S02.E04: Revelation

[Tara Ariano]

Big Jim and Rebecca consider the extreme measure of population control in order to extend resources as conditions in Chester's Mill worsen. Meanwhile, clues to Melanie's past and her connection to the dome are revealed.

[FAU]

Big Jim and Rebecca consider the extreme measure of population control in order to extend resources as conditions in Chester's Mill worsen.

 

Unless they kill off some annoying characters, it's some more bs that'll be resolved by the end of the episode.

[ottoDbusdriver]

This truly is Under the Dumb.  Because it gets dumber and dumber with each episode.

 

And yet another episode goes by -- and no one has even tried to attract the attention of the military ringing the Dome with the big banks of lights and circling helicopters.

 

Rebecca is one cold-hearted beyotch -- regarding Harriet the very recent mother of the first baby born under the Dome (Alice), Rebecca thinks that being just a Sunday school teacher doesn't make her Dome-worthy of survival with limited resources, but completely disregards the fact that she would be condemning her baby to death as well.

 

And Barbie implies that cannibalism might become an option soon.  Seriously.

 

You have to love/hate Windows 8.1 on that fricking tablet.  The top 3 newsfeed items are:
1) Summer Heating bills explode due to higher costs of alternate energy and record high temperatures.  Shouldn't that be higher energy bills for summer cooling if they are having record setting high temps.  Fucking Windows 8.1 can't even get the seasons right.
2) Death toll rises to 18 in Washington in heavy flooding that caused hundreds to lose their homes.  Sure, why not ?
3) Most Expensive Outfits -- These Hollywood stars show off their most luminous red carpet outfits.  Considering what we've seen of Scarecrow Joe, I have serious doubts about Windows 8.1 and its news gathering capabilities based on Joe's profile and searches.  Because Joe has never mentioned anything like his love for gossip or paparazzi or intense interest in Hollywood stars and glamour.  Fucking Windows 8.1 !!

 

Barbie presses a link and gets a 'This page can't be displayed' error message -- better get used to that even when the Internet is working.  And the weather in Springfield is 72 degrees.  Is that a 'Simpsons' reference ?

 

Lyle babbles religious nonsense in jail. Big surprise there.  And then shows Junior the 9 years worth of postcards sent to Lyle by Pauline with paintings foretelling the encounters under the Dome.  Pauline may be psychic because she was 'seeing' things before they even found the meteorite.

 

Rebecca is also a veterinarian -- who knew ?  We should just call her the pig whisperer instead.  Where has this pig farm been all the time ?  It's not Joe's farm (it was cows) and it's not Ollie's farm (that was crops), so who is this farmer and where has he been hiding all this time ?  And how would he know to contact the high school science teacher in the first place about a sick pig ?

 

Drownsie reveals her secret to Barbie -- I've got it, Drownsie is a cross-promotion with 'Resurrection' on ABC.

 

When Sam and Julia visit Rebecca's house (does no one lock their door under the Dome ??), there's a magnetic resource day planner of DOOM on her fridge.  And she somehow still has power (how exactly ?) since the light in her fridge is still working.  Rebecca has been pro-actively planning for long term duration under the Dome from Day 1 -- visiting farms and inventorying animals and crops. Wow !! Color me impressed -- why wasn't she on the town emergency planning committee if she was so concerned ?  Because she never tried to help out anyone in charge for 2 whole weeks.

 

And the high school still has power as well for flickering lights and a working security card system and working microfiches -- where is all this power coming from if the dome magnetism fried all the generators ?  Plus, there's enough power for Julia's Prius.

 

Drownsie's parents moved to Chester's Mill from the mystery city of Zenith (same as where Barbie is from and where Junior's not!dead mom is living). When Barbie brings up that he's also from Zenith, Drownsie blabs that she thought Barbie looked familiar -- Barbie might have been a tween in 1988 (that was 26 years ago -- he barely looks 40 now), how would Drownsie have known him him in Zenith ?  Was she his babysitter ?

 

Junior's mom faked her suicide with the help of Rev. Coggins and Lyle the Barber (replacement body and everything).  Though they haven't said how Pauline faked her death (drowning, fire).   Drownsie and the Scooby Doo gang go to Drownsie's old house -- no one is home, but they apparently left in a rush as there is recently cooked food sitting on plates and in a frying pan, yet none of it has decayed in 2+ weeks and there are no flies at all.  Did they just go for a walk in the middle of a meal and never come back ? Seriously, it looks like pictures of houses in Chernobyl that were hastily evacuated.

 

There are 6 previously unseen farms under the dome with pigs.  Six !!! Seriously.

 

Drownsie walks over her deathspot.  And remembers that they found a glowing blue meteorite similar looking to the mini-dome, and all 4 of them touch it (where 4 glowing hands appear). And the meteorite breaks open to reveal -- an egg. Drownsie grabs the egg and there is a struggle, and Sam or Lyle pushes Drownsie down into the meteorite hole and cracks her head on the meteorite -- and she's dead.  But the pinks stars on the egg fade to black after Drownsie dies -- wah, wah, wah.  Barbie decides to dig up the deathspot and finds Drownsie's old necklace.

