CBS might have Stephen King’s Under the Dome on the air longer than expected. The show was originally expected to have a short 13-episode run on the network over the summer, but new Under the Dome news makes it appear that plans are underway to keep the series alive.
Executive Producer Brian K. Vaughan noted recently that there are plans in place for a second season.
“It’s been pretty close to be going on a day for each episode,” Vaughn said in an interview with THR. So, at [episode] 13 it’s going to be at two weeks, which pretty closely mirrors the novel. The show is going to what life is like in those first hectic weeks under the dome. Hopefully, this is just the start of an incredible journey. The fun will come in the second season, so fingers crossed that people will want to stick around Chester’s Mill.”
Vaughn points out a clear problem for King purists who don’t like seeing the author’s stories changed too much. The book takes place over the course of two weeks, and readers will notice the first episode’s subtle hints of how “Under the Dome” ends. A second season would likely mean multiple changes in how the book is translated to television, which is something the show’s writers have already exhibited a willingness to do.
The overall plot has limitations. The dome does cut off all food and supply shipments into Chester’s Mill. It’s also safe to assume that it won’t rain in town either. People will eventually die of starvation, dehydration, or possibly even suffocation. Since the show covers roughly one day per episode, it’s safe to assume that Chester’s Mill will be a mess after 13 episodes.
The plot limitations already in place will make it harder for the show’s writers to stretch the show into a second season and beyond. That’s what makes the first season important. Vaughan and his staff have to find a way to keep the story viable and interesting when all of the original King material is gone. This Under the Dome news seems like a stretch for a series built solely on King’s ideas.