# Under The Dome - "The Endless Thirst" - 7/29/13



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

I'm into it as far as the guy being a jackass about his well, and I'm not sure if I can force myself to go on.

If I had my choice between being trapped under that thing with some of those people or being cut in half by it at the beginning, I'd have to think about it long and hard.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Well how do you think it would be if something like that were to actually happen? It would certainly bring out the worst in alot of people and also bring out the best in alot of people. People would react in a wide range of emotions.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

"None of this makes any sense!"

I LOLed.


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

I've been wondering about all the car exhaust in the dome. Surely that stuff will build up over the course of two or three seasons.

But, maybe now that red-haired-gurl-with-dead-hubby thinks that the dome might be helping them, it could recycle all of the CO into rainbows and pastel unicorns.

So, Goth-wannabe-girl and her friend are the power sources for the dome? How's that work? 

It's a good thing that radio engineer woman is a walking Wikipedia.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

RGM1138 said:


> I've been wondering about all the car exhaust in the dome. Surely that stuff will build up over the course of two or three seasons.
> 
> ............


They've already showed that water can pentrate the dome. So oxygen and carbon monoxide should also be able to.


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## Barmat (Jun 1, 2001)

Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

RGM1138 said:


> ... So, Goth-wannabe-girl and her friend are the power sources for the dome? How's that work?


Raging teenager hormones?


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

What if there IS no dome, and its just some strange phenomenon that turns anything that touches it into a mime?


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


So they could get the "King's" Easter egg in there.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


With the missle explosion people only just relaized that they might be trapped long term and start running out of supplies.


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## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

The biggest news not mentioned yet is that this show just got renewed for a second season. Now we know that they are going to be stuck under that dome until the ratings drop and people stop watching. So much for a nice mini-series that wraps up after 13 episodes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/under-the-dome-renewed-season-2-summer-2014_n_3671053.html


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?





aaronwt said:


> With the missle explosion people only just relaized that they might be trapped long term and start running out of supplies.


Oh No! We're trapped and running out of supplies, better get that big appliance truck to drive down the street.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

Can I just mention how much it bothers me that this episode is entitled "The Endless Thirst," yet the 'thirst' actually lasted less than a day in show-time and spanned only a single episode?


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


Yeah, diabetes woman is hallucinating about going to the airport and they ignore her long enough for her to stumble out into traffic, and the traffic is some guy burning irreplaceable gasoline to go barrelling down mainstreet when there's nowhere to go and no hurry to get there because they're all trapped under the freaking dome!

I figure the real reason they made this series is to provide material for a future MST3K revival marathon.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

It really pisses me off when a crappy show like this gets picked up for a second season, when brilliant shows like Day Break and Firefly got yanked before they could even air all the episodes in the can.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Wow. They went from not having a care in the world to complete riot/meltdown. Neither of which is believable.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

gweempose said:


> It really pisses me off when a crappy show like this gets picked up for a second season, when brilliant shows like Day Break and Firefly got yanked before they could even air all the episodes in the can.


Firefly?? That was a completely different TV era wasn't it.

besides there are many factors involved with a show getting renewed. It could be the best shw on TV , but if it runs opposite a more popular show it could get crpapy ratings. There have always been good shows that got cancelled over the years, and bad shows that continue on. This has always been the case.


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## warrenn (Jun 24, 2004)

TonyD79 said:


> Wow. They went from not having a care in the world to complete riot/meltdown. Neither of which is believable.


And then into being best friends when the rain started coming down. One minute before they were a murderous, raping crowd. Then they all were working together to gather up the rain.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Annnnnd, I'm out. Sorry, Rachel Lefevre, you're just not worth it any more.

The randomly meandering truck minutes after the missile-hit, driven by a guy who can't stop while driving through a crowded town in time to avoid plowing into the water tower...


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Annnnnd, I'm out. Sorry, Rachel Lefevre, you're just not worth it any more.
> 
> The randomly meandering truck minutes after the missile-hit, driven by a guy who can't stop while driving through a crowded town in time to avoid plowing into the water tower...


I think he used to deliver to the F Troop fort.


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

I never read the book, and I know that it doesn't matter anymore, but dammit, I want to see pink stars falling.

So, I may not watch the whole ep every week, I'll check in to see the lowlights.


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## sushikitten (Jan 28, 2005)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


I'll keep watching...as something on in the background while I do something else.

Yeah, the stupidity of the whole truck/water tower scene was excruciating...and then, as mentioned above, from raping and pillaging to kumbaya with a rain storm.

I'm getting closer to wanting to read the book just to experience a better story.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

The thing that's keeping me invested is the concept that the dome is coordinating events somehow. For example, was it coincidental that it started to rain just when the replacement sheriff decided it was time for Rule 2 and drew her gun, or did it start to rain in response to the fact that she did so? The possibility of the latter is interesting to me, though I don't know that that's where the show is going. It's something ripped from the first season of LOST, now that I think of it. Remember how the rains started and stopped in mysterious ways seemingly in response to what the characters were doing? Along similar lines, are people acting crazy because that's just how (poorly written) people behave, or because the dome is somehow affecting how they act?


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

sushikitten said:


> I'll keep watching...as something on in the background while I do something else.
> 
> Yeah, the stupidity of the whole truck/water tower scene was excruciating...and then, as mentioned above, from raping and pillaging to kumbaya with a rain storm.


this is what i was about to post, almost verbatim.

i will never stop reading this thread, though. i enjoy some of my biggest laughs of the week from these posts!


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

There is so much stupid in this show that one person can not possibly keep track of it all. I find these episode threads necessary for everyone to help everyone else know every last stupid detail.
I'm almost ready to set up my old vcr with a digital converter box so that I can watch it w/o being counted. I don't want to be partially to blame for the shows continued existence, but it's such a train wreck that I have to look.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I tried watching this show by ffwding through all of the Junior parts and whatever other subplots I found boring. That failed miserably because there were things happening during those ffwd'd scenes that I was somewhat interested in like what happened to cute kidnapped girl. So I pretty much ended up rewinding the ffwd'd parts and watching them. 

I almost turned the show off during the bludgeoning. Did they really need to kill the restaurant lady with a baseball bat? Did the homicidal maniacs get away or as away as you can get while trapped in a dome?

I thought Big Jim was trying to barter sex from the cute girl. "You're all alone. I've got stuff you need and I'm a good friend to have. How 'bout you and me, you know, every once in a while?"

Julia sure got over her beloved hubby really fast.

The two moms are annoying.

I don't care that the two kids are somehow connected to the dome. Kids ruin tv shows.

I really don't like the idea of a sentient dome.

What really ticks me off about this show is me. Until last week, I had six episodes of The Americans backed up on the tivo but I've watched every episode of this stupid, illogical show within a day of it airing. The Americans is so vastly superior to this show in every way possible but I let it collect dust while faithfully watching Under The Dumb. If my tivo had legs it would kick me in the butt.


