Under the Dome: Blue on Blue

Under the Dome is a summer series on CBS based on science fiction writer Stephen King's book of the same name.  While I enjoy the show, I feel like there is a lot of drama, lies, betrayal, secrets, and very little science.  I wish they would add some more eerie events and fringe science explanations as the only one to date are the actual appearance of the dome and Joe and Norrie's seizures.  This episode could have been the perfect chance to show Outside the Dome and the various military and science theories that led to their actions.  Instead we are still trapped Under the Dome and very little happens.  While this week's Under the Dome was not my favorite, it did take us away from the normal storyline as people finally communicated with the outside and action was taken against the dome.  So let's jump into this weeks episode: "Blue on Blue" 

• The town was pleased to see the arrival of huge buses of family members paying their first, prison-like, visit to Chester's Dome.  While the rudimentary communication through paper and pencil could have been produced in a better fashion it was the first bit of good news to hit the town.  They rushed to the site and reunited with their family and friends. 
• Reverend Coggins continued his religious rebirth threatening Big Jim to come clean about his dealings in the drug business to the town.  He claimed he was hearing God speak only one word into his ear: Moab, a place in the Bible that was evil and corrupt.  This was a sign that if Chester's Mill is to be spared, they must confess their sins and ask for God's forgiveness.  
• Joe discovered a large group of butterflies migrating to the dome's surface, attracted to its electric nature.  This showed their captor was interfering with nature's normal order as the butterflies shouldn't be around Chester's Mill at this time.  In addition Joe realized the dome was sending Norrie and him messages on the same frequency which explained why, when they touched or got too close, they received "feedback" which ignited a spark between them and sent them into their seizures.
• Although the first order of business on visitor's day for Sherriff Linda, was to keep people from rushing up to the dome and touching it.  However, she instantly crossed her own police line and put her hand to her fiancé's setting a great example.  While their reunion began well, she had to inform him of the death of his brother Freddie, the police officer who was killed by a ricocheted bullet.  He apparently was quite upset leaving the area, and Linda, in what she thought to be the last moments of her life.
• Some secrets came along with the dome's visitors, one being Norrie's father.  While she believed he was a sperm donor who could not be located, he showed up in this episode upsetting both Norrie, who found out her mothers had been lying to her, as well as Alice, who was infuriated he never wanted to be a part of Norrie's life until the cameras were rolling.
• Julia's sister-in-law also made an appearance with a "Dear John" letter from Peter, claiming he was sorry and that Julia deserved better.  My only guess about this one was that he mailed it out before the materialization of the dome, expecting Barbie would kill him when he pointed a gun at him that was loaded with blanks.  Why he sent the letter to his sister rather than Julia is a mystery and the whole thing was a bit hinky to me.  Nevertheless Julia believes that her husband did in fact gamble away their money and take off, putting her suspicions about Barbie to rest for the time being.
• Barbie was apparently part of a special military unit that is regarded as heroes and thus able to show his medallion and get information from the soldiers guarding the dome.  It was then that he discovered "Moab" was not a message from God but rather Coggins' hearing aid picking up a military frequency describing the "Mother Of All Bombs".  It became clear the visitation was meant as a goodbye for the town before they planned to hit the dome with a large missile in an attempt to destroy it and everything underneath. 
• Once again the town all came together in a Kumbaya scene as they shared what they thought to be the last moments of their life.  Rather than fighting most made amends and helped prepare the underground shelter, their only hope of surviving the blast, while listening to Phil's end of the world music compilation.  Barbie came clean to Julia about his special unit and the fact that it was all a big cover-up and he had killed his own men, far from being a heroic in his eyes.  This honesty, atop the disappointment from Peter, was enough for her to forgive him and their hands embraced as they waited for their impending doom.
• When Big Jim learned that Chester's Mill was in imminent danger, he released Angie claiming she should die a free woman.  Angie seemed to forgive Junior in the last minutes as she was finally free and they awaited their death in Juniors home rather than the shelter.  Joe and Norrie also shared an end of the world moment together and Linda was left alone at the site where her and her fiancé had once carved their names.
• When the "MOAB" hit, not only did it not destroy Chester's Mill or our beloved characters, it didn't even scratch the surface of the dome.  Instead it left the area around it decimated, likely harming the surrounding nature more than the dome was.  Coggins saw this as a blessing for admitting his sins and continued his insistence on Big Jim coming clean to the town about their shady drug business.  However, Big Jim was determined to keep his secret and murdered Coggins by simply pressing his battery powered hearing aid, still attached to his head, against the dome instantly bursting it.