 

Rebecca doesn't know that the Swine flu is much more virulent than she thinks it is, with a much higher death rate to go with it.  She cons Big Jim to introduce the swine flu into the water at the Sweetbriar rose, because germ warfare always works out as planned.  But he's the distraction as Rebecca is going for the holy water supply in the church.  But she bails on the whole plan after conveniently overhearing the pig farmer talking to Harriet the Sunday school teacher about all his extra dead pigs (and how could God kill all his pigs, but apparently being sealed under a dome is not high on the divine intervention list o' concerns. WTF people ?) and she chickens out because she's not that bad of a mass murderer.

 

Junior falls for the oldest trick in the book and Lyle gets the drop on him and knocks him out.  It's just too funny.

 

Big Jim implies that Julia is the town slut.  Wow !! Where did that come from ?

 

And Sheriff DJ Phil shows up for 30 seconds to report to Big Jim that he caught those vandals defacing the bridge.  That is the priority in town under a dome cut off from the rest of the world running low on resources -- vandalism. Seriously, vandalism.

 

I'm thinking they took down the gallows too quickly, Rebecca and Big Jim tried to use a weapon of mass destruction -- I think that qualifies for a hanging.

 

Sam has mysterious scratches on his right shoulder -- did he get those when he killed Angie, because I seriously doubt she had time to do that fighting off multiple blows from an axe ?

 

ETA: date calculation correction per @stormymac downthread.  My bad, forgot to carry the one or something. :)

Edited July 22, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[bmoore4026]

Well, that was weak episode.  Next episode looks exciting.

 

And my hate for Julia just went higher.  Hope she dies in the season finale.

[SmallTownMom]

Wow, Junior.  Didn't see that coming!

[Accidental Martyr]

-Why are they not rationing food? Is everyone just hanging out at the diner everyday eating all the food they want?

-How is Rebecca some sort of mad scientist? She's a small town high school science teacher who can't be more than a few years out of college.

[stormymac]

Barbie might have been a grade schooler in 1988 (that was 36 years ago -- he barely looks 40 now), how would Drownsie have known him him in Zenith ?  Was she his babysitter ?

That's a nice recap. I would just like to point out that 1988 was most definitely not 36 years ago, try 26.

[Blue Plastic]

 

When Barbie brings up that he's also from Zenith, Drownsie blabs that she thought Barbie looked familiar -- Barbie might have been a grade schooler in 1988 (that was 36 years ago -- he barely looks 40 now), how would Drownsie have known him him in Zenith ?  Was she his babysitter ?

That was actually 26 years ago, not 36.  So Barbie could have been a freshman or sophomore at Melanie Cross' high school in Zenith before she moved, if he is supposed to be around 40 now.

 

Wondering all the same things as other posters about how the microfiche machine and other electricity-powered gadgets shown were still supposed to be working.

 

How can Rebecca not be aware that swine flu is a big deal and actually back in the day killed a lot of young, otherwise healthy people who would have had something to contribute?  I guess she missed that while doing all her research into how to become a pig veterinarian in 10 easy steps in 2 weeks.

 

It doesn't really need to be said, but Junior is painfully stupid.

 

So why did Sam or Lyle kill Melanie because of the egg back in 1988?

[thuganomics85]

Holy crap, this Rebecca character is just so bizarre.  In four episodes, she went from normal but firm, to ice-cold, and now she was practically an evil scientist in an action film.  Except she couldn't go through with it at the end, but the fact she had been working on this plan for so long, and was fully prepared to manipulative anyone to do it, is just insane.  And she's suppose to be a freaking high school teacher, right?  I guess no one in the interviewing process realized they had a sociopath on their hands.  I kind of shudder to think what she had been teaching the kids all this time.

 

Man, unless the final shot will end up being a mislead, I can't believe that I might end up being right, and Sam did kill Angie.  Either way, he is acting shadier by the minute.  I would be concerned for Julia, but she's become such a big idiot now, that I don't care what happens to her.  I still can't believe she's bitching about Rebecca throwing acid rain in Dwight Yokam's face.  I clearly think Rebecca is off her rocker, but that's like the one thing she was in the right about.  At this rate, could Julia actually surpass Linda as the stupidest character to ever appear on this show?  She's close to being the most unlikable, but I don't think anyone will ever top Maxine.

 

Big Jim is just becoming pathetic to watch.  I need to bust out the Breaking Bad DVDs again, to remember when Dean Norris played awesome characters...

 

Junior fell for the oldest trick in the book.  What a doofus.

 

The random scene with Deputy DJ Phil just cracked me up.  He really came off like some needy puppy, who just wanted Jim to pet his head and give him a biscuit for taking care of those vandalism problems.  They really have no clue what they want to do with this character.

