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Thread: Under The Dome (TV show)

  1. #26
    Member Dave the Brave's Avatar
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    The pace seems to have picked up this week.

    D t B

  2. #27
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    What I want to know is, what happened to the post-bomb wasteland that was outside the dome after the bomb went off? Since then, all the shots outside look the same as inside...trees, grass, blue sky.

  3. #28
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    I guess we are supposed to believe that the dome not only protected what was inside, but also protected the opposite side of the dome from where the bomb went off.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

  4. #29
    Irritated Lawn Guy Klonk's Avatar
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    I've been watching. The first couple episodes had me very intrigued. Then the next couple went quickly downhill with stupid ass storylines and awful acting. Now last episode reeled me back in. I'm in for the long haul, but I'm not too optimistic.
    "Who would have thought a whale would be so heavy?" - Moe Sizlak

  5. #30
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    One of the things that I love about shows like this is they always end in a cliff-hanger and keep me in suspense for a week between episodes. I'm on vacation next week and considering taking the book up to the cottage we're renting...but I don't want to ruin the story that I'm watching on TV. Has anyone who's still watching this read the book? Is it far enough removed that reading the book won't ruin things for me?

  6. #31
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn View Post
    One of the things that I love about shows like this is they always end in a cliff-hanger and keep me in suspense for a week between episodes. I'm on vacation next week and considering taking the book up to the cottage we're renting...but I don't want to ruin the story that I'm watching on TV. Has anyone who's still watching this read the book? Is it far enough removed that reading the book won't ruin things for me?
    So far, the TV show is very far removed from the book. Even if the rest of the show is exactly like the book, I'd still read the book if you have the chance, because it is so much better than the TV show. And you won't have to deal with horrendous acting from the guy who plays Junior.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

  7. #32
    Member BobM's Avatar
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    I'm really on the fence about this show. I keep watching just because I want to know how and why and what the dome is. However I have a feeling it is more a character study of what would happen inside such a thing, and SK isn't really good at that IMO.

    They blew it showing all the greenery outside the dome. That's just wrong after so much effort to show it decimated.

    I hope and want the dome to do something new itself, and we may be getting that soon with the egg lighting up.
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  8. #33
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paythesnuka View Post
    And you won't have to deal with horrendous acting from the guy who plays Junior.
    LOL! Yeah, he's pretty bad. And not all that good looking either, which makes me really wonder how he ended up with that role.

    Thanks for the comments on the book. I'll load it onto my ereader and then play it by ear whether I read it next week. It sounds kind of heavy and depressing and, on second thought, I might want something a little more uplifting for my summer vacation.

  9. #34
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn View Post
    Thanks for the comments on the book. I'll load it onto my ereader and then play it by ear whether I read it next week. It sounds kind of heavy and depressing and, on second thought, I might want something a little more uplifting for my summer vacation.
    Well, the thing with Stephen King is that he has a really good sense of humor. Even in his most horrific stories, there's moments when I find myself laughing out loud. He's also great at creating believable, nuanced characters. Both of those things are missing from the TV series imo (yep, I tried another episode, but I can't take how badly they're butchering the original story, among other things).

  10. #35
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    Man, last night's episode was the worst as far as acting goes. The guy who plays Junior was at his worst and the kid who plays Joe was pretty bad. The only thing this show has going for me at this point is that I want to see how they explain the dome.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

  11. #36
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paythesnuka View Post
    The only thing this show has going for me at this point is that I want to see how they explain the dome.
    Read the book.

    Actually, you might be disappointed; it's kind of silly, much as I enjoyed the book. If you've ever read The Tommyknockers, it's the same sort of "really?" kind of thing. King is great at building the suspense to a frenzied pitch, but his big revelations are often something of a letdown, at least to me. I still love his work though!

  12. #37
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    Read the book.

    Actually, you might be disappointed; it's kind of silly, much as I enjoyed the book. If you've ever read The Tommyknockers, it's the same sort of "really?" kind of thing. King is great at building the suspense to a frenzied pitch, but his big revelations are often something of a letdown, at least to me. I still love his work though!
    I did read the book (as mentioned throughout this thread). To elaborate, what is keeping me tuned in is seeing how the TV show ends it. I agree with you that the ending to the book was disappointing and did not compare with the greatest that was the rest of it.

