Under The Dome (TV show)

[ForeverAutumn]

Is anyone watching this summer mini-series based on the Stephen King book? I haven't read the book but I am being totally blown away by this show. I haven't read a Stephen King novel since Delores Claiborne (1993), but this story line seems to be more along the lines of some of his older works like The Stand, which is one of my all-time favourite books. The characters in the story are deep and fascinating. Each week leaves me hanging on the edge of my seat anticipating the next week's episode. This week (episode 5) was a total game changer and has me wishing the weekend away, wanting Monday night to come so that I can see what happens next.

Great show! Can't wait to read the book.

[Dave the Brave]

You will find the book quite different from the TV series.

Won't give anything away tho.

D t B

[ForeverAutumn]

I was kind of counting on that Dave. Hopefully in a good way though. Books are almost always better than their TV/Movie counterparts.

Am I right to expect something of The Stand's quality? Or am I going to be disappointed? Although I love to read, I don't have a lot of free time for it...so I don't waste my time trying to finish books that I don't enjoy.

[Lopez]

I intend to listen to the entire book on CD in the car on my way to and from ProgDay next month. I should start watching the show On Demand. The original commercials for the first episode looked great, but I was afraid to commit myself to something that I heard might be ongoing after the summer run ends.

[Dave the Brave]

I was kind of counting on that Dave. Hopefully in a good way though. Books are almost always better than their TV/Movie counterparts.

Am I right to expect something of The Stand's quality? .

Not really.

Its not too bad but not up to the quality of The Stand or IT and certainly not the Dark Tower series.

D

[Jimmy Giant]

I'm a bit shocked to find anyone that likes this. I made it through Ep4 and that was tough enough. I read a synopsis of Ep5 and I can say I finally washed my hands of it. It's really quite horrible. There's not a character left in that whole show I wouldn't pay to see die next, but I can't take anymore. Add it to Must Not See TV!

Jeff Fahey was the only one worth a crap and they killed him off quick, probably because his salary was more than the entire remaining cast. They must have sold the show just with his name in it.

But that's always the problem with Stephen King video adaptations, extremely hit and miss.

Sorry to sound so harsh, but this show really tweaked me.
(is the Junior/Angie storyline this godawful in the book???)

[ForeverAutumn]

^ LOL! I can see why you would feel that way. The acting itself is not very good. But I'm digging the storyline and throughout the week I find myself trying to predict where the story is going to go next and how it's going to end. I have a bit of a thing for dystopian societies, so I kinda knew that I'd like it right from the get go.

And I totally agree with your comments about Jeff Fahey. I was very disappointed that they killed him off.

[ForeverAutumn]

Not really.

Its not too bad but not up to the quality of The Stand or IT and certainly not the Dark Tower series.

D

Well, I'm sorry to hear that but not really surprised. That's kinda why I stopped reading King. His books just weren't measuring up to his earliest works.

[SteveSly]

I have been DVR-ing it and have watched several episodes (although not caught up to current). Not sure how I feel about it at this point. I have read the book, which is why I started watching the show. I would say the acting and writing are ok, but not outstanding. The guy from Breaking Bad (can’t remember his name) does a good job as Big Jim. I am still not clear if this is a mini-series with an ending or if this is going to be tried as a full time series (assuming rating justification). I though the book was one of King’s better more recent releases. I used to be a King fanatic, but kind of fell off the last decade or so. “Dome” brought me back to him and I enjoyed it for the most part.

Steve Sly

[Oreb]

I though the book was one of King’s better more recent releases. I used to be a King fanatic, but kind of fell off the last decade or so. “Dome” brought me back to him and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Steve Sly

Similar to my experience. I'm not much of a TV guy (with some exceptions) so won't bother watching this, but I really enjoyed the book. I thought it played to a lot of King's strengths and it introduced me to IMO one of the best current US singer-songwriters, James McMurtry (son of Larry).