 

I guess the Melanie stuff is somewhat intriguing, but I doubt the endgame will workout, in these guys' hands.

 

I swear, this fucking show.  What can they think of next?

Edited July 22, 2014 by thuganomics85

[ottoDbusdriver]

I would just like to point out that 1988 was most definitely not 36 years ago, try 26.

 

Thanks @stormymac and @Blue Plastic -- my bad.  

 

It still seems like a reach that Melanie would have known him -- as Zenith appears to be a large city (based on the view outside Pauline Verdreaux's window).

 

Wouldn't Barbie remember Melanie as well ?

 

ETA:

Man, unless the final shot will end up being a mislead, I can't believe that I might end up being right, and Sam did kill Angie.  Either way, he is acting shader by the minute.  I would be concerned for Julia, but she's become such a big idiot now, that I don't care what happens to her.

 

I'm still surprised Sam doesn't have the DTs -- he's a known drunk, and based on all the empty liquor bottles in his cabin, it took him two weeks to finish off all the booze he had on hand.  Shouldn't he be going through heavy withdrawal ?

Edited July 22, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[bmoore4026]

Anybody see the MST3K episode Teenage Strangler?  I'm asking because the whole Sam plot reminds me of that film.  Here's hoping Barbie's little wormy brother Mikey shows up out of nowhere.

[maraleia]

There's too many fucking white people on this show now and it was so glaring during tonight's episode I had to comment. At least when the show started there were a few POC's that weren't guest stars. Where in the hell did Norrie's mom Carolyn and the DJ turned police officer go? After tonight's episode I think I'm giving up the show. I don't even care if the characters survive the dome so why the hell am I watching?

 

BTW I'm a white woman and these kinds of casting decisions bug the living hell out of me.

[shapeshifter]

Drownsie's parents moved to Chester's Mill from the mystery city of Zenith (same as where Barbie is from and where Junior's not!dead mom is living). When Barbie brings up that he's also from Zenith, Drownsie blabs that she thought Barbie looked familiar

Am I the only one who, every time they mention the town of Zenith, thinks it must be an asteroid near Venus or something?

How is Rebecca some sort of mad scientist? She's a small town high school science teacher who can't be more than a few years out of college.

Think Breaking Bad.

It doesn't really need to be said, but Junior is painfully stupid.

He and Angie really were meant for each other--once you get past the whole kidnapped and chained up in his dungeon thing.

[xaxat]

We're being punked right? All of the crappy writing, baffling plots and really strange acting choices (Intense Rebecca!), that's all on purpose? And what we are watching is really a sophisticated performance art piece designed to elicit audience reactions as if it were an honestly bad show?

[shapeshifter]

About "Zenith": By definition it would be the top of the Dome.

If it turns out there really is a dome, but it's a tent over the town because it's contaminated with a psychotropic substance, what would be the symbolism of Zenith, home of Barbie and Drownsie?

Speaking of psycho, so Sam is likely a serial killer. But I don't think he meant to kill Drownsie. If we forgive him for that one, can we forgive him for Angie too? Nah. You can't really come back from being an axe murderer. I'm pretty sure that closes the book on redemption.

[Shermie]

What the ever-loving hell? Drownsie says She thought Barbie looked familiar because he's from the same town - 36 years ago? She was being facetious, right? (I'm thinking of the scene in the Parenthood movie where Dianne Weist says she was at Woodstock and her boyfriend said he was there too, and Weist - who is angry about something - snarks, "I thought you looked familiar.")

Anyway, sure crazy science teacher, exercise population control by killing off the weak with swine flu. Oy. Because flu never kills young strong healthy people. And germ warfare is easy to control.

Instead of moaning about missing the interwebs, why don't they communicate with the outside world by holding up whiteboards with questions and concerns to the masses of outsiders who just be congregated outside of the dome? Ask if they know what the dome is, what caused it, do they have any plans? Ask if there are other domes? Ask how,their loved ones are doing and if, oh I don't know, they could communicate with them. Doesn't anyone want to contact their friends and relatives outside the dome? Oh yeah, Hollywood thinks small town people's entire lives exist within their one small town.

[ae2]

Sorry, guys, but I thought this episode was one of the better ones in awhile. It gave us a glimpse of how the show could have been if it didn't stray so far into cheesy Syfy flick territory. We had conflict - real conflict! And even a decent little mystery being slowly unfolded. The dialogue didn't improve much, but maybe the writers finally stopped making their children do the job for them. 

 

As much as we all love to hate Science Girl, at least someone is finally thinking about long term survival here. Me? I would have started with rationing and left murder for Plan B. It seems she has been planning mass homicide since Dome Day 1. But hey! it's a plan. And one that causes interpersonal controversy. I can get behind this.

 

So Barbie thinks it might be necessary to "cull the herd" in order to survive. And Julia thinks it is inhuman to even consider that. Finally something worth fighting about! Considering their last tiff was caused by him saying the Dome might *not* be their to protect them, this feels like a step in the right direction.

