Under the Dome "Heads Will Roll" is Just Too Corny

But it's okay, because now Big Jim loves everyone.

Posted by Leah Singerman

 

Since it was last summer's most watched show, we had high expectations for this season of Under the Dome, which premiered last night. The episode (titled Heads Will Roll) was written by Stephen King himself, so we feel bad saying this, but...why was it so weird? I mean, the whole premise is weird, that's kind of the point. But the episode was just kind of strange and awkward, or at least that's how we felt. 

 

So here's the story. Big Jim's power trip of hanging Barbie gets cut short when the dome turns white and everyone starts passing out. They let Barbie down so he can help, so he's saved, but Linda is killed when she gets smashed by a car that's magnetically attracted to the dome. She and Dodee both appear to Big Jim separately, telling him that he needs to learn to sacrifice.

 

Meanwhile, Julia finds a teenager drowning in the lake and saves her with the help of Sam, who we later find out is Junior's dead mother's brother. The teen girl spends the episode walking around without speaking, and we wonder who she is.

 

Angie believes that they're supposed to kill BIg Jim, and Junior is willing to help her, but then Big Jim (in order to save Junior, who passed out with everyone else) decides to hang himself. Julia saves him, but apparently his intention was enough, because everything goes back to "normal." After that Big Jim is super nice to everyone, even offering Eleanor and her mom to stay at his house since theirs was destroyed. 

 

And the episode ends with Angie running into the mystery girl at the high school. Girl runs away after staring into a locker, Angie looks into the locker, freaks out, then we see a knife coming at her. Blood splatters, she screams, bloody handprint, the end. 

 

So, here's our problem with this episode. The story is of course interesting and engaging. That's a given when you have a cool premise. But the way they did it was really subpar. Aside from the fact that there's a bunch of really corny, badly written dialog, what's with the plot? The dome is willing to sacrifice all these people just so that Big Jim can learn not to be selfish? Why does the dome care about him so much? Besides, we all know he has to turn bad again eventually, because every story needs a bad guy. 

 

Also, the ending. That is THE most done thing, like, ever! Seriously, you could insert that scene into practically any horror movie and it would totally stand. We thought more of you, Under the Dome. 

 

All this being said, though, we're going to keep watching because it's entertaining, and we hope it'll get better as the season goes on. What did you think- were we too harsh? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @DweebCast.


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