    Maybe the TV show will surprise us and have a better ending than the book. Maybe Junior is actually a scientist with an enormous IQ who created the dome and is just "acting" like a bad actor.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

  13. #38
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    The show has been renewed for a 2nd season so there will be no ending this summer. It is the number 1 rated show in television right now so they will drag this out as long as they can.

    Steve Sly

  14. #39
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    The show has been renewed for a 2nd season so there will be no ending this summer. It is the number 1 rated show in television right now so they will drag this out as long as they can.

    Steve Sly
    I'm watching the show and this surprises me. Number one? With such horrible acting? Just goes to show how bad summer TV is. It'll be interesting to see how it survives if S2 is run during the regular season.

  15. #40
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    After last night's episode, I really think the writers are making the story up as they go along.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

  16. #41
    Member Dave the Brave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paythesnuka View Post
    After last night's episode, I really think the writers are making the story up as they go along.

    I passed out half way through.
    Guess I didn't miss much.

    D t B

  17. #42
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    Last night my wife and I decided the show's real name must be "Under The Dumb." The acting is bad and the characters seem dumber than a bag of hammers. I haven't read the book, but I have a hard time believing King made all his characters intentionally dense. Perhaps the dome is to keep them and their stupid progeny sealed away from the rest of the world.

    Too bad. I had high hopes for it when the show debuted. I shouldn't be surprised, though. I have read descriptions of the upcoming fall TV shows, and if they are not much, much better than they sound, I have nothing to look forward to on the idiot box. Hope I don't get snowed in this winter.
    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  18. #43
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Depending on how big of a city you live in, check out DVDs at the library. When we lived in the Twin Cities my wife and I could check out a dozen at a time. Now I'm in the boondocks with no library for 40 miles so Amazon is our movie supplier.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

  19. #44
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spellbound View Post
    I have read descriptions of the upcoming fall TV shows, and if they are not much, much better than they sound, I have nothing to look forward to on the idiot box. Hope I don't get snowed in this winter.
    One word. "Netflix". Hubby and I will randomly pick movies that we've never heard of and just start watching. Many we turn off within 20 minutes, but we've also found a few real gems that we would have otherwise never seen.

  20. #45
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    I do check out DVDs from the library whenever they have anything remotely interesting. Last week I watched a couple of oldies but goodies it can't hurt to see again: Blazing Saddles and Kelly's Heroes. Some libraries have started charging for DVD check outs. Our public library is still as Benjamin Franklin intended it, free.

    Can't do Netflix because it costs money. Thanks for the suggestion though. Will keep it in mind if, one day, jobs return.
    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  21. #46
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spellbound View Post
    Can't do Netflix because it costs money. Thanks for the suggestion though. Will keep it in mind if, one day, jobs return.
    Sorry to hear that. My husband lost his job in Sept. 2012 and finally started a new job this week. Things aren't much better here in Canada. We actually cut out most of our cable channels when he lost his job and got Netflix instead because it was cheaper that way.

  22. #47
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Sorry to hear that. My husband lost his job in Sept. 2012 and finally started a new job this week. Things aren't much better here in Canada. We actually cut out most of our cable channels when he lost his job and got Netflix instead because it was cheaper that way.
    I understand. I read an article by a well-educated Canadian who said, "If you want to work in Canada, hide your education." It is the same here. In the eyes of employers, I am overqualified for every job. But I'll be damned if I will allow these 'tiny-brained wipers of other people's bottoms' to make me ashamed of my accomplishments. All the jobs added since the Second Great Depression began are part-time, minimum wage, no-benefits McJobs, anyway. And there are so few of them that they can turn me down for McBurger Flipper or Obsequious McCustomer Service Person because I have too much college. Glad your husband found work, and that you live in a civilized country. My family has been without access to health care for four years.
    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  23. #48
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    You heard exactly right regarding education. Crazy, isn't it? My husband was in middle management...the kiss of death. When looking for a job he had two resumes, one that played up his management skills and one that played them down. I was originally upset that he was playing down his skills but eventually realized that's what the current job market required. In the end he found a job that has management responsibility but not the title or salary. We're hoping that in time, once he proves himself, he will be elevated to where he belongs. In the meantime, at least he's working. And, yes, we have had access to healthcare all along, both through our universal healthcare plan and through my employer. The lack of healthcare in the US boggles my mind, but that's an entirely different subject that will likely be the cause of shutting down this thread if we go there, so let's not. I hope that you find something soon.

