Under the Dome season 3
| Under the Dome | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
 Region 2 DVD cover | |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | June 25 – September 10, 2015 |
| Season chronology | |
The third and final season of Under the Dome, an American science fiction mystery drama television series, premiered on CBS on June 25, 2015,[1] and ended on September 10, 2015.[2]
Based on the novel of the same name written by Stephen King, Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the fictional small town of Chester's Mill, when a massive, transparent, indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. Military forces, the government, and the media positioned outside the barrier attempt to break it down, while the residents trapped inside must find their own ways to survive with diminishing resources and rising tensions. A small group of people inside the dome must also unravel complicated mysteries in order to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away.
Regarding the third-season finale, which served as a series finale, executive producer and showrunner Neal Baer said he was "very happy with this ending. I feel very satisfied. We made it so there could be another [season]… but it wasn’t necessary."[3]
The season received mixed reviews.[4][5]
After airing on Mondays for the first two seasons, the show moved to Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET for the third season, where it received an average of 0.9 in the 18–49 demographic and 4.57 million viewers over its 13-episode run.[6]
Season plot
In the third and final season of Under the Dome, the people of Chester's Mill decide to go through the way out of the Dome discovered in the previous season. What meets them is freedom, and they go on to live a year of their lives without the Dome - or so they think. Back inside the Dome, the few people remaining discover that someone they trusted isn't who they appeared to be, and as a result, they destroy the mysterious egg, which is the Dome's power source. Everyone outside the Dome is actually revealed to have been trapped in weird cocoons, and when the egg is destroyed, they escape from the cocoons to find out the year they lived was completely false; an alternate reality created by "The Kinship", an alien civilization. The Kinship takes over the minds and bodies of the townspeople, turning them into emotionless robot-like individuals with a shared goal to take over Chester's Mill, and then the whole Earth, in order to evolve and spread their civilization after their home planet was destroyed. With only very few people not having entered the alternate reality and not having been cocooned, a war inside the Dome is set up between The Kinship and the so-called Resistance. With the Dome's power source gone, it starts to calcify, severely limiting oxygen and posing a threat to both The Kinship and The Resistance. As the situation intensifies, the final few hours sees members of each group somewhat working together to find a way to make the Dome disappear, as well as killing the other group, in the final moments that have massive global consequences.
Cast and characters
The cast members portray characters that were mostly taken from the original novel, "although some have been combined and others have changed jobs."[7]
Main
- Mike Vogel as Dale 'Barbie' Barbara
- Rachelle Lefevre as Julia Shumway
- Alexander Koch as James 'Junior' Rennie
- Eddie Cahill as Sam Verdreaux
- Colin Ford as Joe McAlister
- Mackenzie Lintz as Norrie Calvert-Hill
- Kylie Bunbury as Eva Sinclair and Dawn
- Dean Norris as James 'Big Jim' Rennie
Recurring
- Aisha Hinds as Carolyn Hill
- John Elvis as Ben Drake
- Grace Victoria Cox as Melanie Cross
- Max Ehrich as Hunter May
- Brett Cullen as Don Barbara
- Marg Helgenberger as Christine Price
- Eriq La Salle as Hektor Martin
- Mike Whaley as Malick
- Bess Rous as Abby DeWitt
- Andrew J. West as Pete Blackwell
- Frank Whaley as Dr. Marston
- Tia Hendricks as Audrey Everett
- Gia Mantegna as Lily Walters
- Megan Ketch as Harriet Arnold
- Vince Foster as Kyle Lee
Production
On October 9, 2014, the series was renewed for a third season.[8] Tim Schlattmann joined the series as an executive producer for season three.[9] According to producer Randy Sutter, filming for the third season began on March 11, 2015,[10] and ended on August 8, 2015.[11]
During a CBS press briefing in May 2015, showrunner and executive producer Neal Baer promised answers in the new season. "We will tell you why the dome came down and what it’s about", with new executive producer Tim Schlattman adding, "You’ll see how these puzzle pieces form a puzzle that may be different from what you thought it would be".[12]
A month later, Baer provided some insight on the series as a whole, saying that each season has "an overarching philosophy". "The first year was faith, fear and fascism. The second year was faith vs. science. This year, it's the individual vs. the group, with the theme being the enemy within."[13]