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## LlamaLarry (Apr 30, 2003)

You guys have pretty much covered all my pain from the episode. I am still really bothered by the way the show is handling the insulin issue. 

I had a long time GF that is Type 1 and my dad is Type 2. Both of them carry PLENTY of insulin with them on trips and my dad gets his at home via mail order for MONTHS. Yet, it seems that every single diabetic in town goes day by day and use multiple vials a day while they are at it.

Speaking of "days", do we actually know how many days it has been? 

Last thing, when people were catching the rain they were standing around like dumbasses with their basins held up over their heads... Just put them down, dumb dumbs, you're going to need all your arm strength for the looting, murdering and raping tomorrow.

:::sigh:::


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

My recollection is that a character in this episode mentioned that it has been three days.

Please don't make me go back to watch again, to verify.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

It occurs to me that since there can be rain under the dome, a Sharknado isn't completely impossible. There's hope for this show yet!


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

TonyD79 said:


> I think he used to deliver to the F Troop fort.


I don't think I've heard a shoutout for F Troop in 30 years! Corporal Agarn would be happy.

F Troop was more believable than the Dome.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

This show is so dumb that my wife and I both said we thought that Revolution was a much better-written, intelligent show. Not a compliment...

I don't know what it was about this episode. It just took the stupid to the next level. Terrible, stupid dialog, random speechifying... ugh...


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

More stupid I didn't see mentioned...

Nobody thought of the need to guard all food, water, and medical sources -- not even those who currently own the supplies during a riot. (At least the diabetic guy appeared to have a brain.)


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

cheesesteak said:


> Under The Dumb


:up::up::up::up::up::up:


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## tivoboyjr (Apr 28, 2003)

Barbie to Julia at the end of season two: "We have to go back!"


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

cheesesteak said:


> ...Under The Dumb...


toooooo funny! you fit the title right on target, but wouldn't "over the dumb" be more accurate?


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Ok, what? I haven't watched this episode yet (for some shows I like to come here and read the ep thread first), but how the hell does it rain when you are surrounded by a dome? 

Great thread, but that was the question that haunts me first.

It is beginning to sound like this is becoming 'The Following' (which I quit in the third to the last episode).


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

sharkster said:


> Ok, what? I haven't watched this episode yet (for some shows I like to come here and read the ep thread first), but how the hell does it rain when you are surrounded by a dome?
> 
> Great thread, but that was the question that haunts me first.


Actually, that's about the least dumb thing about the show. There appears to be more than plenty of atmosphere inside the dome to have its own weather events.

If the dome is a hemisphere above ground, there would be somewhere around 260 cubic miles of atmosphere enclosed.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Ah, ok. Thanks, Skippy!  Going to try & get to this ep today.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Rain isn't unbelievable. It rained in the natatorium at my highschool in the winter. The warm, humid air from the Olympic size pool would condense on the cold ceiling. Usually that water would flow down the sloped ceiling to the low wall, but occasionally it would drop from the ceiling back down into the pool.

If the dome really is 10 miles in diameter, that means if it is spherical, the top center would be 5 miles above ground, or around 26000 feet, so it'll be cold up there. That's if the dome transmits heat energy. But... based on the results of the MOAB blast, the dome seems to be a pretty good thermal insulator. There seemed to be some damage just inside the dome (I'm thinking of the blacktop where Big Jim kills the priest/mortician). Yet it is semi-permeable to water? And probably air. Hmmm...


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

danterner said:


> It's something ripped from the first season of LOST, now that I think of it.


I remarked to my wife last night the same thing - it reminded me of Lost where the island needed things and required certain actions.

This is definitely up there with the Following in terms of a special kind of dumb, yet I'm somehow entertained by it.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

justen_m said:


> Rain isn't unbelievable. It rained in the natatorium at my highschool in the winter. The warm, humid air from the Olympic size pool would condense on the cold ceiling. Usually that water would flow down the sloped ceiling to the low wall, but occasionally it would drop from the ceiling back down into the pool.
> 
> If the dome really is 10 miles in diameter, that means if it is spherical, the top center would be 5 miles above ground, or around 26000 feet, so it'll be cold up there. That's if the dome transmits heat energy. But... based on the results of the MOAB blast, the dome seems to be a pretty good thermal insulator. There seemed to be some damage just inside the dome (I'm thinking of the blacktop where Big Jim kills the priest/mortician). Yet it is semi-permeable to water? And probably air. Hmmm...


I didn't have a problem with rain. But a torrential downpour going on for minutes and minutes? There ain't enough water in the dome to so that. Not that much evaporated in here days. And no way the atmosphere would hold it that long if there was. The rain would be more like seeping. Or more like the dew in a terrarium.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Then maybe the dome builders supplied the rain. The Dome can't be built by anyone on this planet. It's too advanced.


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

If you look in the background of scenes you will see cars, LOTS of cars, where are they going? It is less than 10 square miles

Also, at the beginning, the outside was barren. By the end, they pictures thru the dome show vegetation, etc. Did the atom bomb only kill one side of life on the other side?

They have dumbed so much down from the book explanations, that it isnt the same show/book anymore


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

It wasn't an atom bomb. It was a thermobaric weapon. It is a 22,000+ lb conventional bomb designed for air burst to maximize the damage. So changing it to a missile and having hit the dome were kind of stupid, but nowhere near as stupid as other stuff in the show.


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## obixman (Sep 7, 2004)

If ( as stated elsewhere) the dome's radius is 5 miles, then by pi*R**2, there are slightly more than 75 square miles inside the dome.



philhu said:


> If you look in the background of scenes you will see cars, LOTS of cars, where are they going? It is less than 10 square miles
> 
> Also, at the beginning, the outside was barren. By the end, they pictures thru the dome show vegetation, etc. Did the atom bomb only kill one side of life on the other side?
> 
> They have dumbed so much down from the book explanations, that it isnt the same show/book anymore


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

loubob57 said:


> It wasn't an atom bomb. It was a thermobaric weapon. It is a 22,000+ lb conventional bomb designed for air burst to maximize the damage. So changing it to a missile and having hit the dome were kind of stupid, but nowhere near as stupid as other stuff in the show.


I know. I was being sarcastic


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

philhu said:


> I know. I was being sarcastic


I don't know why they didn't use a tactical nuke. It still wouldn't have scratched the dome.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

philhu said:


> Did the atom bomb only kill one side of life on the other side?


I don't believe it was nuclear.



philhu said:


> They have dumbed so much down from the book explanations, that it isn't the same show/book anymore ...


I think the show is pretty awful so far. For those of you that read the book, was it any good? I've read a handful of King's novels, and in almost every case, the book was vastly superior to the movie, TV show or mini-series. The one exception would be The Green Mile, which I felt was an amazingly faithful adaptation.


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

The book is much better. And alot of things make sense in the book


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Was nut case Junior in the book? Please tell me no.