 

I was happy to see her shove off Sloppy Sam instead of living up to her apparent reputation as the town, well, that's no way to talk about a lady.

 

Sam killed Angie? Or that's what we are being led to believe right now. Knowing what we do about his history as one of the founding members of the Four Hands Band, what could be his motivation?

 

• He loved Melanie back in the 80s. Maybe he believes killing Angie was necessary for her to rejoin the band.
• The Dome is telling him what to do, and it isn't so friendly and benevolent as Julia believes.
• He has been reading his crazy sister's diary, and is playing into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• He's been waiting 25 years for the Dome to come down so he could start his own Sloppy Sam's House of Horrors.

 

The scene with Big Jim and Science Girl in her makeshift lab was well done, I thought. The dialogue was sinister and mostly believable, the lighting was great, and the implications were huge.

 

What happened to Big Jim from season 1? Can anyone imagine that guy ever being led to jail without putting up some sort of fight? Did the aliens steal his soul? Replace him with a Cylon? We all expect the faceless townspeople to instantly and without question believe whatever is being shouted at them. Are you trying to tell me their hero leader couldn't talk his way out of that little blip? That's almost as out of character and off putting to me as

 

Phil the cop. Seriously. What the eff is going on here? Did they contract this actor to so any episodes for season 2 before realizing they had no use for his DJ character? I can't wrap my head around his pathetic continued presence, or his transformation into a small town cop who isn't aware that the town has been cut off by this mysterious dome.

 

The whole mystery of the dome, the Four Hands Band, and the dead girl rising... well, at least it is an ongoing mystery, and at least someone is still interesting in what the heck is going on, even if it is the most annoying characters in the show (although Julia and Science Girl are rising stars in this regard). There is a sliver of hope that we will have some questions answered before the world sees this show for what it is and CBS cans it.

 

Apparently Lyle the Lunatic helped Junior's mom fake her suicide. Am I remembering wrong, or did we not get some strong vibes in season 1 that somehow Big Jim himself was involved in her mysterious death? 

[Johnny Dollar]

I give Phil the DJ now Chief of Police a lot of credit. The ancient Romans ignored the Vandals and look what happened to them.

[Primetimer]

One useful virus located! Click 'Yes' to infect entire town.

Read the story

[ZoloftBlob]

 

 

And she's suppose to be a freaking high school teacher, right?  I guess no one in the interviewing process realized they had a sociopath on their hands.  I kind of shudder to think what she had been teaching the kids all this time.

 

It's not really something they screen for. Seriously, you'd be surprised who is teaching your kids.

[DrLar]

I'm just watching to see what stupid thing they'll come up with, and they never stop!

Poor pigs, at least they didn't suffer, it seems that the virus killed them instantly no signs of illness just a few moments ago and now they lie dead..

Sam the at least double murderer now will sleep with the hotness in red hair Julia... (her IQ has dropped in half in season 2)

[izabella]

What was it that Lyle said...Junior's mother faked her own death so she could run away and protect Junior, because she believed the Dome would follow her?  Well, she was wrong about that, wasn't she? 

 

So she's just guessing, too, and doesn't really have any special knowledge of the Dome, primary school paintings aside.

 

I don't understand why Sam has been acting like he doesn't recognize Melanie.  How could he not?  But he doesn't seem at all phased that a dead girl he used to be in love with suddenly showed up in the middle of the lake near his cabin and is now wandering around town.

Edited July 22, 2014 by izabella

[ottoDbusdriver]

I don't understand why Sam has been acting like he doesn't recognize Melanie.  How could he not?  But he doesn't seem at all phased that a dead girl he used to be in love with suddenly showed up in the middle of the lake near his cabin and is now wandering around town.

 

It wasn't even like it was acting, Sam just plain didn't recognize her at all when she's sleeping on his couch.  With a woman he used to love and accidentally killed -- you would think her face would be burned into his brain (but then he probably killed those brain cells with booze).

 

What the hell did Angie ever do to Sam that he had to kill her ?  Angie didn't even seem to be aware that Sam existed.   Sam accidentally killed Melanie 26 years ago -- he pushed her down that hill and she cracked her head on a rock -- that doesn't make him a murderer (though the cover-up might make it seem that way).  And now he has serial murderer tendencies -- get this man a drink and get him to call the fuck down.

[Accidental Martyr]

 And the high school still has power as well for flickering lights and a working security card system and working microfiches -- where is all this power coming from if the dome magnetism fried all the generators ?  Plus, there's enough power for Julia's Prius.

 

I said it after the last episode and I'll say it again, they should just say, "The Dome turned the power back on!". It would make much more sense than keeping up the embarrassing premise that the entire town is running off of a couple of emergency home generators.

This also brings up the other question I had. Where is the fuel for the cars and magic generators coming from?

