CATCHING UP: Under the Dome (Season One, Episode Eleven – “Speak of the Devil”)

First aired September 2nd, 2013.

Junior (played by Alexander Koch) interprets his and Angie’s (Britt Robertson) involvement with the mini dome as proof that they belong together. Angie basically tells Junior he’s crazy, so he decides not to bother with the mini dome anymore.

Junior’s decision apparently makes the larger dome angry and it unleashes funnel clouds that start destroying town. Angie has to beg him to rejoin the group and, as soon as he says he will, the sun comes out and the danger is over. They meet with Joe (Colin Ford) and Norrie (Mackenzie Lintz) to touch the big dome together, intending to receive a message about what they need to do next. They see a vision of a bloody Big Jim (Dean Norris), his body surrounded by them. They have knives in their hands, and from this they come to the conclusion that, in order to bring down the dome, they must kill Big Jim.

It seems a bit naïve that these kids keep assuming that everything they are doing will lead to bringing down the dome. For all they know, these pink stars could kill everyone trapped in Chester’s Mill. As for the vision of Big Jim, there’s no way he’s actually going to die in the season finale. He’s been set up as the main villain of the show from the beginning and he wouldn’t be written off after just one season.

Maxine (Natalie Zea) is on the warpath after being rejected by Barbie (Mike Vogel) and finding out her mother was murdered, so she shoots Julia (Rachelle Lefevre). Barbie takes Julia to the hospital and patches her up. This makes Joe think that he could be the mysterious Monarch. Big Jim and Barbie team up and manage to overpower Maxine. At first they plan to turn her in, however Big Jim decides to take the law in his own hands and guns her down.

I’m not really that invested in who the Monarch is because, while this may sound cynical, there could be absolutely no significance in being the Monarch at all. I was disappointed that Maxine was killed so soon after being introduced. She was a great character and I was excited to see her development as the show continued. But at least in the short time she was on the show she made a big impression.

Big Jim manages to get out of trouble over the drugs by pointing out that his propane saved the town after the dome came down. He also shifts blame to Barbie, saying that his job was to collect debts from people as an enforcer. Linda (Natalie Martinez) finds false evidence that convinces her that Barbie is a criminal. When Linda comes upon the scene of Maxine’s murder, Big Jim convinces her that it was Barbie who killed her and shot Julia, forcing him to go on the run.

Big Jim has started to really step up to the plate as the main villain and it’s great to see. Instead of being stealthy with his plans for control, he’s starting to actively try and assert his power. It’ll be fun to see who swallows his Kool-Aid and who decides to stand against him.

This is definitely a great set up going into the home stretch for this season. I hope the conflict with Big Jim and the mystery of the pink stars and mini dome aren’t a giant letdown.

Quotes/Thoughts

“It doesn’t change the fact that, if this dome hadn’t come down, you’d be in jail. I’d say it saved your ass, Big Jim.”

R.I.P Maxine: you were a total badass.

“I’d rather live in here and die in here than ever be apart from you.”

I really hope Angie doesn’t end up with Junior again.

When the dome is “upset,” it definitely isn’t subtle.

If you enjoyed Manny’s review and would like to read other pieces like it, you can find the rest of his work HERE. You can also follow him on Twitter @KN_Manny.

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