Under the Dome

:

Season 2
  • Network: CBS
  • Series Premiere Date: Jun 24, 2013
Season #: 3, 2, 1
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
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Critic Reviews

  1. Cleveland Plain Dealer
    Reviewed by: Mark Dawidziak
    Jun 27, 2014
    70
    If not top-tier TV terror fare, Under the Dome certainly is solid second-level stuff. And given the state of horror on television these days, that's a bloody good compliment. Even while acknowledging the occasional misstep, give Under the Dome credit for getting a lot of things right.
  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    Jun 30, 2014
    60
    No one in Chester’s Mill should ever get too confident, however, and in the first episode there’s some character transition.
  3. Newsday
    Reviewed by: Verne Gay
    Jun 27, 2014
    58
    Some excellent special effects are in Monday night's episode, but nothing particularly shocking because it's become abundantly clear by now that The Dome can do any damn thing The Dome--or the writers--want.
  5. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Darren Franich
    Jun 26, 2014
    58
    Beyond him [Big Jim (Dean Norris)], Dome remains bland and opaque, running on lo-fi sci-fi. [4 Jul 2014, p.58]
  6. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Sarah Rodman
    Jun 30, 2014
    50
    There are glimmers of hope for season two.
  7. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    Jun 27, 2014
    50
    Under the Dome won’t be confused with good TV--and often last season it was borderline bad TV--but depending on where the writers take it this year, it might be empty-headed, summer fun.
  8. Variety
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    Jun 26, 2014
    50
    Another Stephen King adaptation that started with considerable promise but, as packaged for TV, lacked the necessary cohesion to go the distance.
  9. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Lori Rackl
    Jun 30, 2014
    37
    What started off last year as a promising sci-fi summer series quickly devolved into a silly mess.
  10. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    Jun 30, 2014
    30
    I think the story is a shambles and the concept is dumb.

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014

User Reviews

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User Score
4.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 123 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 123
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 123
  3. Negative: 52 out of 123
  1. GluedtotheTV
    Aug 6, 2014
    0
    Bottom line: this is a terrible show.

    No one who has ever seen a TV series can with a serious face appreciate Under the Dome on any level.    Bottom line: this is a terrible show.

    No one who has ever seen a TV series can with a serious face appreciate Under the Dome on any level. In fact, comparing this to the dozens of shows I have followed in my life (currently I'm watching 75 different series a year), I'm convinced that Under the Dome is the worst TV series I have ever seen. Giving it a score of one would be too kind.

    The characters are laughably birdbrained. Their decisions make no sense, they change their minds all the time without direction. They get themselves in trouble because they are so massively stupid, and they turn against each other on a whim even though only a second earlier they were friends. Then there are characters who for some reason just disappear for several episodes. The people outside the dome (who for some reason are almost non-existent from the show) can consider themselves lucky for being isolated from this town of morons.

    The plot lines are so bad they make me cry. Introduced plot lines are soon forgotten, abandoned or buried for no reason. They leave so many questions unanswered. The challenges that are thrown at the town are faced with the intelligence of a five-year-old and pseudo-scientific solutions. There are so many holes in the plot that it makes Swiss cheese jealous.

    But the worst thing has to be the dialogue. There is nothing good to say about it. It is just so absolutely inane. Like during the fifth episode when Jim and Rebecca tried to release a deadly virus to kill a large part of the town population. What did Julia say about this to the townspeople? This: "What Big Jim and Rebecca tried to do yesterday is inexcusable. But it's not unforgivable." What? What kind of stupid comment is that after they tried to kill hundreds of people? The dialogue is completely void of emotion, reason and logic.

    Some viewers say we shouldn't take this show too seriously. To them this is just a little bit of fun summer entertainment. Unfortunately this is not the case. There are many shows out there that are made for fun and that doesn't take themselves too seriously, and yet they manage to make sense. Under the Dome however does not do this. It takes itself too seriously while not making any sense. It is just an appalling insult to human intelligence and should under no circumstances be praised.

    There is no reason for anyone to even call this show "OK", "decent" or "passable". Let's call this what it is: a sad, pathetic excuse for a TV show without any redeeming qualities. I have no idea how on earth a bunch of professional writers and producers have managed to create something this bad. They should hang their heads in shame.    … Full Review »
  2. bshelton
    Aug 17, 2014
    1
    I had originally rated the second season of Under the Dome a 6 after only initially watching the premiere. After suffering through theI had originally rated the second season of Under the Dome a 6 after only initially watching the premiere. After suffering through the following 3 god awful episodes I'm revising my rating score. I have never watched a show where the writers make the solution to solving a problem so "convenient" for the characters or had such idiotic dialogue. Does anyone REALLY believe a High School is going to keep a log of who was assigned each individual locker in the school going back 50 years? LOL (I won't say why that was relevant to the story.....but REALLY?) or can you respect a police officer that says "I should arrest you for harboring a SUSPECT" LOL.....What??? what law is that.??? Stupid writing through and through. We have actually taken this off of our schedule. The first season I really enjoyed but CBS should have ended the show with that season.… Full Review »
  3. genericusename
    Jul 27, 2014
    1
    I really tried to give it another chance, and I regret it. The writers don't seem to know where the story is going and the acting has gottenI really tried to give it another chance, and I regret it. The writers don't seem to know where the story is going and the acting has gotten worse since last season. Not to mention, none of the elements from season one seemed to carry over. It's just a mess, and it's a shame because I do really like Stephen King.… Full Review »
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