Overall this episode was a big disappointment for me.  I can't believe any viewer believed this bomb would actually destroy Chester's Mill as it would bring about the death of all the characters and the end of the show.  I felt it could have been produced much better and instead we watched exactly what was expected to happen.  Hopefully in the coming episodes there will be more conflict, more science and more secrets reveled.  Tune into Under the Dome Mondays on CBS and catch up here with new posts each week.  Enjoy!

Under the Dome: Outbreak

The Stephen King summer supernatural thriller Under the Dome has kicked off and we are now deep in the lives of the trapped residents of Chester's Mill.  This week, it played out the most logical result of being confined, mass panic.  We saw a town not only struck by religious rants, desperation and helplessness but a far more imminent danger, an outbreak.  These conditions are putting a strain on our characters as we saw the only thing that spreads faster than any bacteria: fear.  Let's dive right in to the events of the newest episode "Outbreak" (I really have to say they aren't creative at all when it comes to these titles) and don't forget to check out the special * this week at the end of the post, a new idea that I think would really help tie things together!  Enjoy!

• As soon as the dome appeared a military presence built up consisting of scientists conducting tests and soldiers providing barriers for the outside world.  However in this episode we saw them pack up and leave striking fear and hopelessness in Chester's Mill.  To add to the tumultuous events of confused and pessimistic residents lashing out at the fleeing soldiers by spray-painting "help us", "don't leave us", and throwing items, that of course only hit the dome, Reverend Coggins had a change of heart and rather than the doped up body-gatherer we had been introduced to in previous episodes, we saw a man who went back to God.  He riled up the townsfolk by shouting scripture and has begun to see the dome in a new light, as an omen from God.  As Linda was attempting to disperse the crowd at gunpoint, Big Jim stepped in to calm them down with words as opposed to force.  Linda fainted in his arms and it was clear, something was wrong. 
• An outbreak hit Chester's Mill as various storylines collided.  They all rushed to the small town's clinic: Big Jim with Linda, Julia who had followed Barbie's map in an attempt to discover his secrets and found DJ Phil collapsed in possession of her husband's car, the two moms with their daughter Norrie and Joe who had both suffered a seizure, and many more.  With little supplies and the only doctor being Julia's missing husband Peter, Norrie's mom Alice, a psychiatrist, steps in and diagnoses an overwhelming number of cases of meningitis.  Low on medication Big Jim and Barbie head to the local drug store leaving Junior in charge with a shotgun placing the clinic on quarantine in an attempt to control the spread of the bacteria.  Jim and Barbie arrive at the pharmacy only to find the medication cleared out, but Jim has an idea of just who would have committed such an act.  Together they head to the Reverend's home where he is not using the medications for himself but rather burning the drugs claiming the outbreak is a sign from God and the people afflicted aren't meant to live.  Meanwhile at the clinic, Linda finds herself sharing a room with a former school teacher who gives her life by insisting the last dose of antibiotics go to her pupil Linda instead of herself.  Julia, determined to solve the mystery of her husband's disappearance interrogates a delirious Phil who informs her of a cabin.  Junior is over his head at first, desperately trying to keep the frantic group of people contained by firing a shotgun in the air.  He eventually takes a page out of his dad's book and gives a moving speech about trusting the townsfolk and leaves the door unguarded with the shotgun next to it persuading the mob to do what is best for the town and stay put.  The antibiotics are dispensed and once again a town crisis is averted.    
• During the outbreak and quarantine, though also suffering from the illness, Julia was determined to locate her husband Peter.  After getting a few clues from a delirious Phil she tried to get through Junior.  Although he didn't allow her to leave, he did inform her of the location he and Barbie had their previous struggle.  She was able to sneak out a back exit, using Peter's clinic key card, and drove out to the isolated gambling hall.  There she found remnants of her husband including bank statements revealing he had drained all their bank accounts and their house was in foreclosure.  With the meningitis progressing, Julia passes out alone in the middle of nowhere.  When Barbie realizes she is gone he persuades Junior, who has no desire to help Barbie with anything, to give him his truck as Julia was able to escape under his watch.  