[Slider]

If Lyle, Pauline, Rebecca, and Sam were the original 4 Dome hands, and Joe, Norri, Angie, and Junior are the new 4 Dome hands, maybe Sam thought that since Rebecca kicked the bucket Angie needed to also.  

 

Maybe that means we haven't seen the last of Angie, though that is purely speculation.

[Accidental Martyr]

If Lyle, Pauline, Rebecca, and Sam were the original 4 Dome hands, and Joe, Norri, Angie, and Junior are the new 4 Dome hands, maybe Sam thought that since Rebecca kicked the bucket Angie needed to also.  

 

Melanie (aka Drownsie). Rebecca is the evil mad scientist/high school teacher.

[maraleia]

@PreviouslyTV shouldn't it be Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe not Marshall?

[Accidental Martyr]

@PreviouslyTV shouldn't it be Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe not Marshall?

Mrs. Fields, Marshall Fields and Neiman-Marcus have all been named in different versions of the cookie recipe legend.

http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/cookie.asp

[luvly]

 

Junior's mom faked her suicide with the help of Rev. Coggins and Lyle the Barber (replacement body and everything).  Though they haven't said how Pauline faked her death (drowning, fire).

IIRC, Pauline "committed suicide" by driving into a tree. I'm assuming she was supposed to be so badly burned by the ensuing fire that nobody would be able to tell that the decoy body wasn't actually hers.

 

So the Original Four Hands pre-activated the dome by finding the meteorite. I wonder what made it activate to full blown domeness 25 years later? I'm thinking Sam killed Angie because he thinks if there's a vacancy in the New Four Hands, an Original fill-in will bring the dome down. I'm also thinking I'm giving Sam and the writers too much credit. I do find it interesting that the Originals consisted of two siblings and the people they were dating and the same thing applies for NG with the added bonus of a next generation Verdreux/Rennie. Of course everything circles back to Junior.

[Blue Plastic]

Thanks @stormymac and @Blue Plastic -- my bad.  

 

It still seems like a reach that Melanie would have known him -- as Zenith appears to be a large city (based on the view outside Pauline Verdreaux's window).

 

Wouldn't Barbie remember Melanie as well ?

 

ETA:

 

 

I'm still surprised Sam doesn't have the DTs -- he's a known drunk, and based on all the empty liquor bottles in his cabin, it took him two weeks to finish off all the booze he had on hand.  Shouldn't he be going through heavy withdrawal ?

Yeah, Zenith as shown is big enough that Melanie and Barbie probably wouldn't have gone to the same high school but you know how these writers are!

 

Good point about the DTs.

 

So she's just guessing, too, and doesn't really have any special knowledge of the Dome, primary school paintings aside.

 

I don't understand why Sam has been acting like he doesn't recognize Melanie.  How could he not?  But he doesn't seem at all phased that a dead girl he used to be in love with suddenly showed up in the middle of the lake near his cabin and is now wandering around town.

Yeah, at least some of Pauline's "prophecies" aren't that prophetic.  For example, she drew a picture of Melanie because she knew Melanie personally, not because she predicted that some mystery girl would pop out of the lake ~26 years later.  She also drew the pink stars because she had seen them on the 1988 egg, not because she predicted them on the 2013 egg.

 

It wasn't even like it was acting, Sam just plain didn't recognize her at all when she's sleeping on his couch.  With a woman he used to love and accidentally killed -- you would think her face would be burned into his brain (but then he probably killed those brain cells with booze).

 

What the hell did Angie ever do to Sam that he had to kill her ?  Angie didn't even seem to be aware that Sam existed.   Sam accidentally killed Melanie 26 years ago -- he pushed her down that hill and she cracked her head on a rock -- that doesn't make him a murderer (though the cover-up might make it seem that way).  And now he has serial murderer tendencies -- get this man a drink and get him to call the fuck down.

My theory is that Sam did indeed recognize her and wanted to re-kill her.  He complained to Lyle about how they had made a deal to "keep the past buried."  I think maybe he followed Melanie AKA Drownsie to the school and was going to axe her.  However, she was startled by Angie and hid.  So when Sam sneaked up on Angie, he thought it was Melanie.

 

This theory, of course, is all for naught if we are being led astray and the murderer isn't Sam.

[bmoore4026]

Ratings: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/07/22/tv-ratings-monday-under-the-dome-hits-low-masterchef-american-ninja-warrior-the-bachelorette-rise-hotel-hell-returns-down/284778/

 

Dome dead?

Edited July 22, 2014 by bmoore4026

[BobH]

Man, this show. I just never get the idea that the writers have a clear idea of the size or population of the dome, except for "whatever's convenient for this episode", and how rational people would act in any given situation. All the people except the series regulars just seem to be hanging around the diner and church, not doing anything. They're always talking about limited supplies, but the house that Melanie lived in looked to be untouched since the dome went down, and certainly an abandoned house like that would be a better place to stay then Big Jim's Bed&Breakfast.