    Back on topic. I watched last night's episode tonight. All through it I was thinking "this is dumb. I am done with this show", right up until the very end when they realized they needed a fourth person. Then I was sucked right back in and looking forward to next week. DOH!

  24. #49
    Member ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    I've started the book and am still watching the TV show. Other than the existence of a dome and character names, there are no similarities so far. I wonder if Stephen King has any input in the TV show. If not, I wonder what he thinks of it. If so, what the hell is he thinking?

    EDIT: A little Googling and I answered my own question. A letter from Stephen King, from his web site, for those who are interested. http://www.stephenking.com/promo/utd_on_tv/letter.html

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen King
    A Letter From Stephen:
    For those of you out there in Constant Reader Land who are feeling miffed because the TV version of Under the Dome varies considerably from the book version, here’s a little story.

    Near the end of his life, and long after his greatest novels were written, James M. Cain agreed to be interviewed by a student reporter who covered culture and the arts for his college newspaper. This young man began his time with Cain by bemoaning how Hollywood had changed books such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Before he could properly get into his rant, the old man interrupted him by pointing to a shelf of books behind his desk. “The movies didn’t change them a bit, son,” he said. “They’re all right up there. Every word is the same as when I wrote them.”

    I feel the same way about Under the Dome. If you loved the book when you first read it, it’s still there for your perusal. But that doesn’t mean the TV series is bad, because it’s not. In fact, it’s very good. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that most of my characters are still there, although some have been combined and others have changed jobs. That’s also true of the big stuff, like the supermarket riot, the reason for all that propane storage, and the book’s thematic concerns with diminishing resources.

    Many of the changes wrought by Brian K. Vaughan and his team of writers have been of necessity, and I approved of them wholeheartedly. Some have been occasioned by their plan to keep the Dome in place over Chester’s Mill for months instead of little more than a week, as is the case in the book. Other story modifications are slotting into place because the writers have completely re-imagined the source of the Dome.

    That such a re-imagining had to take place was my only serious concern when the series was still in the planning stages, and that concern was purely practical. If the solution to the mystery were the same on TV as in the book, everyone would know it in short order, which would spoil a lot of the fun (besides, plenty of readers didn’t like my solution, anyway). By the same token, it would spoil things if you guys knew the arcs of the characters in advance. Some who die in the book—Angie, for instance—live in the TV version of Chester’s Mill…at least for a while. And some who live in the book may not be as lucky during the run of the show. Just sayin’.

    Listen, I’ve always been a situational writer. My idea of what to do with a plot is to shoot it before it can breed. It’s true that when I start a story, I usually have a general idea of where it’s going to finish up, but in many cases I end up in a different place entirely (for instance, I fully expected Ben Mears to die at the end of ’Salem’s Lot, and Susannah Dean was supposed to pop off at the end of Song of Susannah). “The book is the boss,” Alfred Bester used to say, and what that means to me is the situation is the boss. If you play fair with the characters—and let them play their parts according to their strengths and weaknesses—you can never go wrong. It’s impossible.

    There’s only one element of my novel that absolutely had to be the same in the novel and the show, and that’s the Dome itself. It’s best to think of that novel and what you’re seeing week-to-week on CBS as a case of fraternal twins. Both started in the same creative womb, but you will be able to tell them apart. Or, if you’re of a sci-fi bent, think of them as alternate versions of the same reality.

    As for me, I’m enjoying the chance to watch that alternate reality play out; I still think there’s no place like Dome.

    As for you, Constant Reader, feel free to take the original down from your bookshelf anytime you want. Nothing between the covers has changed a bit.

    Stephen King
    June 27th, 2013
    Last edited by ForeverAutumn; 09-02-2013 at 11:06 PM.

  25. #50
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    Yeah, I agree with the point about King's tendency towards cool and horrific buildups fizzling into silly endings. The evil clown in "IT" turns out to be a space alien spidery monster. Oh, geez!

    Regarding dome-related stories, I strongly urge those with an interest to read Vernor Vinge's "Marooned in Realtime". His bobbling concept is probably what King "borrowed" for his dome book. Vinge handles the idea with much more panache!

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