The Breakdown
Under the Dome “Speak of the Devil” opens with Big Jim doing everything he can to convince Sheriff Linda that he was involved in the drug operation to benefit Chester’s Mill. He then spins Linda’s attention over to Barbie.
Meanwhile, Julia tells Barbie that in order for her to move forward with him, she needs to see Peter’s grave. Barbie agrees to take her.
Big Jim continues working on Linda in hopes of convincing her to go after Barbie. He tells her that Barbie was in Chester’s Mill working for Maxine Seagrave as an enforcer. Big Jim informs Linda that it was Barbie who silenced Peter Shumway.
Max shows up at Julia’s house. When Julia asks if she can help her, Max shoots her in the shoulder. Barbie finds her and calls Linda for help. Big Jim tries to convince her that Barbie’s lying. By the time she gets there, Barbie has already enlisted Joe to take them to the hospital.
Junior believes that the dome is proof that he and Angie are connected. She tells him that they have no future, and as soon as the dome comes down, she’s gone. Junior backs out of his partnership with Angie and the kids, which causes the dome to get upset. It creates a massive storm, which only settles down after Angie later tells Junior that she needs him.
Barbie saves Julia’s life at the hospital just as the storm dissipates, which makes Joe think that maybe he’s the monarch that needs to be crowned.
Barbie refuses to side with Big Jim against Max. He’ll help him take her down but his way. They confront Max and her henchman, and thanks to Barbie’s plan, they turn the tables on them. Big Jim kills them both, but Barbie overtakes him just as Linda gets there. Big Jim set him up. Linda attempts to arrest Barbie for the crimes, but he overtakes her and runs away.
Big Jim sets up Barbie by going on the radio and fingering him for all of the murders that Rennie committed. He then institutes a state of emergency in Chester’s Mill.
Junior, Joe, Angie and Norrie touch the dome together. They see a vision of a rather evil looking Big Jim approaching them, which scares them. He’s bleeding from wounds on his chest, and they look down to find knives in their hands. Junior runs off, and the remaining kids come to believe that they have to kill Big Jim.
Analysis
There are several positives and negatives to take from “Speak of the Devil.” First, it’s great to see the plot fully return to Big Jim and Barbie as enemies. The book may be different than the series, but the show would have been a complete disappointment without their conflict. Under the Dome also does a great job ironing out how much of a formidable villain Big Jim is. He’s running the show in Chester’s Mill, and he’s doing it destroying anyone who gets in his way.
However, there are certain things holding this show back. The whole dome mythology is wearing on me. It’s flat out stupid. Oh and speaking of stupid, Sheriff Linda is not fit to run a police department. Why on earth was she so willing to give Big Jim the benefit of the doubt when she had no proof on Barbie at all? Come on, she just uncovered a major drug operation involving Big Jim, and she chooses to go after Barbie instead? It doesn’t make sense.
Finally, Max’s death is annoying. There was so much potential for that character, and now we find that she was nothing more than a poor plot device.
Under the Dome had great potential when it first aired, but now its inconsistent storytelling is beginning to wear thin.