[Scott Bails]

I'm about 3/4 through the book, and I've watched the first episode (I've DVR'd the rest). The book is pretty good so far, but I'm skeptical, waiting for the "Stephen King ending." We'll see. The first episode of the show was decent, but I haven't read a lot of good things about the show.

I am still not clear if this is a mini-series with an ending or if this is going to be tried as a full time series (assuming rating justification).

Right now it's a 13-episode series (there's a name for that now in the industry, but it escapes me at the moment). I believe they've already ordered a second season. And the people in charge of such things have already said that they've changed the story substantially from King's original story, to accommodate TV, to allow for a 2nd season, and because for some reason no one can just "do the book." But King has given his blessing, for what that's worth.

He's also written an essay about it, basically saying that we shouldn't feel that the book is ruined by the TV show as the book itself is still intact, regardless of what happens on the show.

[ForeverAutumn]

Right now it's a 13-episode series (there's a name for that now in the industry, but it escapes me at the moment). I believe they've already ordered a second season.

Aw really? One of the reasons that I started watching it is because I thought it was a defined story with a beginning, middle, and most importanly, an end. If it runs into a second (and possibly more) season then the story gets diluted.

One of the things I loved about the last few seasons of Lost is that they were the last few seasons of Lost. The story moved along and you knew that it was all leading up to a conclusion...not just floating along without a purpose.

[Jimmy Giant]

Good God, they ordered a follow up season? Ug.
I thought the first episode was "okay". But it slid really fast downhill.

I'm most upset that there is so little good TV at all, let alone the little good sci-fi or supernatural stuff.
I guess if I could sell something for nothing (Reality TV) in this society, why even engage the brain cells?

I'm at 2 years without cable. I never thought I could do it. Thank the stars for ME-TV!

[SteveSly]

Good God, they ordered a follow up season? Ug.
I thought the first episode was "okay". But it slid really fast downhill.

I'm most upset that there is so little good TV at all, let alone the little good sci-fi or supernatural stuff.
I guess if I could sell something for nothing (Reality TV) in this society, why even engage the brain cells?

I'm at 2 years without cable. I never thought I could do it. Thank the stars for ME-TV!

Wow, I think there is some of the best stuff in the history of Television on right now especially on AMC and HBO. “Breaking Bad”, “Mad Men”, “Game Of Thrones”, “Boardwalk Empire” to name a few all have great writing, and acting. Of course there is also tons of crap.

Steve Sly

[Jerjo]

Orphan Black on BBC America was another jaw-dropper of a show. Or Hannibal on NBC, depending on your stomach for the gore.

I shouldn't talk about Game of Thrones because I am such a fanboy so I will use my wife as an example. She hates most fantasy but so far she's named two pets after GoT characters, screamed at the TV during that one episode that freaked the rest of the country out, and says things like "I would make a good Mother of Dragons."

[SteveSly]

Orphan Black on BBC America was another jaw-dropper of a show. Or Hannibal on NBC, depending on your stomach for the gore.

I shouldn't talk about Game of Thrones because I am such a fanboy so I will use my wife as an example. She hates most fantasy but so far she's named two pets after GoT characters, screamed at the TV during that one episode that freaked the rest of the country out, and says things like "I would make a good Mother of Dragons."

My wife did not get into “Game Of Thrones” at all. She watched a few episodes, but it did not grab her. I have heard good things about Orphan Black, but have not seen it.

Steve Sly

[Jimmy Giant]

If you add up all the TV shows, how many are any good? Really poor percentage.
Yes, GoT we do get to see and it's addicting as hell! Probably the best series on TV.
We also watch Dr Who. And Dexter. All short series....

...at least there's all my Prog CDs/DVDs to enjoy......

[hippypants]

I've watched Dome. I like King, but most regular TV just gets too melodramatic for me most of the time. I do like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, GoT, and others. From what I'd read, King enjoyed the series Lost, and thought that if Dome was well received he would be all for extending it. I sure they could always write the ending similar to the book.

