Stephen King's Under The Dome - Season 1 Discussion - CBS
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Stephen King's Under The Dome - Season 1 Discussion - CBS
Stephen King's 'Under the Dome' gets CBS series order
Stephen King is coming back to broadcast TV. CBS is giving the author’s Under the Dome a 13-episode series order.
Based on King’s bestselling novel, Under the Dome is the story of a small New England town that’s suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town’s residents need to survive the deteriorating post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from, and how to make it go away.
“This is a great novel coming to the television screen with outstanding auspices and in-season production values to create a summer programming event,” said Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment. “We’re excited to transport audiences Under the Dome and into the extraordinary world that Stephen King has imagined.”
The series version was originally developed at Showtime. But in an unusual move, the ambitious project jumped from a cable network’s slate to the major broadcaster (more on that below). It’s also a rather unique title for CBS, since the network has been traditionally more wary about betting on serialized dramas than its rivals. But with AMC’s The Walking Dead and NBC’s Revolution, apocalyptic serialized dramas have been delivering large numbers lately.
Fans of the novel shouldn’t expect an exact retelling of the same story. Last we heard, writer Brian K. Vaughan’s (Lost) script for Dome was wisely using the novel’s setup as a launch pad for its own TV-format-friendly version of the story and might even lay the groundwork for a different outcome than the novel’s ending. Also, the CBS version is definitely a series, not a mini-series, with a finale episode that will leave the story open for more seasons.
Dome‘s development is an example of synergy at work. The project was developed at Showtime, owned by CBS Corp., but the network’s president David Nevins decided it wasn’t really right for the cable channel. He recommended it to Tassler, who was looking for summer programming and loved the concept. Also, Dome is based on the novel published by Simon & Schuster, which is a CBS company too. The development swap is a reverse of what happened with The Tudors, which was shepherded at CBS before moving to Showtime.
Under the Dome will air this summer. CBS Television Studios will produce the series in association with Amblin Television. There’s no cast in place yet, but Neal Baer, Stephen King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider will serve as executive producers along with Vaughan.
Stephen King is coming back to broadcast TV. CBS is giving the author’s Under the Dome a 13-episode series order.
Based on King’s bestselling novel, Under the Dome is the story of a small New England town that’s suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town’s residents need to survive the deteriorating post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from, and how to make it go away.
“This is a great novel coming to the television screen with outstanding auspices and in-season production values to create a summer programming event,” said Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment. “We’re excited to transport audiences Under the Dome and into the extraordinary world that Stephen King has imagined.”
The series version was originally developed at Showtime. But in an unusual move, the ambitious project jumped from a cable network’s slate to the major broadcaster (more on that below). It’s also a rather unique title for CBS, since the network has been traditionally more wary about betting on serialized dramas than its rivals. But with AMC’s The Walking Dead and NBC’s Revolution, apocalyptic serialized dramas have been delivering large numbers lately.
Fans of the novel shouldn’t expect an exact retelling of the same story. Last we heard, writer Brian K. Vaughan’s (Lost) script for Dome was wisely using the novel’s setup as a launch pad for its own TV-format-friendly version of the story and might even lay the groundwork for a different outcome than the novel’s ending. Also, the CBS version is definitely a series, not a mini-series, with a finale episode that will leave the story open for more seasons.
Dome‘s development is an example of synergy at work. The project was developed at Showtime, owned by CBS Corp., but the network’s president David Nevins decided it wasn’t really right for the cable channel. He recommended it to Tassler, who was looking for summer programming and loved the concept. Also, Dome is based on the novel published by Simon & Schuster, which is a CBS company too. The development swap is a reverse of what happened with The Tudors, which was shepherded at CBS before moving to Showtime.
Under the Dome will air this summer. CBS Television Studios will produce the series in association with Amblin Television. There’s no cast in place yet, but Neal Baer, Stephen King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider will serve as executive producers along with Vaughan.
Last edited by dex14; 09-20-13 at 01:24 PM.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
I loved everything about this book EXCEPT the ending...so I'm looking forward to the show...always thought it would make a great ongoing series, rather than just a mini-series or movie. Sadly, I fear that some of it might get watered-down on CBS...would have preferred a SHOWTIME version.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
It seems that way.... It'll just be a summer event. But if the ratings do well, who knows what kind of dumb network executive move they could make.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
I loved everything about this book EXCEPT the ending...so I'm looking forward to the show...always thought it would make a great ongoing series, rather than just a mini-series or movie. Sadly, I fear that some of it might get watered-down on CBS...would have preferred a SHOWTIME version.
I also welcome a new ending.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
Seems like a show that would do better on cable. Not even Showtime, but maybe another channel. I'll probably check it out, though. If it has the same kind of vibe as Fringe, I could see this being successful on CBS.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
Launching this in the summer on network TV essentially stamps this baby as a flop already. But at least we know the conclusion will be a cliffhanger, so I don't have to bother watching it at all.
Great book, though, but what a silly ending. There's no way they could ever have visualized it for television, so it's no wonder they're changing it.
Great book, though, but what a silly ending. There's no way they could ever have visualized it for television, so it's no wonder they're changing it.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
This is great news.... until I saw CBS. Network TV cannot pull this off. Anybody ever see The Langoliers or The Stand? Blech.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
I'd actually prefer this to be a limited run series ala Harpers Island. Either way, I'm in.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
When I was 16 I saw Arch Obler's terrible 3D movie--The Bubble. About a town sealed off in--a dome-like bubble.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
This should be a good series with Brian K. Vaughn involved in making it. Of course, I think it would have made more sense for it to stay with Showtime as a series... but CBS probably hopes this series could become a huge hit for them.
Of course, premiering it in the summer might not help with that goal.
Of course, premiering it in the summer might not help with that goal.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
The development swap is a reverse of what happened with The Tudors, which was shepherded at CBS before moving to Showtime.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
I loved everything about this book EXCEPT the ending...so I'm looking forward to the show...always thought it would make a great ongoing series, rather than just a mini-series or movie. Sadly, I fear that some of it might get watered-down on CBS...would have preferred a SHOWTIME version.
Being on CBS is keeping my expectations fairly low, but I will definitely give the show a shot. Very good source material for a show.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
Surprised CBS is doing this. I think Threshold was the last Sci-Fi show they attempted, and that didnt work out so well.
Last edited by Thrush; 12-01-12 at 04:51 AM.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
Apparently you never saw--I, Claudius, Shogun, Brideshead Revisited, MASH, All In The Family, The Dick Van Dyke show, Seinfeld, The Andy Griffith Show, Roots (though I think it's a little over-melodramtic), Hill Street Blues...etc., etc. etc.
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Re: Stephen King's Under The Dome - Spielberg Produced - CBS
Good book with an unfortunate ending. CBS probably won't change the ending but I wouldn't be mad if they did.