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## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

unitron said:


> I'm into it as far as the guy being a jackass about his well, and I'm not sure if I can force myself to go on.


Can I have some of your money? I need it.


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## philhu (Apr 11, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> Was nut case Junior in the book? Please tell me no.


Yes, he was, but it made more sense in the book

Spoiler for some departures from the book


Spoiler



In the book he was on medication and he killed the pretty gf girl and left her dead in the mom's house. It all just seemed more realistic in the book

In the book, they also could talk to the outside world. Cell phones worked when the army let calls through.

The 2 kids were not in the book as the 'power source'


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

Was Big Jim intimating to Angie (I think that's her name?) that he'd be OK with her killing Jr.? The way he said "a gun" among the list of things he could get for her and the way he was looking at her, I just wasn't sure.

Can't wait for BB to come back so at least I can see that guy in something that makes some sense.

This show is getting really hard to watch.


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## wedgecon (Dec 28, 2002)

philhu said:


> Yes, he was, but it made more sense in the book
> 
> Spoiler for some departures from the book
> 
> ...





Spoiler



In the book he used medication but later we find out it is a tumor that is causing his issues and it is rapidly getting bigger.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Ok, now having watched the episode, I have to agree that it's getting stoopider and stoopider. That was some seriously torrential rain for there not being an endless sky.

Furthermore, I also agree about the ridiculosity of everybody going from nothing to murderous criminals in a hot second. Then, the rain and everybody is happy and figuring that fixes their water problem forever - as they all stand around like idiots. THEN, after it has rained for a while (magical rain, that) they all start collecting it. I guess they just figured it would never stop (?).

The whole sudden crime spree thing felt completely awkward and strange. I almost FF'd through but I didn't. I'm still hanging in there but I'm not sure there is anywhere for this to go that would make any sense.


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## Big Deficit (Jul 8, 2003)

Weather in the dome? How long before a sharknado?


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

Big Deficit said:


> Weather in the dome? How long before a sharknado?


About 30 posts ago.


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## mostman (Jul 16, 2000)

Guy crashes into tower. Water pouring on him - truck not that damaged.
They pull out the driver.

"What happened?"
"He crashed - they pulled him out _just_ in time!"

Uhhh - wut? Just in time for what? Water pouring on his head? Magical invisible water fire that burns or something? Just AWFUL writing. When that line hit my wife and I just looked at each other and then started laughing hysterically.

Also - the triangulation of the power source with the Ghostbusters ghost detector was just about the dumbest thing I've seen on TV in YEARS. Oh look - it just so happens to have a screen that plots out a dot on an X/Y access. Also - I'm triangulating with a single receiver. Because, well, MAGIC.


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## billboard_NE (May 18, 2005)

I just ignore any errors on TV and movies that have to do with radio signals. They always get it wrong. 

I am surprised the truck didn't go up in flames with a huge explosion.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

billboard_NE said:


> I just ignore any errors on TV and movies that have to do with radio signals. They always get it wrong.
> 
> I am surprised the truck didn't go up in flames with a huge explosion.


Sad part is that it wouldn't be that hard to get this one right. A nice directional antenna with a simple meter would work well. And be dramatic and simple to understand.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

philhu said:


> Yes, he was, but it made more sense in the book


Never read the book but


Spoiler



I wouldn't mind if that stupid girl was killed - she is a waste of film.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


So it could swerve out of the way of someone that suddenly freaked out and walked into the middle of the street, crashing directly into the pipe of the water tower.

Seriously, that was one of the stupidest forced thing I have seen in a while. I mean, really. So stupid.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

.....and.....SP is.......GONE. My meter has pegged....


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## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

All that was missing from the water tower scene was more of a Rube Goldberg device for the crash. Sick lady walks into street, car swerves to avoid her, hits a shopping cart, cart rolls over bystander's foot, bystander hops holding bad foot and bumps into a lady pushing a baby carriage, the carriage slips from her hands and rolls into a store window causing it to break (inward, baby is fine). The noise spooks a flock of nearby birds who fly away. They fly into the windshield of another car which causes the driver to swerve and he narrowly miss the water tower crashing into a tree. The tree falls and takes out the water tower. This would only be slightly less believable.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

mostman said:


> Guy crashes into tower. Water pouring on him - truck not that damaged.
> They pull out the driver.
> 
> "What happened?"
> ...


They got the DF with a Yagi part right, but that was probably an accident.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

nickels said:


> All that was missing from the water tower scene was more of a Rube Goldberg device for the crash. Sick lady walks into street, car swerves to avoid her, hits a shopping cart, cart rolls over bystander's foot, bystander hops holding bad foot and bumps into a lady pushing a baby carriage, the carriage slips from her hands and rolls into a store window causing it to break (inward, baby is fine). The noise spooks a flock of nearby birds who fly away. They fly into the windshield of another car which causes the driver to swerve and he narrowly miss the water tower crashing into a tree. The tree falls and takes out the water tower. This would only be slightly less believable.


Well, I give it big points for being a hell of a lot more entertaining!  I think they need you there.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

How many episodes remain for this season? I'll keep watching if it's only a couple but 6 or 7? No way.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> How many episodes remain for this season? I'll keep watching if it's only a couple but 6 or 7? No way.


I think this was 6 of 13.


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## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

13 Episodes per season - 2 seasons for now. How long until they become aware of the repercussions of having no sewage system?


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

nickels said:


> 13 Episodes per season - 2 seasons for now. How long until they become aware of the repercussions of having no sewage system?


Probably next episode, but there will be some 10 minute resolution and we'll never hear about that problem again.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

Lets not forget that Hangar One in Moffet Field gets fog forming at the top. It was built as a blimp hangar, and is WAY smaller than the dome. It only covers 8 acres. Rain doesn't bother me at all.

The rest of the show, though, is so close to "never watch again" category. How on earth did it get renewed?


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

Ereth said:


> How on earth did it get renewed?


My take is CBS is trying to increase viewership during summer season in order to increase retransmission rates with the cable companies. No way would this dog of a program survive during the fall/spring season.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Ereth said:


> Lets not forget that Hangar One in Moffet Field gets fog forming at the top. It was built as a blimp hangar, and is WAY smaller than the dome. It only covers 8 acres. Rain doesn't bother me at all.
> 
> The rest of the show, though, is so close to "never watch again" category. How on earth did it get renewed?


It's the most watched show on TV this Summer.

