Under The Dome Preview Focuses On Stephen King's Involvement In Season 2

If you weren't already excited for the return of Under the Dome, the above video should do a nice job of whetting your appetite, especially if you're a Stephen King fan. The author of the book on which this CBS drama is based penned the first episode of the second season, and executive producer Neal Baer admits to hoping that this will be a sign to fans that Stephen King "sanctions the show."

Admittedly, it is comforting to know that King is actively involved in the second season of Under the Dome, especially considering how far the series has already detoured from the source material. For a series that's extending beyond a single season, that seems necessary in order to keep this story going. Writing the first episode of Season 2 would certainly give King the ability to have a big say in the direction of the series, and from what King reveals in the video above, it sounds like he wanted to have a hand in what's going on in Chester's Mill as Season 2 gets going. "I wanted to get a chance to put my Good Housekeeping seal of approval -- if you will -- on the show," King says. "And I also thought, if they will allow me to do the first episode, I can kind of guide the course of the season. On a personal level, man, I dug it. I wanted a chance to go back and visit with those characters. So, when everybody gave me a green light, I was just absolutely delighted and I sat down right away."

So, what's ahead for Under the Dome in Season 2? Not only does King tease a bigger season with "a few more teeth that people can chew into," but there will also be bigger challenges for the characters, terrific plot twists and some scary mind-blowing stuff. Bring it on! Also bring on the magnetic dome twist, because that looks like it'll make a big mess of everything.

In addition to the above featurette, CBS has also released this Under the Dome Season 2 extended preview ahead of tonight's premiere...

People are collapsing, metal things are flying, Dodee is back (presumably in ghost or Dome-inducing hallucination form) to creep out Big Jim. And then it's all about trying not to get impaled or crushed by something metal as the Dome's new magnetic properties threaten everyone. That's next-level scary, even by Dome standards!

Under the Dome premieres tonight (Monday, June 30) at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS.