Under the Dome (2013)
A small town is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. While military forces, the government and the media positioned outside of this surrounding barrier attempt to break it down, a small group of people inside attempt to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 24 June 2013 |
| Status | Canceled |
| Genre | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| Created by | Brian K. Vaughan |
| Starring | Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre and Alexander Koch |
| Seasons | 3 seasons, 39 episodes |
| Episode length | about 42 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 27 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 7.1/10 |
Where to watch Under the Dome
Under the Dome is streaming on Paramount+ ($13.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 1 month of Paramount+, or $13.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 15 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
The premise is simple: a glass ceiling appears, and nobody can explain it. What makes Under the Dome tick is the claustrophobia. It’s a 39-episode experiment in what happens when a town runs out of things to do. The military shouts from outside; the residents panic inside. It’s a 27-hour commitment to watch people argue about authority. If you like your sci-fi grounded in mundane bureaucracy, this is your show.
What the critics said
King called the series "very good," a verdict delivered with the casual confidence of a man who watched the adaptation unfold in real time. He noted that while the TV version varies considerably from the book, the core elements remained intact. Characters were combined, jobs swapped, and the dome stayed over Chester's Mill for months instead of a week. The writers, led by Brian K. Vaughan, reimagined the dome's source entirely. King approved of these changes wholeheartedly, seeing them as necessary adaptations rather than betrayals. It is a rare instance where the source material’s creator gives the adaptation a clean bill of health, albeit with a few technical adjustments.
How it did with audiences
The series premiere aired June 24, 2013, and set records. It became the highest-rated CBS summer premiere since Big Brother in 2000. It also stood as the most-watched drama summer premiere on any network since 1992. In the 2012–13 US network schedule, it ranked second behind The Following. Including DVR, 17.76 million viewers tuned in. On TMDB, users rate it 7.1 out of 10. Numbers like that usually signal a hit, though the long game remains to be seen.
What came next for the cast
Mike Vogel moved from The Help to Fantasy Island. Colin Ford transitioned from We Bought a Zoo to Captain Marvel. The jump from small screens to big franchises is visible. Credits list what happened, not why. The timing suggests a shift in industry gravity. One actor chased genre changes; the other chased scale. The data points do not prove causality. They simply mark the coordinates of a changing landscape.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Under the Dome.
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Sources
- Under the Dome on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q2947967 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Under the Dome (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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