Summer is the only season where the networks can increase viewership now. They have been steadily losing viewers during the rest of the year. All the networks have plans to launch some higher profile shows during the Summer like Under The Dome. Next Summer Fox will be showing the new episodes of the 24 show.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

aaronwt said:


> It's the most watched show on TV this Summer.
> 
> Summer is the only season where the networks can increase viewership now. They have been steadily losing viewers during the rest of the year. All the networks have plans to launch some higher profile shows during the Summer like Under The Dome. Next Summer Fox will be showing the new episodes of the 24 show.


ratings rarely surprise me anymore. they may be trying to build summer viewers, but fall tv still brings in more revenue than summer tv. if it was good enough to put in the fall schedule, that's where it would have been placed.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

NorthAlabama said:


> ratings rarely surprise me anymore. they may be trying to build summer viewers, but fall tv still brings in more revenue than summer tv. if it was good enough to put in the fall schedule, that's where it would have been placed.


Under the Dome also gets several million more views after streaming from amazon and DVR usage is counted. Amazon payed CBS to be able to stream Under the Dome a four days after it airs on CBS plus it was also sold overseas. So before it even aired on CBS it was already making a profit.

I ran into this article recently

How Under the Dome has 'changed the face of summer television'

I also ran into this article

CBS Chief Says 'Under The Dome' Changes The Rules For Summer TV Programming

In it CBS chief Les Moonves says



> ..............About a third of the series' viewers watch on on DVRs or online. That would help to make it a hit even if it aired during the conventional prime time season. *"It's doing numbers that would have made it the second highest drama on network television,"* Moonves says. "It means we're going to program all year long, from September to September."...


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

JLucPicard said:


> Probably next episode, but there will be some 10 minute resolution and we'll never hear about that problem again.


They may think they already did. Someone said that the rain purifies the water.

Wonder what will happen with the solid waste.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

TonyD79 said:


> They may think they already did. Someone said that the rain purifies the water.
> 
> Wonder what will happen with the solid waste.


It will be fed to the viewers each week.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

nickels said:


> 13 Episodes per season - 2 seasons for now. How long until they become aware of the repercussions of having no sewage system?


Why would they have no sewage system? Did the dome make all the septic tanks vanish?


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

scandia101 said:


> Why would they have no sewage system? Did the dome make all the septic tanks vanish?


Assumption that they don't have city sewage and have skeptic tanks (only).


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## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

Barmat said:


> Why was a big box truck for a appliance company driving around in the first place? For that matter why aren't they rationing fuel in the first place?


Just to have "King" name on it.


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## billboard_NE (May 18, 2005)

unitron said:


> They got the DF with a Yagi part right, but that was probably an accident.


But they said triangulation, tough to do without three receivers in three different locations, they should have said direction finding (DF) and that would have been correct enough for me, but the writers get it wrong every time.


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

danterner said:


> My recollection is that a character in this episode mentioned that it has been three days.
> 
> Please don't make me go back to watch again, to verify.


The book time span was two weeks, so if there another season, it going to be a looong two weeks.  Also, if you did not read the book you're going hate how it end.


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

heySkippy said:


> Actually, that's about the least dumb thing about the show. There appears to be more than plenty of atmosphere inside the dome to have its own weather events.
> 
> If the dome is a hemisphere above ground, there would be somewhere around 260 cubic miles of atmosphere enclosed.


Are you sure about that Skip, maybe the dome is playing with them.


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> Was nut case Junior in the book? Please tell me no.


Yes, he from the first page to joker crazy near the end. Read the book. Why did they change *everything* from the book??


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> Then maybe the dome builders supplied the rain. The Dome can't be built by anyone on this planet. It's too advanced.


You read the book :up::up::up:


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

Beryl said:


> Never read the book but
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...





Spoiler



She was in just the first few pages.


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

jsmeeker said:


> So it could swerve out of the way of someone that suddenly freaked out and walked into the middle of the street, crashing directly into the pipe of the water tower.
> 
> Seriously, that was one of the stupidest forced thing I have seen in a while. I mean, really. So stupid.


Agree, and I don't recall a water tower in the book.


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> It's the most watched show on TV this Summer.
> 
> Summer is the only season where the networks can increase viewership now. They have been steadily losing viewers during the rest of the year. All the networks have plans to launch some higher profile shows during the Summer like Under The Dome. Next Summer Fox will be showing the new episodes of the 24 show.


Yes, and it going to be call 12.


----------



## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

This show is like Syfy's "Sharknado" movie. The degree of "dumbness" is probably why so many people are watching. It is definitely why I'm watching it.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

TonyD79 said:


> Assumption that they don't have city sewage and have skeptic tanks (only).


I was just pointing out something that was clearly overlooked entirely by whoever I had quoted.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

scandia101 said:


> I was just pointing out something that was clearly overlooked entirely by whoever I had quoted.


True. But also overlooked by the writers and "citizens" on the show.


----------



## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

TonyD79 said:


> True. But also overlooked by the writers and "citizens" on the show.


Not overlooked. You're just assuming that city sewage is the norm. Perfectly reasonable for a community to be using septic systems. There was no need for the writers to address this. Plenty else to for which to blast the writers.

Referencing an earlier comment I think the idea isn't that rain purifies the water but that the rain is purified water. As water evaporates it leaves the contaminants behind, even solid waste. Of course the water once again picks up contaminants from the atmosphere.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Numb And Number2 said:


> Not overlooked. You're just assuming that city sewage is the norm. Perfectly reasonable for a community to be using septic systems. There was no need for the writers to address this. Plenty else to for which to blast the writers.
> 
> Referencing an earlier comment I think the idea isn't that rain purifies the water but that the rain is purified water. As water evaporates it leaves the contaminants behind, even solid waste. Of course the water once again picks up contaminants from the atmosphere.


Of course you address it. Just like you address the food, the medicine, the power. All of it. Especially in a country were millions have a city sewer system. You tell a story so viewers can relate. Yet another oops.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

billboard_NE said:


> But they said triangulation, tough to do without three receivers in three different locations, they should have said direction finding (DF) and that would have been correct enough for me, but the writers get it wrong every time.


They do that all the time with TV shows and movies. it's not reality. TV shows and movies always take liberties with things since it is not real. This has always been the case.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

TonyD79 said:


> Of course you address it. Just like you address the food, the medicine, the power. All of it. Especially in a country were millions have a city sewer system. You tell a story so viewers can relate. Yet another oops.


It's a tiny town, not a city. If they do bring it up a bunch of people will bring up that what's going on is not right. But again it's not reality it's a TV show. Just about every TV show and movie ever made takes liberties with things that are not possible in the real world. It only occurs in the fantasy world of TV and movies.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> It's a tiny town, not a city. If they do bring it up a bunch of people will bring up that what's going on is not right. But again it's not reality it's a TV show. Just about every TV show and movie ever made takes liberties with things that are not possible in the real world. It only occurs in the fantasy world of TV and movies.


Okay. Then you'd be fine with desks on the ceiling and green clouds. After all, it is not real.

Good fiction is grounded in reality. The entire idea of throwing a dome around a town would be to see how people react and how the dome works. Without grounding in reality, there is no connection to the viewer. These lazy writers try to make the connection by real bad "human drama" which is also laughable.

