Despite Under the Dome being a pretty huge summer success for CBS over the past few years, the network has decided that it’s been cooped up underneath that structure for long enough, and the execs are ending the show after this season, meaning we’ll probably never get to see Season 4. Unless it gets a revival series in 10 years, and the writers can talk about Chester’s Mill like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Because television is classy like that.
Thankfully, CBS had already put a bird in the ears of the writers and producers that Under the Dome might not get renewed beyond Season 3, which allowed everyone to figure out a way to end this story, making this season’s finale a proper ending for the series as a whole. Because yes, the dome is finally coming down, and it presumably won’t be a massive fakeout like we witnessed as Season 2 gave way to Season 3, and the cocoons became a thing.
Here’s how CBS Entertainment’s Nina Tassler announced it.
Two years ago, Under the Dome broke new ground in the summer and became an instant hit for CBS, as well as with viewers around the world. Dome’s event storytelling and multi-platform business model paved the way for more original summer programming with the successful rollouts of Extant and Zoo. We’re excited to present the final chapter in Chester’s Mill as the story comes full circle, with the Dome coming down as dramatically as it went up.
Considering the show was originally supposed to wrap up after the first season, when it still slightly resembled Stephen King’s source material, I guess we should be grateful it lasted this long. The story definitely took some weird and ridiculous left turns in the past three years, with wild motivational shifts from character like Big Jim Rennie, Dale Barbara and…every single other person in the show. Season 3 has built up Aktaion Energy and its employees (including CEO Eriq La Salle), while also seeing the uprising of Marg Helgenberger’s Kinship group/cult. I’m guessing the finale will tie all that up, even though it was revealed that certain aspects of the Season 3 finale could be expanded if the show got renewed. Hopefully any loose ends are extremely thin ones.
In the past, CBS made it seem like they were going to either renew Dome or the sophomore sci-fi drama Extant, so it looks like the Halle Berry-starring series’ chances just got a little better. As well, the freshman series Zoo probably has a better chance now than ever to get a Season 2 order. CBS still has some time to go before they’ll need to make those announcements, but expect them soon enough.
There are two episodes left in Under the Dome Season 3, and you can find them airing on CBS on Thursday nights. Here’s hoping Dean Norris locks up another TV show quickly.