Barbie finds the gravely ill Julia and is able to bring her back to the clinic thus saving her life.  However, Julia is not so grateful when she awakens and confronts Barbie about his myriad of lies.  He confesses to her his real occupation, as a bounty hunter or enforcer for a bookie, and plays her a voice message from Peter claiming he had the money and wanted to meet.  Of course Barbie doesn't admit that he met with Peter, who did not have the money but instead pulled a gun, and during their struggle ultimately killed him.  Instead he leaves Julia, the woman who opened her arms and home to him, devastated by implying that her husband not only took all of their money but ran off to avoid paying his debt.  Now lied to by both men in addition to being trapped and unable to even search for Peter, although it would be futile, Julia tells Barbie to get out of her home by the time she returns. 
• After Joe and Norrie's tests came back normal and unaffected by the illness, they passed the time by hanging out and becoming closer to one another.  Norrie brought up the fact that their latest seizure was brought on when they touched and decided to conduct an experiment.  By lining up her cell phone camera to record any events, they stood face to face and brought their hands together hoping to trigger something.  Right when they were about to give up an electric shock sparked between their hands and they both fell to the floor and began shaking violently while repeating the same phrase, "pink stars are falling in lines".  When the episode finished, they reviewed their video and saw an unaware Joe motioning to the camera by putting one finger up to his mouth.  Not remembering the event, they concluded that he was indicating they should keep silent about their findings, so only they know how to trigger the seizures and this may hold a vital clue of the dome. 
• Amidst the town's own medical crisis, Angie still captive in the underground shelter, creates her own life or death situation.  After an unsuccessful attack on Junior with scissors, and having her own stir-crazy episode, she tries to call for help through a vent and pulls violently on a pipe causing it to burst, the massive stream of water threw her off the bunk and onto the concrete floor leaving her unconscious.  As the water filled the small bunker, eventually waking Angie up, she tried various ways to fix the situation but ultimately failed.  It wasn't until Big Jim returned home after his hectic day and followed the noise to uncover his son's creepy little secret.  Although I believe Big Jim will help Angie by stopping the flow of water, getting her dry and possibly attending to her head wound, I think that he will realize the implications of his son's hostage on not only Junior but himself and with his self-serving megalomaniac personality refrain from letting Angie loose.
• After witnessing Junior's efforts at the clinic and his ability to keep the order in the town as well as Linda's own experience with her former teacher's comments regarding how much both Junior and Linda had grown from their younger years; Linda in need of new deputies offers Junior the job.  I believe that she is trying to mimic what her mentor Duke did by taking Junior under her wing to help give him a better future, obviously not aware of his sociopathic tendencies or his hostage.  This presents a grim future for Chester's Mill as Junior now holds a badge and power making him even more dangerous than before.
• *On another note, we saw in next week's preview that the military is planning on blowing up the dome.  While I don't understand this for a plethora of reasons, the main one being: if the dome isn't presenting a big problem for the outside world as they could divert traffic around the small area why take the drastic measure of firing a missile at it, likely killing everyone inside?  In addition if a bullet bounces off the interior of the dome, and from what we know scientists haven't uncovered much about its nature, doesn't it pose the risk of harming the outside world if the missile fails?  So I propose an episode entitled Outside the Dome where we are taken into the pentagon and shown the planning by the Department of Defense or possibly the Department of the Interior with military, environmental and scientific specialists explaining the outcomes of their tests, their theories, the risks the dome poses for the rest of the world and their strategies on how to approach the problem.  I think it would be interesting and veer away from the dramatic storyline approach the show has taken so far and more into the "sci" of this television series.  Since thus far we have learned little about the dome's composition and only the effects it's had on the inside, Outside the Dome would be a fresh breath (literally) and give the viewer clues as to what it is and why they have chosen to destroy it.