This is not the science fiction of Avatar. This is normal earth with a dome around a city.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

TonyD79 said:


> Okay. Then you'd be fine with desks on the ceiling and green clouds. After all, it is not real.
> 
> Good fiction is grounded in reality. The entire idea of throwing a dome around a town would be to see how people react and how the dome works. Without grounding in reality, there is no connection to the viewer. These lazy writers try to make the connection by real bad "human drama" which is also laughable.
> 
> This is not the science fiction of Avatar. This is normal earth with a dome around a city.


Normal TV earth.

I'm still surprised the truck didn't explode as vehicles tend to do on TV.


----------



## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

aaronwt said:


> I also ran into this article:
> 
> CBS Chief Says Under The Dome Changes The Rules For Summer TV Programming
> 
> ...


Except, that's not really a fair statement. If it was on during the fall, it would have much more competition. Moonves is just trying to spin it so it seems like a bigger hit than it really is. Yes, a lot of people are watching it this summer, but there is no way it would have anywhere close to these kinds of numbers if it aired during the regular season.


----------



## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

gweempose said:


> Except, that's not really a fair statement. If it was on during the fall, it would have much more competition. Moonves is just trying to spin it so it seems like a bigger hit than it really is. Yes, a lot of people are watching it this summer, but there is no way it would have anywhere close to these kinds of numbers if it aired during the regular season.


that's the point i was trying (unsuccessfully!) to make earlier in the thread.

the most watched turd, in a pile of turds, is still a turd.


----------



## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

TonyD79 said:


> Of course you address it.


No. If it affects absolutely nothing, there is no need to address it.


----------



## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

TonyD79 said:


> Okay. Then you'd be fine with desks on the ceiling and green clouds. After all, it is not real.
> 
> Good fiction is grounded in reality. The entire idea of throwing a dome around a town would be to see how people react and how the dome works. Without grounding in reality, there is no connection to the viewer. These lazy writers try to make the connection by real bad "human drama" which is also laughable.
> 
> This is not the science fiction of Avatar. This is normal earth with a dome around a city.


Right, it's normal Earth? So then you understand how septic tanks work. "Normal" does not need to be explained.


----------



## PotentiallyCoherent (Jul 25, 2002)

nickels said:


> All that was missing from the water tower scene was more of a Rube Goldberg device for the crash. Sick lady walks into street, car swerves to avoid her, hits a shopping cart, cart rolls over bystander's foot, bystander hops holding bad foot and bumps into a lady pushing a baby carriage, the carriage slips from her hands and rolls into a store window causing it to break (inward, baby is fine). The noise spooks a flock of nearby birds who fly away. They fly into the windshield of another car which causes the driver to swerve and he narrowly miss the water tower crashing into a tree. The tree falls and takes out the water tower. This would only be slightly less believable.


So, you're saying that the writers kept it simple and believable, instead of going overboard and presenting an obviously overthought series of events meant to confuse the viewer into accepting that event as reality due to the confusion?


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

scandia101 said:


> Right, it's normal Earth? So then you understand how septic tanks work. "Normal" does not need to be explained.


Yeah. Because nobody brought it up here and the millions of millions of watchers who never had a septic tank take it for granted.

It does not need to be "explained" but with how clueless everyone is in this town, it is understandable that they may not think of it.

Just a nod. Hey. We are in a self contained environment. How are we doing? Not once have they done that.

Sewage is just another item.


----------



## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

TonyD79 said:


> Yeah. Because nobody brought it up here and the millions of millions of watchers who never had a septic tank take it for granted.
> 
> It does not need to be "explained" but with how clueless everyone is in this town, it is understandable that they may not think of it.
> 
> ...


I've never had a septic tank and I'm the one that had to mention that not everyone has a city sewer system.

I really really really don't understand why you are insisting that they need to mention that gravity still takes their poop to the holes in their back yards? Do you really think that that system would somehow be broken?


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

scandia101 said:


> I've never had a septic tank and I'm the one that had to mention that not everyone has a city sewer system.
> 
> I really really really don't understand why you are insisting that they need to mention that gravity still takes their poop to the holes in their back yards? Do you really think that that system would somehow be broken?


If it needs electricity it could be. In my area many septic systems are not gravity fed. Of course gravity fed makes the most sense but many people opt to put the house down hill of the septic field for some reason. So the waste needs to be pumped up. Which requires electricity.

A co-worker specifically selected a gravity fed septic system. But the three neighbors next to him all have septic systems that have to be pumped uphill. It sounds crazy to me just because if you have a power outage and you don't have the pump on a generator or UPS you will be screwed. Although people also have wells around which require electricity for the pumps also.


----------



## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Regardless of the situation with the sewage, they are going to have some serious water pressure problems now that the water tower has been destroyed. This means no running water, no showers, etc ... These people are going to start smelling pretty darn rank in a few days.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

io9 has an interesting article on 7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding. It has to do with the pitfalls of science fiction writers not fully working out the worlds in which their stories take place, but it's interesting how many of them apply to Under the Dome...which has the advantage of taking place in a world that billions of people have already worked out how it functions in excruciating detail.


----------



## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

TonyD79 said:


> Yeah. Because nobody brought it up here and the millions of millions of watchers who never had a septic tank take it for granted.
> 
> It does not need to be "explained" but with how clueless everyone is in this town, it is understandable that they may not think of it.
> 
> ...


Worrying about sewage in Chester's Mill is a big NOT APPLICABLE. They are not concerned (nor are the viewers) with cruise ships being able to dock, either. You don't get it and you don't want to, lol.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Numb And Number2 said:


> Worrying about sewage in Chester's Mill is a big NOT APPLICABLE. They are not concerned (nor are the viewers) with cruise ships being able to dock, either. You don't get it and you don't want to, lol.


Cruise ships? Really? That is your defense of the stupidly on this show? That's too funny.


----------



## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

TonyD79 said:


> Cruise ships? Really? That is your defense of the stupidly on this show? That's too funny.


You can't even analyze a post accurately. No wonder Under the Dome is over your head, lol.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Numb And Number2 said:


> You can't even analyze a post accurately. No wonder Under the Dome is over your head, lol.


Hahahaha.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I'm trying to imagine a frame of mind that can imagine enough space between Under the Dome and the ground to fit a head...


----------



## Johncv (Jun 11, 2002)

Anyone here think they're going to end the show (assuming it not drag on for 5 years, "Lost") the same way it was ended in the book? Look like it being set up that way. All the elements are in place the bomb shelter, the propane, the drug factory, "Pink stars falling in line". All we need is the crazy cook, think he will show up in the next few weeks? What wrong with this show is that they remove all reference to the politics and religion that really made the story in the book work.


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

I chanced upon the September 2007 version of Wikipedia's definition of "Jump the shark":

"a metaphor that has been used by U.S. TV critics and fans to denote the point at which the characters or plot of a TV series veer into a ridiculous, out-of-the-ordinary storyline."

