First, I have to confess to not having finished Stephen King’s large tome Under the Dome. But I’m all for adaptations from books, and was very intrigued when CBS took on the challenge of adapting King’s 1072-paged book.
Not advertised as a mini-series like many of King’s adapted works, it is a 13-episode season that mimics what British television does well with no idea if it’s a one-off series or the beginning to an entire series.
The marketing for the show was smart in making it seem like an event. However, my take on the episode is that for an event that should be action-packed, it didn’t live up to the hype. Unlike Lost, where the action seemed overwhelming yet compelling, Under the Dome led up to the event quietly. Perhaps that was because they were trying to imitate a small-town Maine feel (even though it was filmed in North Carolina), and tried to give a sense of character first. But the first episode needed to be explosive, and instead it kind of fizzled.
The main characters were introduced through smaller acts, but when the dome eventually does come down, it took the show a while to show the ramifications all over the small town. And the pacing was the problem. It may have been smarter to just show the discovery and reactions in faster sequencing and worried about setting up characters for later.
There’s a lot of set up that needs to happen to get into the meat of King’s work, so maybe it would have been smarter to do a two-hour premiere to introduce the dome as well as the characters and their reactions. We had a lot to keep up with, including some sketchy villains, a slow-to-freak-out population, a few back stories, and the underlining “I’ve-got-to-get-out-of-this-place-but-now-I-can’t” reaction by pretty much everyone.
When one of the best visuals of the show was a cow being split in half that happens in the first quarter of the show, then there’s a problem. As the show progressed, I became less interested in the characters and their lives. I should have cared that some were having seizures and saying something probably important. I should have cared about the villain importing a lot of kerosene. I should have cared about the younger story line with Junior and his violence. But I found myself more exhausted by the end then at the edge of my seat.
One of the best recaps and analysis I’ve found is from Tor.com where Grady Hendrix does a good job noting the differences between the book and the show. Hendrix states that “…thankfully, it looks like it’s going to deviate significantly from the book, which is a relief since I haven’t been able to locate even the most hardcore Stephen King fan who will defend the book’s ending. What’s strange is that the book excelled at things I expected the TV show to do better, while the TV show got right things that I thought were the province of books.” Perhaps it’s better that I’m not coming into the show with expectations of how the book will be portrayed.
Perhaps it’s wrong to make the comparison of the show to Lost, but that’s the last successful disaster show that sticks out to me (as I’m not an active viewer of Revolution). I think there’s potential for stories as the town is now isolated, and there are clearly villains and heroes with nowhere to go, which promises conflicts. But I really wanted more from the dome descending, and I hope that I’m not left wanting more as I continue trying the show.
Tagged: CBS, Maine, North Carolina, Stephen King, Television program, Under The Dome
What’s irritating about “Under the dome” is how nearly everyone and their dog makes the comparison between it and the “Simpsons Movie”, which I think is an unfair comparison. It’s a bit like comparing a doughnut with a French Pastry.
Well, that was an attempt at saying how the overall idea was unoriginal. There’s lots on how that’s not true. The concept isn’t bad, although I’ve heard the book’s ending is questionable. And I have hopes for the television series. But if they were trying to hook me, they didn’t succeed. I’ll try one more episode before giving up.
Then again, that is Stephen King for you. The beginnings are great, story ideas are good but its the endings that are iffy with him. It does remind me that he once said “I don’t know how a story is going to end”. In a way, you could almost see that as a cop-out because as a writer you should know all the ins-and-outs of the story itself, right?
Well, it’s okay to write by the seat of his pants (a pantser), but I think he’s way beyond having beta readers who will tell him his ending is weak. By that time, the book is out and he’s made lots of money! The television show has an opportunity to change it to be stronger.
I have to agree for the most part. I finished the book quite a while ago so I’ve forgotten a pretty good chunk of things, but as the first episode went along, I felt like they were rushing it. I was thinking about 20 minutes into the show, “This happens half way through the book. How are they gong to keep this going if they’ve already skipped ahead?”
I thought the book did a fabulous job at developing characters, as Stephen King is amazing at doing this, but I too wasn’t the happiest about the ending, but honestly, I’m usually a little disappointed with King’s endings.
I know that TV series just don’t have the time to develop characters like a 1200 or so page book does, but I think the way some of the characters were introduced confused me since I’d read the book. It almost seems, since it does differ so much from the book, it’d almost be better to not read the book until after the series. I don’t know. Hoping that the 1st show jitters are just that and the story develops better in the next episodes. No matter what, I’m sure I’ll watch the entire series.
I’m usually not disappointed when watching adaptations of King’s work. So I’m figuring this will iron out its wrinkles. The cast is strong. But it’s a lot of characters to develop and keep up with. Of course, I think the one promising thing is that the sheriff, who looks like will be a major part of the show, is already out. I know that’s part of the book, but the fact that they used a good actor for the part made it a really good choice.
Yeah, the acting seems pretty spot on. I heard Steven Spielberg had a part in helping out with this series so I’m kind of excited for that reason as well.
If he did help out, that should make a huge difference. Okay, maybe I need to give it a bigger chance then just to watch the next episode.
I enjoyed the first episode, but I hope they tighten up or change the ending from the book, whether its in 13 episodes or in 10 years. (although that is an awful long time to be under the dome…)
I think the casting of Big Jim Renning with Breaking Bad’s Dean Norris is perfect, and so far I’ve really enjoyed Barbie and Julia.
I enjoyed in the show what I enjoyed about the book, a frighteningly real depiction of small town life and the personalities and microdramas of living in one. And then under the dome, of course, they are all magnified.
It should be interesting how being under that dome will magnify all the characters and relationships. Of course I know something bad is coming, and that potential makes me want to see the next episode. I already have someone I don’t want to make it…