Although Under the Dome is based on the emperor of all science fiction, Stephen King, the series deals primarily with the drama revolving around the lives of its captors rather than the science of its composition.  I think for a major network to produce it, this is a good choice as it has the potential to draw in a much bigger audience.  However, it does leave me wanting more aliens and unexplained events similar to shows like Fringe or Haven.  That being said, it keeps me interested and entertained, week after week, and I have become invested in the characters like any good drama should do.  I look forward to what will come next and will be back with an all new review and recap with each coming episode; so tune in to CBS Mondays and check back here for everything happening Under the Dome! 

Under the Dome: Manhunt

This week on Under the Dome, there weren't many surprises as things played out pretty much as predicted, but we did get a deeper look into some characters helping us to understand them better.  We also saw character interactions we haven't seen before, like Julia with Junior and Big Jim with Barbie.  The new episode, Manhunt, kept me entertained, interested and shed some new light on Chester's Mill's key people.  So let's dive right in to the events Under the Dome.

In the aftermath of last week's episode (see: Under the Dome: The Fire), Deputy Paul is taken to hold-up for his actions.  The town is struck with fear and panic questioning Linda's ability to keep them safe and keep the peace inside the dome.  Let me just say, if in the first few days after our mysterious bubble dropped the Sheriff died and of the three officers left one is now a felon for shooting the other who is dead, I'd be questioning Linda too.  Big Jim is able to calm them down and sees the dome not as a threat but rather a blessing; an opportunity for him to gain more power, control and influence in Chester's Mill.  Paul is able to easily fool and trap Linda, enabling his escape.  When Big Jim confronts Linda, like her predecessor and mentor Duke, she rebuffs Jim's self appointed role as leader claiming he isn't in charge of her.  This battle for control will likely continue to play out in the weeks ahead as Linda is now the Sheriff and needs new deputies, which falls to Big Jim, as the only councilman in Chester's Mill, he holds the power to appoint new officers.    

We learn a little more about Junior in this episode and possibly uncover why he is so crazy.  He has clearly been living in his father's shadow and I actually felt bad for him.  Big Jim tells his son that him being MIA from the fire was not a good reflection on him and that he's not a man.  He even goes as far to say that nine years after the death of his mother he is still hiding behind her skirt.  Even his name is a constant reflection of how he is not good enough, he's not his own man, he is Junior.  I think that when Angie broke it off with him, he snapped, feeling like a failure once again.  While feeding the captive Angie, she gives him the idea to search beneath the town and bolsters his self-confidence by telling him that even though it's dangerous he is brave enough to navigate the banned tunnels.  While this is only in her best interest, if Junior thinks the dome is affecting her, finding a way out is her only way out of the predicament she has found herself in.  To top that, no one seems to care that she's gone.  Her parents are trapped outside, her brother, Joe, is preoccupied and her boss Rose thinks she just abandoned her job.  Junior takes Angie's advice as he is desperate to get rid of or escape the dome.  Julia, always asking questions and looking for her next big story follows Junior into the tunnels.  Unfortunately they learn that the dome transcends even the deepest part of town and Junior lashed out at the dome, beating it with no reluctance.  Again he feels like a failure.  We also saw the dome react to another battery operated device, and just as Duke's pacemaker exploded when in close proximity to the electrical nature of the globe, Junior's flashlight burst.  Luckily Julia helps guide them out, using matches to see where the airflow originates.  She also has a heart to heart with Junior explaining that why she ended up in her husband's home town of Chester's Mill, is because she wanted a story so badly she neglected to verify her information and her big time career was over.  She acted like the mother-figure he has been missing and explained that mistakes are not personal failures but rather big arrows guiding us in life and enabling us to learn and grow.  Junior warns her about Barbie adding to her already growing suspicions of him.  When she finally brings him home they agree to keep their journey together a secret and steps out of his father's light asking to no longer be called Junior, but James.   
 