...and couldn't help but think that this show started life on the way back down to the water.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Didn't the term "Jump the Shark" come from the Happy days episode where Fonzie jumped a shark on water skis?


----------



## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

aaronwt said:


> Didn't the term "Jump the Shark" come from the Happy days episode where Fonzie jumped a shark on water skis?


I think it was Fonzie on the skis, but yes.


----------



## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

Johncv said:


> Anyone here think they're going to end the show (assuming it not drag on for 5 years, "Lost") the same way it was ended in the book? Look like it being set up that way. All the elements are in place the bomb shelter, the propane, the drug factory, "Pink stars falling in line". All we need is the crazy cook, think he will show up in the next few weeks? What wrong with this show is that they remove all reference to the politics and religion that really made the story in the book work.


Yeah, forget the book, Gutenberg. TV forum here. Forget the stinking book.


----------



## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

TonyD79 said:


> Hahahaha.


It was a good one  But the dome made me say it!

I enjoy your comments. Zing me some day, I always deserve it.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I killed the season pass yesterday. I would have stuck with it if there were only a couple of episodes left but it's only halfway through it's run and that's too much potential dumbness for me.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> I killed the season pass yesterday. I would have stuck with it if there were only a couple of episodes left but it's only halfway through it's run and that's too much potential dumbness for me.


In a way it's almost kind of gratifying to see a show with so much potential that actually lives up to its potential.

Too many shows with potential are cocky & lazy and just skate by, leaving all their potential behind. But the Under the Dome people are bound and determined not to let any potential dumbness escape them, and they've been very successful so far in seizing every opportunity to let the dumbness flourish.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I'm still looking forward to tonights' episode. All the people I know watching the show still plan to continue to watch it.


----------



## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

I'm going to keep watching. I'm enjoying these threads as much as the show.


----------



## Sromkie (Aug 15, 2002)

I don't see "not talking about septic or sewer systems" to be bad writing or a flaw in the show. There are so many examples of actual bad writing, there's just no need to manufacture additional examples. It could become a problem for them at some point. However, if they are on a city sewer system, then the characters know this, and it's pretty likely that the water treatment plant is within the bound of the dome. In this scenario, there's really no need for the residents to become concerned about sewage (at least not immediately)as long as the generators at the treatment plant have fuel.

If they are on septic, then they know about how long they can go before they need to do something about it, and it's (at least for most of them) probably not an immediate concern. Sure, the writers could add a throwaway line like, "Oh, crap! How are the toilets going to work?" and "Don't worry, we've got huge septic tanks. We're good for at least a month" but why do we need them to? There are a ton of unanswered questions (many don't really need an answer UNTIL they are an issue), and if they started answering all of them with throwaway lines, we'd have way too many throw away lines (to the point that it would get tiresome for viewers).

Plus, waiting until the potential problem actually is a problem adds more drama to the situations. They haven't talked about what they are going to do with trash yet, either. And it's less likely that the dump is in the borders of the dome than a water treatment plant). But what good does it do us if they mention it now? Once we see the characters talk about a problem, they have to act on it to try to find a solution--because if they don't, then that really is bad writing. But, if it's not brought up, the writers can let it build into a more serious problem with lots of manufactured drama to use for the show. Is that great writing? No, of course not, but it's not as bad as identifying and answering all of the potential questions for viewers and diffusing a lot of the potential for crazy situations.


----------



## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Sromkie said:


> I don't see "not talking about septic or sewer systems" to be bad writing or a flaw in the show. There are so many examples of actual bad writing, there's just no need to manufacture additional examples. It could become a problem for them at some point. However, if they are on a city sewer system, then the characters know this, and it's pretty likely that the water treatment plant is within the bound of the dome. In this scenario, there's really no need for the residents to become concerned about sewage (at least not immediately)as long as the generators at the treatment plant have fuel.
> 
> If they are on septic, then they know about how long they can go before they need to do something about it, and it's (at least for most of them) probably not an immediate concern. Sure, the writers could add a throwaway line like, "Oh, crap! How are the toilets going to work?" and "Don't worry, we've got huge septic tanks. We're good for at least a month" but why do we need them to? There are a ton of unanswered questions (many don't really need an answer UNTIL they are an issue), and if they started answering all of them with throwaway lines, we'd have way too many throw away lines (to the point that it would get tiresome for viewers).
> 
> Plus, waiting until the potential problem actually is a problem adds more drama to the situations. They haven't talked about what they are going to do with trash yet, either. And it's less likely that the dump is in the borders of the dome than a water treatment plant). But what good does it do us if they mention it now? Once we see the characters talk about a problem, they have to act on it to try to find a solution--because if they don't, then that really is bad writing. But, if it's not brought up, the writers can let it build into a more serious problem with lots of manufactured drama to use for the show. Is that great writing? No, of course not, but it's not as bad as identifying and answering all of the potential questions for viewers and diffusing a lot of the potential for crazy situations.


Sigh.

It is not about specific problems. It is about the citizens and the supposed leaders not taking an overview of the problem. They are just bumbling along from one item to another. The sewage topic is just another in a long line of items they have not even discussed.

No town would approach this problem this way. None.


----------



## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

I see your point. It reminds me of the beginnings of "Lost" where I screamed at the TV every episode that someone needs to be thinking about survival, and looking for sources of food, water and shelter. I'd been trained in what to do in an airplane crash, and nobody on the TV show had.

You have a really good point that the town leaders are trained in what it takes to run a town, so they should be looking at things like sewage, garbage, etc, instead of just focusing completely on the Dome. 

We might excuse that by noting that all of them are outside the Dome except Big Jim, and he may simply be an idiot.


----------



## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

I only brought up the sewage situation as a future concern, not a complaint about the writing. All I said was how long until they become aware of it as a problem. If I want to complain about the writing I have about 800 other examples in the few episodes aired. 

We all seem to agree that it is mindless crap, but it is entertaining and I'd like to see where they go with it, bad acting, writing, and all.


----------



## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

For all of you complaining about the sewage problem, have we even seen anyone use a bathroom? Did the girl locked in the bomb shelter have a bathroom, Maybe the dome has backed them all up, and everyone is too embarrassed to say anything...
/s


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Too many other shows I'm interested in are starting up soon.


----------



## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

Including Breaking Bad, where, when we last left,


Spoiler



Big Jim was on the toilet, ably demonstrating that that show's worldbuilding includes attention to sewage systems.


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

TonyD79 said:


> Sigh.
> 
> It is not about specific problems. It is about the citizens and the supposed leaders not taking an overview of the problem. They are just bumbling along from one item to another. The sewage topic is just another in a long line of items they have not even discussed.
> 
> No town would approach this problem this way. None.


How is this different from our real life politicians bumbling along?
I see a lot not addressing the problems in local politics.

How about the politicians that ran the city of Detroit?



