Prison Break was originally
conceived as a two- season TV series about a group of incarcerated guys that
broke out of a high security prison. Unfortunately, the series eventually ran
for 4 seasons with each of the last two seasons being really terrible. Why did
it happen? One word: greed. The network (Fox) got greedy and chose to extend
the show. without a concrete or properly fleshed-out plan for a good story.. Never mind that the series is
making a comeback in what seems to be another poorly-conceived attempt at story
telling. What does all this have to do with
Under the Dome? Quite a lot.
Under the Dome was also
planned as a limited series. How many seasons qualify as limited? Or put
differently, at what number of seasons is the word ‘limited’ stretched too far?
Nearing the end of its third season, we have learned that the dome is coming
down at the end of the season. And yet
the show runners are contemplating a fourth season. If
this happens, the show will outgrow its premise and I suspect, will take a turn
for the worst.
However, there is a somewhat successful precedent for this sort of stunt. – LOST. A show about the survivors of a plane crash marooned on a seemingly inescapable and mysterious island. Part of the fifth season took place off the island for the characters that were able to escape. However, the brilliance was that these characters were figuratively lost with their new (old) lives and were desperately trying to return to the island. And they did. But for Under the Dome, Chester’s Mill existed before the dome and will continue to exist after the dome, so there’s no real story there. I could be wrong though. We’ve seen what brilliant storytelling and writing can do with the likes of Terminator Genisys.
However, there is a somewhat successful precedent for this sort of stunt. – LOST. A show about the survivors of a plane crash marooned on a seemingly inescapable and mysterious island. Part of the fifth season took place off the island for the characters that were able to escape. However, the brilliance was that these characters were figuratively lost with their new (old) lives and were desperately trying to return to the island. And they did. But for Under the Dome, Chester’s Mill existed before the dome and will continue to exist after the dome, so there’s no real story there. I could be wrong though. We’ve seen what brilliant storytelling and writing can do with the likes of Terminator Genisys.
However, it is very unlikely
that the same can be done with Under the Dome. My advice to the writers and
producers is to avoid the craze of reboots and should remind themselves of a
popular saying: the actor leaves the stage when the ovation is loudest.
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