Joe becomes the coolest kid in Chester's Mill with a generator and no parents and his house quickly becomes the teenage hangout.  He begins to bond with Norrie and when the local jock starts charging for Joe's power Norrie is the only one who will stand up to him.  In an effort to protect her, Joe confronts him as well but the generator is overloaded and blows just in time.  Norrie's mom rushes in as she has been searching for her rebellious teen all day concerned she has had another epileptic fit.  Preparing to say goodbye Joe and Norrie's hands go to touch when suddenly there is an electrical spark which sends them both into the strange episodes they had before: violently shaking while repeating "pink stars are falling in lines".   
 
Big Jim begins the manhunt for Paul asking for volunteers.  He picks up two burly men at Rose's diner and seeing Barbie, chums up to him in an effort to size him up.  Suspecting he was the man who had brawled with his son Junior and seeing his bruised knuckles just confirmed it.  As I thought, Barbie's actions after the fire, when he apprehended Deputy Paul by disarming him, drew unwanted attention.  Big Jim begins by souping him up saying he saw what he did and he could really use a guy like him on the team, but as usual he has ulterior motives.  Throughout the episode they spend the day together hunting Paul and while Jim tries to pry information out of Barbie, he is unusually tight lipped making him even more suspicious.  When they finally find Paul, it is Linda who gives the kill shot cleaning up her own mess and showing that she is capable of stepping into Duke's shoes.  Big Jim and Barbie arrive simultaneously with Julia and Junior where there is obvious friction in the air.  I think that seeing his dad with Barbie, even though Junior told him Barbie had attacked him, made Junior's hate for his father and for Barbie intensify.  While I don't think Big Jim has any ideas of being Barbie's new best friend but rather to assess him as a likely threat, Junior doesn't see it that way.  Just like Angie's earlier comments about Barbie being a real man compounded with Big Jim's disappointment in Junior for not stepping up, angers Junior which he deflects on Barbie.  I am sure we will see more of the two's silent feud as at the diner Barbie heard the Angie hasn't been seen since the dome hit and I am sure he can connect the dots back to Junior.
 
In addition, Julia's inquisitive nature keeps her at arms length from Barbie instinctively knowing his story doesn't add up.  She knows that he lied about the dog tags, she witnessed his clear recognition of Phil the DJ and suspicious avoidance of him like he doesn't want to be seen, and she also noticed his bruised knuckles which verifies Junior's story.  Then, when she confronts him again about why he is in Chester's Mill he lies causing her to dig deeper into why he is in their town.  While he showers she snoops in his backpack and discovers that not only did he lie about only passing through, but he possesses a map clearly marked with an address in Chester's Mill, with initials written next to it.  I can't wait to see whether Barbie catches her, she confronts him or, learning from her past mistakes, takes the time to investigate him further before drawing a conclusion.  But either way now she knows the man in her home isn't who he claims to be.  

Another good episode to add to the tale that has become my new summer addiction.  Tune in Monday night's on CBS to join the ride and check back here as I will continue to bring you weekly reviews, recaps and my personal predictions as to what will happen next on Under the Dome!

Under the Dome: The Fire

CBS's new science-fiction, mystery, action, drama hit Under the Dome premiered its second episode, The Fire, this week.  Unlike the premiere that bogged viewers down with a slew of character introductions and had me rewinding and taking notes just to keep up with everyone's secrets, jobs and relationships; this episode was rich with the logical content that would follow the unlikely event of  being encased in a virtual snow-globe.  This week the town of Chester's Mill began to feel the pressure of being enclosed with no idea why the mysterious dome had appeared, what it is, or when, if ever, they will be released.  The episode depicted the inevitable feelings of claustrophobia as some residents became stir crazy.  We were blessed with a new introduction, a great decision, that gave us some background on what had happened in the premiere.  If you still have questions about the barrage of characters and original events, check out my first post where I lay it out clearly.  This week we also saw some of the show's more insidious characters trying to hide their crimes and clean up their messes, residents working together to avert catastrophe lacking any outside help, as well as the sleuths of the group investigating the science of the dome.  So let's dive right in to the main events in this weeks episode of Under the Dome!