Ereth said:


> You have a really good point that the town leaders are trained in what it takes to run a town, so they should be looking at things like sewage, garbage, etc, instead of just focusing completely on the Dome.
> 
> We might excuse that by noting that all of them are outside the Dome except Big Jim, and he may simply be an idiot.


What training does the small town councilman or mayor actually get?
Or any politician?

When you consider that our previous mayor failed the Bar Exam four or five times, would the training be any good?


----------



## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

JYoung said:


> What training does the small town councilman or mayor actually get?
> Or any politician?


Day to day actual running of the town requires a considerable more effort than running Sim City. You learn things simply because you have no choice. Garbage is a necessity to deal with.



> When you consider that our previous mayor failed the Bar Exam four or five times, would the training be any good?


I thought that I was making the case that it wasn't for Big Jim, who seems to be the smile, kiss babies, buy votes kind of politician. Not even competent to deal with his own psycho son. Clearly not a real leader, but one who expects to lead by virtue of his position. In many ways he's Cersei Lannister - now that he has the opportunity to be in charge, he isn't competent to actually do the job.


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Ereth said:


> Day to day actual running of the town requires a considerable more effort than running Sim City. You learn things simply because you have no choice. Garbage is a necessity to deal with.


In a large city like, New York, Los Angeles, Or Jacksonville, I'd agree.

But Chester's Mill is a small town. (The figure of 5,000 people was thrown around but I'm not sure if that's the population of the town or the number of people actually trapped under the dome.)
The Mayor and the City Council probably meet once or twice a month to handle any issues and to take care of higher level city business. 
For things like, if the Apple Festival is on track or should have different advertising this year.

For the day to day operations, I'd think that would be the domain of the actual working civil employees (assuming that a town like Chester's doesn't contract out garbage collection, they don't seem to have contracted out Fire and Police though).

And in today's society, I'm guessing that most people don't miss city services until they stop working and it starts inconveniencing them.

Although I agree garbage is going to be an issue soon if collections have stopped.
It's going to be about a week since the Dome came down.

But Politicians aren't trained or certified like a doctor, lawyer, or Cisco Network admin. I'm guessing you were thinking more "on the job" training.



Ereth said:


> I thought that I was making the case that it wasn't for Big Jim, who seems to be the smile, kiss babies, buy votes kind of politician. Not even competent to deal with his own psycho son. Clearly not a real leader, but one who expects to lead by virtue of his position. In many ways he's Cersei Lannister - now that he has the opportunity to be in charge, he isn't competent to actually do the job.


Oh, I understand what you meant now and I agree that Big Jim is basically a car salesman thrust into this position.


----------



## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

JYoung said:


> In a large city like, New York, Los Angeles, Or Jacksonville, I'd agree.
> 
> But Chester's Mill is a small town. (The figure of 5,000 people was thrown around but I'm not sure if that's the population of the town or the number of people actually trapped under the dome.)


Certainly. But before you think I'm only familiar with large cities, lets talk briefly about Holly, Colorado. (link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly,_Colorado). My father grew up there. My grandfather was Chief of Police. After he passed, my grandmother was a Judge. Chesters Mill could totally kick it's ass in a war. It is .8 sq miles and has a population just over 1,000. I didn't live there. I only visited. But I'm not completely unfamiliar with itty bitty towns, the kind of place you drive to the next town to do major shopping, or use the airport. It's not just from watching Andy Griffith.


> The Mayor and the City Council probably meet once or twice a month to handle any issues and to take care of higher level city business.
> For things like, if the Apple Festival is on track or should have different advertising this year.
> 
> For the day to day operations, I'd think that would be the domain of the actual working civil employees (assuming that a town like Chester's doesn't contract out garbage collection, they don't seem to have contracted out Fire and Police though).


And yet, Big Jim is responsible for a large operation bringing in Propane in huge quantities, and for making arrangements for what one would assume is a rather significant meth lab with some criminal organization to use that Propane.



> And in today's society, I'm guessing that most people don't miss city services until they stop working and it starts inconveniencing them.


Absolutely true. But someone, even if it's just a supervisor on the garbage truck workers, should start wondering where they are going to PUT their garbage now that the path to the dump is cut off by the dome. And that complaint should work it's way up to Big Jim rather quickly, in reality.



> Although I agree garbage is going to be an issue soon if collections have stopped.
> It's going to be about a week since the Dome came down.


Chesters Mill is likely small enough that they don't have daily collections, but I would be stunned if it weren't more than once a week (not to the same houses, but the garbage trucks can't cover all of town in one day, so they divide the city up).



> But Politicians aren't trained or certified like a doctor, lawyer, or Cisco Network admin. I'm guessing you were thinking more "on the job" training.


Yes, that's exactly what I meant. If you've been on the City Council for decades, you will have had to deal with sewage and garbage and many other mundane issues. And you'll know what happens when it isn't dealt with, and how hard it is to clean up after. Even something as simple as a 3 week garbage strike will leave an impression in the city planners minds.

Water - job 1. Food - job 2. Gas. Heat (this is Maine, right? it's going to get cold). Electricity generation. Sewage. Garbage. Medicine. These are the obvious ones. There are likely ones I'm not even thinking of because I'm not in city management.



> Oh, I understand what you meant now and I agree that Big Jim is basically a car salesman thrust into this position.


Yeah, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Jim is in way over his head. And there doesn't seem to be anybody stepping up. We killed off the Sheriff as quickly as possible so as to get new people in place so we can see what it's like when they screw up. Basically, the Skipper is down, and Gilligan is in charge.


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Ereth said:


> And yet, Big Jim is responsible for a large operation bringing in Propane in huge quantities, and for making arrangements for what one would assume is a rather significant meth lab with some criminal organization to use that Propane.


Ok, but what does that have to do with his "running" the town? It wasn't a local government operation.
If anything, it means he spends less time on city business.
I'd say it has about as much impact on municipal services as his car dealership does.



Ereth said:


> Absolutely true. But someone, even if it's just a supervisor on the garbage truck workers, should start wondering where they are going to PUT their garbage now that the path to the dump is cut off by the dome. And that complaint should work it's way up to Big Jim rather quickly, in reality.
> 
> Chesters Mill is likely small enough that they don't have daily collections, but I would be stunned if it weren't more than once a week (not to the same houses, but the garbage trucks can't cover all of town in one day, so they divide the city up).


Assuming the landfill is outside of the dome, of course.



Ereth said:


> Yes, that's exactly what I meant. If you've been on the City Council for decades, you will have had to deal with sewage and garbage and many other mundane issues. And you'll know what happens when it isn't dealt with, and how hard it is to clean up after. Even something as simple as a 3 week garbage strike will leave an impression in the city planners minds.
> 
> Water - job 1. Food - job 2. Gas. Heat (this is Maine, right? it's going to get cold). Electricity generation. Sewage. Garbage. Medicine. These are the obvious ones. There are likely ones I'm not even thinking of because I'm not in city management.