Following information from CBS entertainment chairman Nina Tassler in August 2015 that "The Dome is coming down at the end of this season”, speculation started that the third season would also be the final season,[14] which CBS confirmed at the end of the month.[15]
In an interview after the series finale aired on September 10, 2015,[16] executive producer and showrunner Neal Baer said he was "very happy with this ending. I feel very satisfied. We made it so there could be another [season]… but it wasn’t necessary."[3]
Casting
Marg Helgenberger guest stars in an extended arc beginning with the premiere.[1] She plays a therapist named Christine Price who "has a big goal to unite the people of Chester's Mill and to teach the people in the community to live and make the most of their situation until they survive the ordeal."[17]
Eriq La Salle, who directed an episode in the second season, is a guest star in season three. He plays Hektor Martin, the ruthless CEO of Aktaion Energy, the company run by Barbie's father, and also directed the ninth episode of the season.[18]
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | "Move On" | Peter Leto | Adam Stein | June 25, 2015 | 6.25[19] |
| 28 | 2 | "But I'm Not" | Peter Weller | Tim Schlattmann | June 25, 2015 | 6.25[19] |
| 29 | 3 | "Redux" | Olatunde Osunsanmi | Alexandra McNally | July 2, 2015 | 5.28[20] |
| 30 | 4 | "The Kinship" | Ed Ornelas | Cathryn Humphris | July 9, 2015 | 5.12[21] |
| 31 | 5 | "Alaska" | David M. Barrett | Bronwyn Garrity | July 16, 2015 | 4.75[22] |
| 32 | 6 | "Caged" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Andres Fischer-Centeno | July 23, 2015 | 4.63[23] |
| 33 | 7 | "Ejecta" | David M. Barrett | Peter Calloway | July 30, 2015 | 4.68[24] |
| 34 | 8 | "Breaking Point" | Sam Hill | James C. Oliver & Sharla Oliver | August 6, 2015 | 3.88[25] |
| 35 | 9 | "Plan B" | Eriq La Salle | Tim Schlattmann & Mark Linehan Bruner | August 13, 2015 | 3.73[26] |
| 36 | 10 | "Legacy" | Dennie Gordon | Alexandra McNally & Andres Fischer-Centeno | August 20, 2015 | 4.04[27] |
| 37 | 11 | "Love is a Battlefield" | Lee Rose | Peter Calloway & Adam Stein | August 27, 2015 | 4.60[28] |
| 38 | 12 | "Incandescence" | PJ Pesce | Bronwyn Garrity & Cathryn Humphris | September 3, 2015 | 3.70[29] |
| 39 | 13 | "The Enemy Within" | Peter Leto | Neal Baer & Tim Schlattmann | September 10, 2015 | 4.23[30] |
Reception
Critical reception
In a June 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss season three, Neal Baer commented on the "less-than-favorable" critical reception to previous episodes. "I always feel like critics ... if they could do it better, they'd be writing the show. So bring it on! ... It's really easy to criticize, and it's really hard to develop a show." Baer also stated, "I think criticism is important, because it brings context to shows. It gives insight. ... But criticism has changed so much in the past several years because of the Internet. There are so many places, so many voices. Sometimes it feels like there's a bandwagon of sorts!" Jokingly, Baer did note that "fortunately, the audience has been pretty critic-proof in many ways."[13]
The third season received mixed reviews. Positive reviews included Ken Tucker of Yahoo!, who wrote that "Under the Dome is certainly broadcast television’s most enjoyable science-fiction/fantasy series, a summer treat that, while sometimes silly and over-the-top, is never less than energetically imaginative and aware of the history of its genre",[4] Scott Von Doviak of The A.V. Club, who wrote that "this show is always more fun when it leans into its sci-fi elements",[31] and Paul Dailly of TV Fanatic, who wrote that "All things considered, this was a solid, if unspectacular return for the show".[32] Negative reviews included Kevin Yeoman of ScreenRant, who wrote that "There is a certain joy that comes from watching something as consistently moronic as Under the Dome",[33] and Tim Surette of TV.com, who wrote that "it takes balls to think your audience is so dumb and brain dead that you feel the need to explain the big twist in the episode that's about to happen before the episode even begins".[5]
Ratings
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) |
Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Move On" | June 25, 2015 | 1.3/5 | 6.25[19] |
| 2 | "But I'm Not" | June 25, 2015 | 1.3/5 | 6.25[19] |
| 3 | "Redux" | July 2, 2015 | 1.0/4 | 5.28[20] |
| 4 | "The Kinship" | July 9, 2015 | 1.1/3 | 5.12[21] |
| 5 | "Alaska" | July 16, 2015 | 0.9/3 | 4.75[22] |
| 6 | "Caged" | July 23, 2015 | 1.0/4 | 4.63[23] |
| 7 | "Ejecta" | July 30, 2015 | 1.0/4 | 4.68[24] |
| 8 | "Breaking Point" | August 6, 2015 | 0.8/3 | 3.88[25] |
| 9 | "Plan B" | August 13, 2015 | 0.8/3 | 3.73[26] |
| 10 | "Legacy" | August 20, 2015 | 0.8/3 | 4.04[27] |
| 11 | "Love is a Battlefield" | August 27, 2015 | 0.9/3 | 4.60[28] |
| 12 | "Incandescence" | September 3, 2015 | 0.8/3 | 3.70[29] |