 

The kids not telling anyone about the internet thing for a whole day was crazy. They should have someone in the school 24 hours a day, constantly checking if the internet is back up, and with instructions to send out some pre-written e-mails and upload some files with any information on the dome they can gather to an external server the second there's a connection, in case it's only up for a few minutes.

 

And why does Big Jim have an access card to a high tech med lab?

 

And Julia and Sam rush back to town, telling the pig farmer to quarantine his healthy animals (as apparently he's dumb enough to leave his healthy pigs in a pen with the ones who just died suddenly until told otherwise). They make a quick stop in the diner, and then rush to the church, and that same pig farmer is already there (did he decide not to quarantine the pigs, or did he just do it really fast?), and his priority is to talk about religion with the new mother (I'd forgotten all about her, as did the writers until they needed a sympathetic face for the "survival of the fittest" argument), instead of telling Rebecca, who's standing right there, that the pig flu was spreading.

[Gudzilla]

 

Here's hoping Barbie's little wormy brother Mikey shows up out of nowhere.

They're saving Mikey for a future bike stealing plot.

 

I give this episode an A because any time we are graced with original Pauline Rennie artwork it raises my enjoyment by 3 grades.

[izabella]

IIRC, Pauline "committed suicide" by driving into a tree. I'm assuming she was supposed to be so badly burned by the ensuing fire that nobody would be able to tell that the decoy body wasn't actually hers.

 

So the Original Four Hands pre-activated the dome by finding the meteorite. I wonder what made it activate to full blown domeness 25 years later?

 

Maybe that egg hatches into a Dome every 25 years, like cicadas. 

 

So the next egg is now in the bottom of the lake, and in 25 years, new Dome appears with its own baby egg for the Monarch to toss somewhere. 

 

And since the original egg came from a meteor, we must assume there are other eggs stuck in meteors/planets all over outer space.  Lucky Chesters Mill that this one landed in their woods!

[Camera One]

I'm pretty sure Sam recognized Melanie.  He gave some weird expressions and was looking for her with a little too much persistence in the first episode.

 

My laugh-out-loud part of the episode was when they showed rear-view footage of some body double who resembled Norrie's mom at the diner.  Oh so *that's* where she went.

 

And why does Big Jim have an access card to a high tech med lab?

 

I think the high tech med lab is at the high school.  Windmill engineering and swine flu research all in the same building.

 

This was the first episode I noticed how annoying screechy Rebecca the science teacher's voice is.  They're really giving her character the salad toss method of development.  She's normal in the first episode, suddenly changes sides in the second, psycho evil in the fourth, and by the end of the episode, she found her conscience.  What a character journey right there.

 

As others have mentioned, swine flu is literally the WORST way to weed out who doesn't "carry their own weight".  I guess her brain cells were too busy studying pig anatomy to realize that an engineer, a mechanic or a doctor could be physically weak.  I was sort of hoping once the virus was released, only Rebecca gets sick and dies.  So she's so ultra science and suddenly she goes, "Everything happens for a reason".  Did they mix up their dialogue?  And then later, "If you look hard enough, there will be an answer."  So why not find an answer to discover a new unlimited food source, maybe in the school's world renowned greenhouse for genetically modified crops. 

 

So the worst artist in the world made postcards with her paintings.  Why exactly?  

 

They are systematically destroying Julia's character like they did Linda's.  Maybe she's not long for this world.  "Please stay.  Let's not make it weird."  That ship already sailed when he tried to kiss you even though you have a boyfriend, lady.  Also if someone is holding a vial of killer virus, you don't shove them to the ground.

 

I wonder how quickly it will take before the town forgives Big Jim for trying to kill them all.  Maybe tomorrow?

 

I'm glad the ex-DJ cop found the people defacing the bridge.  I'm surprised that didn't make the D Plot for this episode.

 

Finally, the Teens were grateful to be graced with Barbie this episode.  Isn't he impressive... fighter pilot, fight club champion, Library Information Desk specialist.   I don't even get why they asked him to help them figure out who Melanie was.  He could have left them after teaching them how the microfilm machines worked, couldn't he?  Doesn't he have anything better to do?   I'm so glad Norrie has such a deep bond with Barbie that she can discuss her innermost insecurities about her high school romance with Joe.  

 

I actually thought this episode was a tad better since they slowed down a bit and it wasn't apocalypse of the week.  Well, it was more unintentional funny at least, and that's mainly what is keeping me watching.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Camera One

[shapeshifter]

 So she's so ultra science and suddenly she goes, "Everything happens for a reason".  Did they mix up their dialogue?

I spoke firmly to my TV, "You meant to say, 'There is a cause for every event.'" I suppose the actual line could have been: There is a reason why things happen.

I'm so glad Norrie has such a deep bond with Barbie that she can discuss her innermost insecurities about her high school romance with Joe.

I forgave that because it gave us the perfectly delivered line: How do I compete with a girl from a galaxy far, far away?

I appreciated that she wasn't feeling inferior because the other girl was pretty.