Big Jim doesn't strike me as much of a planner. 

I'm sure the City Council doesn't deal with the day to day stuff though.

For example, the CEO of your company knows that there's a Help Desk in the company but he doesn't know the ins and outs of how it operates.

For a job in which they put in a few hours a month, they can't really have that much on the job training or experience, not like you or who would live and breathe our jobs 40+ hours a week.

I suspect that in Chester's Mills, city services were running primarily on inertia.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

[YAWN!]
You guys are WAY over-thinking this stuff. There's a magical DOME which is impervious to BOMBS, and the town residents are getting killed off at a rate of several every day! A crazy kid just became an armed police deputy with NO TRAINING!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

getreal said:


> [YAWN!]
> A crazy kid just became an armed police deputy with NO TRAINING!


Nobody else was even interviewed for the job.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

JYoung said:


> Ok, but what does that have to do with his "running" the town? It wasn't a local government operation.
> If anything, it means he spends less time on city business.
> I'd say it has about as much impact on municipal services as his car dealership does.


It speaks to his ability as a planner. You comment later that he's not much of a planner. I'd agree with you EXCEPT he has this big under-the-table drug deal thing going on. It stands out as contradictory to that opinion.

Now, at this point we have 2 possibilities... 1) it's a clue that he's sharper than we've seen so far and 2) it's poorly written. I suppose there's a third, now, thinking about it.. 3) someone else did all the planning and that competent person is outside the Dome now, mores the pity.



> Assuming the landfill is outside of the dome, of course.


If it's inside the dome, we have different issues, but still the people actually doing the work should be aware of that issue and be bringing it up.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

getreal said:


> [YAWN!]
> You guys are WAY over-thinking this stuff. There's a magical DOME which is impervious to BOMBS, and the town residents are getting killed off at a rate of several every day! A crazy kid just became an armed police deputy with NO TRAINING!


We HAVE to overthink it. The writers clearly aren't going to. And it's about the only entertainment we are going to get from the show from the looks of things.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

getreal said:


> [YAWN!]
> A crazy kid just became an armed police deputy with NO TRAINING!


And the murderous thug trained killer turned down the badge!


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Ereth said:


> We HAVE to overthink it. The writers clearly aren't going to. And it's about the only entertainment we are going to get from the show from the looks of things.


Bingo. The show is not good enough to just let it roll. The badness of it is the entertainment.


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

Ereth said:


> Water - job 1. Food - job 2. Gas. Heat (this is Maine, right? it's going to get cold)


The Dome could insulate them.. It would be interesting to see (if the time came) if the dome was a nice 73° inside, and outside was a blizzard, seeing army men wearing heavy coats, and masks to protect themselves from the freezing air.. Walk to the dome's perimeter wearing shorts, and see ice and snow on the outside.

However it seems we lose a couple of people per day, and I'm not sure how many will be left standing at that point.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Ereth said:


> It speaks to his ability as a planner. You comment later that he's not much of a planner. I'd agree with you EXCEPT he has this big under-the-table drug deal thing going on. It stands out as contradictory to that opinion.
> 
> Now, at this point we have 2 possibilities... 1) it's a clue that he's sharper than we've seen so far and 2) it's poorly written. I suppose there's a third, now, thinking about it.. 3) someone else did all the planning and that competent person is outside the Dome now, mores the pity.


I'd say 3 is the most likely or it was the late Sheriff Duke who ran the day to day operations of the Meth business (he'd certainly know who would want the product).

Big Jim strikes me as someone who may have the idea but doesn't have the operational expertise.



Ereth said:


> If it's inside the dome, we have different issues, but still the people actually doing the work should be aware of that issue and be bringing it up.


See the next episode thread.


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## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

Ereth said:


> It speaks to his ability as a planner. You comment later that he's not much of a planner. I'd agree with you EXCEPT he has this big under-the-table drug deal thing going on. It stands out as contradictory to that opinion.
> 
> Now, at this point we have 2 possibilities... 1) it's a clue that he's sharper than we've seen so far and 2) it's poorly written. I suppose there's a third, now, thinking about it.. 3) someone else did all the planning and that competent person is outside the Dome now, mores the pity.


No allowance for Big Jim's as yet unseen brother in law (a former science teacher) running the meth business?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

getreal said:


> [YAWN!]
> You guys are WAY over-thinking this stuff. There's a magical DOME which is impervious to BOMBS, and the town residents are getting killed off at a rate of several every day! A crazy kid just became an armed police deputy with NO TRAINING!


But he isnt a kid. He is an adult.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

My issue is with the artesian well. Most artesian wells get their water and pressure from a confining geologic layer that is recharged by water at a higher elevation. I don't see any big hills in that area so the recharge source must be a ways away and the dome theoretically should have cut off that aquifer along with the pressure head it provided.

For it to rain that much, the atmosphere inside that dome must have been pretty dang saturated. The relative humidity must have been through the roof. Also in many scenes it is very windy, I am wondering if that wind was added as a clue, or if it was just windy the days they filmed?


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## Church AV Guy (Jan 19, 2005)

DeDondeEs said:


> My issue is with the artesian well. Most artesian wells get their water and pressure from a confining geologic layer that is recharged by water at a higher elevation. I don't see any big hills in that area so the recharge source must be a ways away and the dome theoretically should have cut off that aquifer along with the pressure head it provided.
> 
> For it to rain that much, the atmosphere inside that dome must have been pretty dang saturated. The relative humidity must have been through the roof. Also in many scenes it is very windy, I am wondering if that wind was added as a clue, or if it was just windy the days they filmed?





Spoiler



It has been stated and is a part of the show that the dome has its own whether, including clouds, wind and rain. They made a point of saying it was immune to Earth's climate change--whatever that means/implies.

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/under-the-dome/under-the-dome-new-rules-of-th-50472.aspx


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Johncv said:


> Anyone here think they're going to end the show (assuming it not drag on for 5 years, "Lost") the same way it was ended in the book? Look like it being set up that way. All the elements are in place the bomb shelter, the propane, the drug factory, "Pink stars falling in line". All we need is the crazy cook, think he will show up in the next few weeks? What wrong with this show is that they remove all reference to the politics and religion that really made the story in the book work.


I thought there was a quote from Stephen King where he said the show's writers came up with a different ending and he wished he'd have come up with it for his book because he thought it was better than his ending.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> I thought there was a quote from Stephen King where he said the show's writers came up with a different ending and he wished he'd have come up with it for his book because he thought it was better than his ending.


Then again, "Let's just go until they cancel us, and then stop" would probably be a better ending than King came up with.

I like the book, it has a lot of great stuff in it. But the ending is most certainly not among them!


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## mrdbdigital (Feb 3, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Too many other shows I'm interested in are starting up soon.


Yeah, we'll soon have Revolution to kick around again.


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