• We begin with Barbie, one of Chester's Mill non-natives, having vivid dreams about the day he killed Peter.  This gives us a little more background on what happened as in the first episode we only saw Barbie dumping the body.  The scene was pretty much as expected, when Barbie attempted to collect Peter's gambling debts, they got into a scuffle and Peter pulled a gun.  Because Peter was killed the day the dome dropped, Sunday, we now know that he was not cheating on his wife Julia when she thought he was working at the hospital but rather going to the local gambling shack.  Contributing to Barbie's feeling of guilt that Julie, his gracious host while trapped, is concerned about her husband's whereabouts and assumes he is outside the dome with his mistress, he awakes to pictures in the home of the happy couple next to his bed.  In addition Barbie was apparently yelling in his sleep and we don't know how much the clever reporter Julia knows.  Barbie also comes to the realization that during his scuffle, Peter pulled off his dog tags which connect him to the crime scene.  Recovering this key piece of evidence and precious keepsake is Barbie's mission for the episode.
• A new character is introduced, Reverend Coggins, as Linda and Big Jim take Duke's body to the morgue.  We quickly find out that Coggins is not as holy as one would assume as he is high on the "product" and part of the plot both Big Jim and Duke were privy to.  While it is not clear, it is implied that the trucks they have been moving into the town are related to drugs and while both Duke and Big Jim claim their actions are to help Chester's Mill, Coggins makes it clear that he and Big Jim have ulterior motives as well.  After Duke's death the two attempt to destroy any evidence he has, before Linda or anyone else finds out, by searching both his office and home.  Coggins finds the documentation in Duke's study, but while burning the damning paperwork in his altered state he ends up setting fire to the sheriff's entire house causing the first town catastrophe.  With the fire trucks outside the dome, the town must work together to extinguish the flames.  Everyone helps out including Barbie who starts a "bucket brigade" to move water from a nearby swimming pool.  Their efforts were futile as the flames continued to spread, even causing a propane tank to explode, threatening all of Chester's Mill and for a moment it seems like the entire town may go down in a dome of flames.  Thankfully, Big Jim comes to the rescue with a tractor and tears down Duke's house putting the fire to rest.  At one point Big Jim hears the Reverend calling for help, trapped within the fire, but ignores him, probably to minimize the number of people of know about his nefarious actions and to profit more himself.  When Linda hears his calls she races into the burning building and pulls him out alive. 
• We see more of Junior and his captive Angie in this episode as well.  Of course, Angie is trying desperately to escape the confines of the bomb shelter and when Junior brings her food and water she attacks him but is overpowered and chained to the bunk-bed.  While it is clear that Junior is crazy, he brought up an interesting point about the change in Angie's personality coinciding with the emergence of the dome.  In my post reviewing the premiere I noted the strange inconsistencies of Angie's clothes, dialogue and character in general.  While I know that Junior isn't all there, is it possible that similarly to Joe and Norrie's seizure episodes in connection to the dome, Angie is also having some sort of reaction to its presence?  I might be reaching in order to explain away some poor writing and production choices, but in this type of show where the impossible becomes reality you never know.  Angie also made the unintelligent decision to play into Junior's insecurities about seeing her with Barbie in the first episode by claiming she is in a relationship with him.  This causes Junior to seek him out and attack Barbie in the poker hall while he is searching for his missing dog tags.  Junior misinterprets why Barbie is there, but if Peter's body emerges he might be able to connect the dots and finger Barbie for the murder.  Barbie roughs up Junior and warns him that if he doesn't stop following and harassing him, next time he won't stop, he will kill Junior.  We don't know if this is just an idle threat or a reality as Barbie is capable of murder and Junior is now a witness if anyone discovers what happened at the poker hall.  However it is clear that Barbie has some regrets for his actions, especially when he finds the gun Peter drew on him to be empty and as his relationship with Peter's wife Julia grows.
