for different mediums (on the contrary I think they often should be modified for different mediums), not at all. The problem here is that King wrote Under the Dome with a definitive political and social agenda (it is by far his most politically and socially charged work), and without the ability to depict the cruelty, that agenda becomes diluted to the point where the story becomes just another pulp thriller.

[Irish]

That's what I'm saying! The book is fucking crazy. Almost Lansdale-esque (but not quite - nothing will take Lansdale's crown in that department: see "Drive-In Date" for reference) in its depictions of human cruelty (which is the entire theme of the book, completely reinforced by the ending!). So when a network can't depict the theme properly, then why even bother with an adaptation? I don't mind when plots/characters are changed for different mediums (on the contrary I think they often should be modified for different mediums), not at all. The problem here is that King wrote Under the Dome with a definitive politically and social agenda (it is by far his most political and socially charged work), and without the ability to depict the cruelty, that agenda becomes diluted to the point where the story becomes just another pulp thriller.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. With maybe one or two caveats. I don't know who the producers are on this show, but CBS excels at taking touchy material and mainstreaming it. So while I don't think they'd ever depict, or even reference, necrophilia, it's possible they'll pick up another story thread and run with it. They've done this on shows like "NCIS" and "The Good Wife." There's been some pretty fucked up plots on those shows, but they've been presented in mild ways.

I think they're using King's premise and name as the hook, and what they want is another prime time soap opera. They want their "Lost." They want to draw more female viewers. Their fall lineup is heavy on the action-adventure-mystery shows (with a whopping three "NCIS" procedurals on air this September).

[Gizmo]

You saw the "Stephen King" in the title and thought he wrote or produced a series for ABC?

Honestly, I didn't even pay it any attention. When I saw the premise I thought they were ripping off the Simpson's movie. I only watched the pilot Monday thanks to word of mouth saying I'd probably enjoy it since I watch Walking Dead.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Honestly, I didn't even pay it any attention. When I saw the premise I thought they were ripping off the Simpson's movie. I only watched the pilot Monday thanks to word of mouth saying I'd probably enjoy it since I watch Walking Dead.

Maybe you will - it has the same interest in contrived crises, sloppy character development, and brief bursts of competence.

[D_Davis]

Watched the first episode today. Not as bad as I was imagining, but also not nearly as good as it could be.

[number8]

I watched the first two. This shit is weak sauce. Rapist Andy Samberg is annoying.

[[ETM]]

At this point, I'm just watching for Rachelle Lefevre.

[D_Davis]

I watched the first two. This shit is weak sauce. Rapist Andy Samberg is annoying.

It's a very poor interpretation of the original character. I doubt I'll continue with the show, unless my woman wants to watch it.

[number8]

Holy shit. Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and guess that CBS will never show that on this series. :lol:

I think we can safely say it will never happen. The imprisonment is their "edit." In the book, when Junior knocks her head on the kitchen floor, she actually dies instead of just passing out, and she's the dead body in the pantry. So keeping her chained in a bunker is the show's way of having Junior similarly defile her body, but in a much less gross fashion.

[number8]

Anyone still watching this? The third episode was so bad I haven't bothered with it since. It was really bad.

[EyesWideOpen]

Anyone still watching this? The third episode was so bad I haven't bothered with it since. It was really bad.

That's when I stopped also.

[D_Davis]

Anyone still watching this? The third episode was so bad I haven't bothered with it since. It was really bad.

Yeah - even my GF who can stomach all kinds of lame stuff has quit watching.

[dreamdead]

Stopped after the first episode. I'm the hipster in the group, yay!

My reaction, though, makes me wonder if Vaughan's writing is equally weak in his comics work (which I never really thought before), or if CBS is neutering what he can do with this material.

[number8]

I have a lot more problem with the acting and directing than the writing. The suspense on the show is non-existent, and everyone's delivery is cheesy to the point of embarrassing. Even Dean Norris! I can't get past those issues long enough to decipher if the story is actually good or not.

[D_Davis]

I know - this is my first experience with Vaughan. I've always heard good things. Hopefully his other stuff is better.

[Gizmo]

still watching, but mostly just to see what the point is. I just now watched this past episode, was not very exciting.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I stopped after the fire episode.

[EvilShoe]

Was thinking of watching this, until I found out this was not going to be a miniseries and everyone started calling it lame.

Anyone caught up with it here, and now actually enjoying it? Or I should just skip?

[Gizmo]

I'm an episode behind, and really only watching to see if they explain anything by the end of the season. I liked the premise, but the story has gotten really lame, probably because they turned it into a long tale instead of a mini-series. I say skip it.

[Gizmo]

aaaaaaand pointless.

[Acapelli]

ugh

[number8]

What happened?

[Acapelli]

nothing

[number8]

BKV: Yeah, I don’t think this has been reported anywhere, but I actually left my position at Under The Dome a few months ago. It was the great thrill of my life to help adapt one of the best book’s ever from my all-time hero, but I’ve got two very young kids at home who I never got to see last season, so I’m enormously grateful to CBS and Amblin for letting me out of my contract a little early. I’m already missing the cast and crew, but the show remains in the excellent hands of our veteran showrunner Neal Baer, and we were lucky enough to hire some heavy hitting new writers for this season, including none other than Mr. King himself. His first episode is easily the best of the series so far, and helps set the tone for a fucking crazy new direction, so I look forward to getting to watch as a fan with everyone else.

He's right, I can't find any report of it at all. Weird.

[Henry Gale]

Is it weird that even though I never watched the show, seeing the thread bumped made me assume this was going to be the news?

Seems like the thing this week.

[Irish]

If anyone is still interested in this show (!!!) --- Stephen King wrote the script for tonight's premiere & appears in a cameo during the episode.