[Shermie]

Well, Big Jim and Mad Scientist weren't trying to infect everyone, just the Catholics, since they planned to put the virus in the holy water.

Of course, we are to assume this town - which is big enough for a high school and a small airport - only has one church. Okay, Hollywood writers, another tired small town trope.

[FAU]

If Lyle, Pauline, Rebecca, and Sam were the original 4 Dome hands, and Joe, Norri, Angie, and Junior are the new 4 Dome hands, maybe Sam thought that since Rebecca kicked the bucket Angie needed to also.  

 

Maybe that means we haven't seen the last of Angie, though that is purely speculation.

 

Please no, if Melanie is any indication.

 

 

Holy crap, this Rebecca character is just so bizarre.  In four episodes, she went from normal but firm, to ice-cold, and now she was practically an evil scientist in an action film.  Except she couldn't go through with it at the end, but the fact she had been working on this plan for so long, and was fully prepared to manipulative anyone to do it, is just insane.  And she's suppose to be a freaking high school teacher, right?  I guess no one in the interviewing process realized they had a sociopath on their hands.  I kind of shudder to think what she had been teaching the kids all this time.

 

Seriously, they're trying to turn this science teacher into an evil, maniacal villain who for some reason popped out of nowhere to scheme with Big Jim?

Well, that was weak episode.  Next episode looks exciting.

 

And my hate for Julia just went higher.  Hope she dies in the season finale.

 

Exactly, she's completely insufferable and self righteous with her bs.  Her fight with Barbie makes no sense at all, it's so contrived.

 

 

Think Breaking Bad.

 

Let's not, especially not this series.

[Jordan27]

So, they are going to thin the herd to make the food, last what, maybe another week longer.  Are they going to murder more people next week and the week after that? 

[Desperately Random]

The food is going to run out in a week? How is that possible? Julia and Sam just visited seven pig farms. That's a lot of ham right there. People can get by with one meal a day for a while. How about trying that first before the mass killings begin?. They are surrounded by forests. What happened to rabbits, squirrels and maybe even deer? So what if it isn't hunting season, I think you can make an exception. And what happened to all those cows we saw in the first episode, you know the ones that weren't cut in two? They weren't all on the outside when the dome fell where they? This show. I swear there were a couple of scenes tonight where I realized I'm actually embarrassed to be watching it. This whole Melanie died and has risen from the lake is really stretching my suspension of belief which is weird since I was okay with the invisible dome. I really wish they had stuck with just trying to survive under the dome and not add all this silly egg and stars nonsense.

I was sort of enjoying the whole Big Jim and Rebecca thinning of the herd plot because that is something that would occur if you have limited resources although Rebecca's idea was a really bad way to do it. Killing off more of your food supply should be your last choice and something as imprecise as a virus is another bad decision. For a smart lady, she made some stupid decisions. Also, way too soon to go that far to conserve resources. So many other options that should have been looked into first.

Is Big Jim going to blame Barbie for the virus idea? He didn't know what Rebecca was going to do and he told Jim not to do anything without letting him know first. Barbie should have learned you never side with Big Jim. It will bite you in the ass every time.

That last scene with Sam? That look he gave right at the end just screamed "I'm a killer!" And my first thought was, Julia, your instincts about men suck, how are you still alive?

Edited July 23, 2014 by Desperately Random

[morgankobi]

I'm confused. Didn't Rebecca know Big Jim's wife/was a student of hers? Didn't we learn that when she was introduced (you know, before she was evil)? That's all I could think of when Big Jim was telling Rebecca all about his wife. Wouldn't she already know most of that?

 

The "acting" and "dialogue" between Barbie and Five-head in the kitchen was beyond awful!

 

So the Teens are looking at 1988 yearbook, see Barbie coming, and decide telling him is a really bad idea. Then they head to the Bloody Locker of Wi-Fi, and as Barbie  says he's going to find something to try and pry it open they decide to tell him everything. Huh?

[shapeshifter]

Is Big Jim going to blame Barbie for the virus idea?

Of course. Who else would he blame? Barbie is, after all, an innocent type of Christ taking upon the sins of the world, who's also an outsider. Never mind that he came to town to beat someone up and wound up killing the guy and then moving into his house and sleeping with his wife.

Well, Big Jim and Mad Scientist weren't trying to infect everyone, just the Catholics, since they planned to put the virus in the holy water.

Of course, we are to assume this town - which is big enough for a high school and a small airport - only has one church. Okay, Hollywood writers, another tired small town trope.

Fortunately, the atheist scientist stereotypically knows nothing about use of the Holy water. To be fair, neither do I, but from http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0133.html :

These actions have been incorporated into our own Mass. In the Penitential Rite, one of the options is the Asperges, which includes the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling with Holy Water. As the priest passes through the congregation sprinkling them with the holy water...

...so it's highly unlikely the water would get in anyone's nose or eyes as per http://www.flu.gov/about_the_flu/seasonal/index.html :

Most experts believe that you get the flu when a person with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks and droplets containing their germs land in your mouth or nose. You can also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose.

