CBS' TV series based on Stephen King's Under the Dome began with both good reviews and high ratings, but spiraled downward in quality fast. King published the Under the Dome novel in 2009, and as usual, it quickly became a best-seller. It also received mostly good reviews from critics, which isn't always the case for King, despite the fact that he has so many constant readers. Sporting an intriguing, creative premise - one which some have jokingly said was a ripoff of 2007's The Simpsons Movie, although King's idea existed long before that released - and memorable characters, Under the Dome seemed a natural fit for a screen adaptation.
In hindsight though, perhaps Under the Dome should've become a movie instead of a TV show. While Under the Dome is one of King's lengthier works - coming in at a door-stopping 1,074 pages - the story unfolds over a very brief period of time, totaling just over a week. Then again, perhaps a properly planned one-season limited series would've also served the story just as well. What's clear is that three seasons was too many.
Under the Dome season 1, which aired during the summer of 2013, drew huge ratings and lots of positive reviews. Naturally, this led to a season 2 renewal. Unfortunately, things quickly took a tumble afterward.
Why the Under the Dome TV Show Got Worse As It Went Along
If Under the Dome had stuck to its original reported mission statement of being a 13-epiode limited series, it's likely the show would be much better remembered today. It's unclear if the decision to deviate from that plan was made before or after Under the Dome's initial episodes drew huge ratings, but the season 1 finale clearly wasn't meant to end the story. If it had delivered a satisfying conclusion, many would likely look back on Under the Dome as a well-done adaptation of Stephen King's book. Unfortunately, it didn't end there.
While Under the Dome season 1 did make some noticeable changes to King's plot and characters, it still felt like an adaptation of the book, and a worthy one at that. Season 2 and season 3, however, went flying off the narrative rails, and much of that is due to things going in wildly different directions from what the book offered.
This included a much, much different - although still extraterrestrial - explanation for the dome's appearance, and an Invasion of the Body Snatchers-esque resulting plot that featured Marg Helgenberer all but playing her character from The Tommyknockers, as the residents of Chester's Mill fell under alien influence. To add insult to injury, the series finale still failed to wrap up all loose plot threads, despite bending most of King's characters out of shape to get there. Under the Dome is truly a lesson in knowing when to quit while one is ahead. The more time spent under this particular dome, the more what was inside started to stink.