• Joe hasn't yet noticed his sister's disappearance and spends his time this episode with his friend Ben, the same boy who witnessed Joe's dome induced seizure last week, investigating their cage.  By marking points and using trigonometry, Joe is among the first residents to uncover the massive circular shape of their entrapment.  He also discovers a group of scientists outside the barrier spraying water on it.  While the water doesn't directly penetrate the bubble, he discovers a sort of osmotic property as his hand becomes moist when touching the area where the water is hitting.  I think that if water is able to seep through the fence's clearly electrical nature, air might also penetrate it, meaning the smoke from the fire could dissipate.  Although this may seem like a small find, it could be the beginning to uncovering an escape route for instance creating a Faraday cage to safely cross over or to bring supplies into Chester's Mill.   
• Julia's journalist instincts take her to the radio station where she encounters Phil and Dodee picking up some military communications.  She takes the station hostage and updates the town with a news report informing the masses that their captor is being referred to as dome-like in shape.  She then rushes to the newest story in Chester's Mill, the fire.  While taking pictures and joining in the effort to extinguish the flames, she comes across Barbie and notices he has found his dog tags.  When she questions him as to their whereabouts, he lies and she knows this.  Although she is impressed with Barbie and his seemingly good-natured personality, it is clear that her instincts are telling her that his story doesn't add up and I don't think it will be long before she uncovers his hidden actions as well. 
• Residents and visitors of Chester's Mill come together in the fire crisis to help each other out and do their best to survive with their limited resources inside the dome.  After the fire is extinguished Big Jim makes a step for power by giving a speech to the crowd regarding their efforts to work in harmony and that if they keep it up they will make it through whatever the unknown barrier trapping them there has in store.  Interrupting his speech a distraught citizen brings up the obvious counter; that they will never escape.  Making matters worse, it is a sheriff's officer who speaks up against him clearly in a panic. Deputy Paul fills the residents with fear, claiming they will all die in this circular coffin.  In a fit of rage he shoots his gun at the dome, which acts like a mirror and propels the bullet back into the crowd piercing another deputy in the chest.  Barbie apprehends Paul which will probably have some wondering who this man is and where he developed his obvious combat skills.  Nevertheless, a kumbaya moment quickly turns into one of fear, panic and shock as the injured cop dies.  With the realization that the officers are the ones we look to in a time of crisis and one has just murdered another (i.e. they don't have it together), compounded with the fact that Paul's words were just a vocalization of everyone's greatest fear, I am sure that the crowd is beginning to tap into their own feelings of hysteria.  For the more optimistic and level-headed personalities in the crowd, Paul's words and actions are now planted in their minds ready to creep up in times of doubt.  We wont know until next week, but I think that many will begin to panic and the claustrophobic feelings will spread as quickly as the fire did.  The longer they are enclosed and the more gossip that networks out will cause factions; one determined to break out no matter the cost and the other desperately trying to keep the peace until help arrives.  But we must also entertain the idea that help isn't coming and unless the town figures out the cause of this mysterious dome and, rather than waiting idly, comes up with a plan to escape it, they may all be trapped forever. 

This week's Under the Dome had some pros and cons.  While I griped last week about the plethora of information and character introductions, I look back on my thoughts and find myself wishing there was more data in the latest episode.  With the main focus on the flames, there was little content elsewhere which made The Fire a bit slower than the premiere.  That being said, there were some funny points like the juxtaposition of Reverend Coggins saying "The Lord works in mysterious ways" in an accomplished, sinister tone right before he is trapped in a hell like scenario, caught in an inferno of his own making.  There was also the important discovery that the dome is not solid but able to have some things pass through it.  We were also introduced to the inevitable panic beginning to seep in with the thought that the group may never escape and, with limited resources, fights over commodities are bound to happen.  Barbie even expects this and stocks up on some cigarettes for future bartering.  While this wasn't really depicted until the end of the episode, I am sure we will see the aftermath in the coming weeks.  The mysteries of the dome, the secrets of the town, and the pressure of being enclosed are all unfolding and I look forward to watching it all happen in the next episodes.  Tune in to Under the Dome and check back here for all the drama from inside a tiny bubble!


"Under The Dome Sticker" courtesy of John Wilkerson:
http://www.thestickercast.com/2013/07/possible-getglue-stickers-for-under-the-dome/