I'm confused. Didn't Rebecca know Big Jim's wife/was a student of hers? Didn't we learn that when she was introduced (you know, before she was evil)?

I'm pretty sure Junior was her student. IRL, the actress is Dean Norris' daughter's age, so if his character's wife was her student, his wife would have to be his granddaughter's age, which does happen, but, IMO: Ew. Edited July 23, 2014 by shapeshifter

[FAU]

So, they are going to thin the herd to make the food, last what, maybe another week longer.  Are they going to murder more people next week and the week after that? 

 

I really want the annoying ones to go first, but otherwise, it's a pretty stupid idea, par for the course of this series.

[ZoloftBlob]

 

 

The food is going to run out in a week? How is that possible?

 

It's been two weeks already. There's no grocery delivery in. I'm sure there are a few gardens but its a couple hundred people. The grocery stores were looted on day two or so. The growing crops are periodically acid rained and tornadoed. The pigs and cows are frankly just about the only thing to eat and if they eat all the cows and pigs, there's no resupply. Add in the general incompetency of the residents of Chester Mill and I'm surprised the food issue isn't more pressing.

[ByTor]

Big Jim implies that Julia is the town slut.  Wow !! Where did that come from ?

Yeah, I don't exactly think he's correct in saying that. However, sleeping with your husband's murderer isn't likely to elicit warm & fuzzy feelings.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Yeah, I don't exactly think he's correct in saying that. However, sleeping with your husband's murderer isn't likely to elicit warm & fuzzy feelings.

 

Would Big Jim even know that they are sleeping together ?  Barbie's crashing at her house because they are trapped under a frakking dome and he's from out of town and needed a place to stay.  Julia and Barbie haven't shown any PDA at the diner or anywhere else for that matter, so that's a big jump for Big Jim to state out loud in public.

 

And no one else in town even knows that Barbie was involved with Julia's husband's murder.

Edited July 23, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[ZoloftBlob]

Would Big Jim even know that they are sleeping together ?  Barbie's crashing at her house because they are trapped under a frakking dome and he's from out of town and needed a place to stay.  Julia and Barbie haven's show any PDA at the diner or anywhere else for that matter, so that's a big jump for Big Jim to state out loud in public.

 

It could just be me.... but Big Jim seems like the sort of guy that... when he's pissed with a female, then she's a dirty slut, regardless of her actual activity.

[BobH]

Julia and Sam just visited seven pig farms

 

 

I forgot that the pig farm we saw was the last of seven they visited. Seven pig farms inside the dome! Plus several crop farms that Barbie had to spray from the air, a small airfield, a fairly large high school, at least two lakes (one fresh water, now filled with methane, one I guess salt water), half of an island, a large wooded area right in the middle of the dome. All in an area small enough that Joe was once able to walk from the edge of the dome to the middle, dig up the mini-dome and walk back in one night. Man, I would love to see what the writers consider a realistic scale map of this town.

 

I think the high tech med lab is at the high school.

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised on this show, but I don't think so. Jim went to find her at the school, and that's when he found out his access card was missing (but he still got in the lab to confront her no problem, so I guess he has multiple access cards). If it were in the school, presumably Rebecca would have access to it. Plus a small town high school having active samples of influenza is a stretch, even for this show. Much more realistic for the used car salesman to have the access cards to a separate high tech med lab...

[Dowel Jones]

 

no signs of illness just a few moments ago and now they lie dead..

I loved that scene where he picks up a dead pig and it is board straight.  Nice work, animators.

 

Most experts believe that you get the flu when a person with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks and droplets containing their germs land in your mouth or nose. You can also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose.

Such as, maybe, walking around a bunch of dead pigs, picking them up, and then taking your mask off so you can talk to one another?

 

 

However, sleeping with your husband's murderer isn't likely to elicit warm & fuzzy feelings.

However, sleeping with the brother of your sister's murderer might.  So, go ahead.  Make it weird.

 

I will reiterate a thesis of mine from S1.  We should be thankful to the Dome for isolating a group of the most incompetent, sadistic, and/or gullible people that could be gathered anywhere on this earth.  I have a fair amount of respect for the actors selling their characters' personas, as they have to deal with the ever increasing preposterous nature of the series every week.  At least let Dwight/Lyle sing some, again.

 

What if Melanie somehow absorbed the first egg upon her death, and was reincarted by the arrival of the second egg?  Maybe she is the Monarch, and not Julia.

Maybe they would get some answers if they had kept digging around that rock.

 

Was Junior one of those guys who always fell for the "pull my finger" trick in school? 

[BobH]

I think there's only the one egg, Melanie was holding it when she died, they buried her with it with her, it absorbed her memories, then for some reason formed the dome 25 years later, and when the egg was dropped in the lake it either re-incarnated her or took her form. Presumably there's still some more backstory to come to explain how Junior's mom knew that there was a dome coming.