| 13 | "The Enemy Within" | September 10, 2015 | 0.8/3 | 4.23[30] |
References
- ^ a b Baron, Steve (February 26, 2015). "CBS Announces Premiere Dates for Zoo, Extant & More + Under the Dome Moves to Thursdays". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ "Under the Dome Season 3, Episode 13: The Enemy Within". TV Guide. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Iannucci, Rebecca (September 10, 2015). "Under the Dome EP Talks 'Satisfying' End, Hypothetical Season 4 Plan". TVLine. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Tucker, Ken (June 25, 2015). "Under The Dome Is Back, More Fun Than Ever". Yahoo!. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ a b Surette, Tim (June 26, 2015). "Under the Dome Season 3 Premiere Review: More Dome-tacular Than Ever". TV.com. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ "Ratings Review: Under the Dome (Season Three)". TV-Aholic. October 2, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ King, Stephen (June 27, 2013). "A Letter From Stephen". StephenKing.com. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt (October 9, 2014). "CBS Renews Under the Dome, Extant". TVLine. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "Tim Schlattmann". IMDb. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
- ^ Sutter, Randy (February 11, 2015). "One month until Season 3 begins shooting. #UnderTheDome #UTD3". Twitter. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ Sutter, Randy (August 8, 2015). "Wrapped season 3 of @UnderTheDomeCBS tonight. #underthedome #underthedomeseason3". Twitter. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ Iannucci, Rebecca (May 18, 2015). "Under the Dome EPs Promise to Answer Show's Biggest Questions in Season 3". TVLine. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ a b Brown, Laurel (June 24, 2015). "Under the Dome Boss: Season 3 Will Answer Who — or What — Is Behind the Dome". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ Hibberd, James (August 10, 2015). "CBS drops major Under the Dome spoiler (but will the show return?)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Ausiello, Michael (August 31, 2015). "Under the Dome End Date Set, Series Finale to Air Sept. 10". TVLine. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "Under the Dome Season 3, Episode 13: 'The Enemy Within'". TV Guide. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Sedighzadeh, Kazem (June 10, 2015). "Fans Eagerly Anticipating Summer Launch of Under the Dome Season 3 on June 25". Master Herald. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ Iannucci, Rebecca (April 24, 2015). "TVLine Items: ER Doc Meets the Dome, Luke/Laura Reunion and More". TVLine. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Bibel, Sara (June 26, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (July 6, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Rookie Blue Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (July 10, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Under the Dome & Food Fighters Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (July 17, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Mistresses Adjusted Up; Astronaut Wives Club Adjusted Down + No Adjustment for Beauty and the Beast". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (July 24, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother Adjusted Up; No Adjustment to Wayward Pines". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (July 31, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Food Fighters & Big Brother Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (August 7, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (August 14, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Astronaut Wives Club & Under the Dome Flat at Lows, Big Brother Slips & Beauty and the Beast Rises". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (August 21, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother, Food Fighters, Boom! & Dateline Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (August 28, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother Adjusted Up, Beauty and the Beast Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (September 4, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Rookie Blue Up, Mistresses, Under the Dome & Big Brother Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (September 11, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: Big Brother Adjusted Up + Final Football Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ Von Doviak, Scott (June 25, 2015). "Under The Dome: Move On/But I'm Not". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Dailly, Paul (June 26, 2015). "Under the Dome Season Premiere Review: It's Time To Move On!". TV Fanatic. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
- ^ Yeoman, Kevin (June 26, 2015). "Under the Dome Season 3 Premiere: Dome As It Ever Was". ScreenRant. Retrieved May 17, 2016.