Here's a recent King interview: http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/184827...getting-scared

[Scott Bails]

If you add up all the TV shows, how many are any good? Really poor percentage.
Yes, GoT we do get to see and it's addicting as hell! Probably the best series on TV.
We also watch Dr Who. And Dexter. All short series....

...at least there's all my Prog CDs/DVDs to enjoy......

I think we have more good shows now than ever. But given the vast amount of channels that are available now, it probably seems like a vast wasteland of horrible reality TV.

Like any other media these days, we're saturated with it, so you may have to look harder to find the good stuff, but it's there.

[Paulie]

Didn't they cover this subject matter already in The Simpsons Movie?

[SteveSly]

I think we have more good shows now than ever. But given the vast amount of channels that are available now, it probably seems like a vast wasteland of horrible reality TV.

Like any other media these days, we're saturated with it, so you may have to look harder to find the good stuff, but it's there.

Yep, pretty much my feelings as well. There is a lot of crap, but the really good stuff is top of the line.

Steve Sly

[BobM]

This show really isn't going anywhere, at least not fast enough to truly hold my attention. I am still watching, but I wish they would show some action outside the dome. Tried to blow it up, yeah right. I'm betting this is never going to go away (it is Steven King after all) and nobody will know where it came from. It's probably just an exercise in how people cope with communal dying with no possibility of being saved and food and supplies running out slowly. I wish that part would begin already.

[SteveSly]

This show really isn't going anywhere, at least not fast enough to truly hold my attention. I am still watching, but I wish they would show some action outside the dome. Tried to blow it up, yeah right. I'm betting this is never going to go away (it is Steven King after all) and nobody will know where it came from. It's probably just an exercise in how people cope with communal dying with no possibility of being saved and food and supplies running out slowly. I wish that part would begin already.

It has been a few years since I read the book, but if I remember correctly everything takes place inside the dome and there is no real storyline of what is going on outside other than the occasional communication.

Steve Sly

[No Pride]

You will find the book quite different from the TV series.

Yep! I read the book last year and watched one episode of the tv show a couple of weeks ago. They're butchering the story so bad that I decided to pass on the series. Besides, I feel the casting was pretty poor too. When you read a book, you imagine what the characters look like for starters. Whatshisname from "Breaking Bad" (though he's a strong actor) doesn't look anything like I imagined Big Jim; he should be twice as big and much fatter.

But that's always the problem with Stephen King video adaptations, extremely hit and miss.
(is the Junior/Angie storyline this godawful in the book???)

Stephen King film adaptations are mostly miss, with some exceptions like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Misery."

And the Junior/Angie storyline is very different (and better) in the book; he was never that interested in her one way or the other.

I'm about 3/4 through the book, and I've watched the first episode (I've DVR'd the rest). The book is pretty good so far, but I'm skeptical, waiting for the "Stephen King ending."

I don't want to give anything away, but the ending doesn't live up to the book's promise, as usual. And as usual, the majority of the book was such a page turner that I wasn't gravely disappointed by that; I've grown to not expect great endings from King.

This show really isn't going anywhere, at least not fast enough to truly hold my attention. I am still watching, but I wish they would show some action outside the dome. Tried to blow it up, yeah right. I'm betting this is never going to go away (it is Steven King after all) and nobody will know where it came from.

If it's even somewhat faithful to the book, don't put too much money on that.

[ForeverAutumn]

Maybe I'm just naive but I was truly suprised at the result after they tried to blow up the dome. And with my dystopian interests even more intrigued.

From the sounds of it, it's a good thing that I'm watching the series before reading the book. But, truly, if it goes into season two I think I'll lose interest. Like BobM, I want to see the conclusion and the journey to get there. I'm not really interested in watching how the characters deal with dying off or trying to learn how to survive.

At this point, from what I've heard, I think it's safe to say that the show is "loosely based" on King's novel. Maybe I'll read it when I'm on vacation in a few weeks.