'Under the Dome' Episode 1.05 "Blue on Blue"

Guys I have to say I was worried about Under the Dome for a while there.  For a few episodes there it had become the show I had to watch and not the show I wanted to watch.  Well I am pleased to report that “Blue on Blue” has started to change that feeling.  I’m still holding on to my reservations, you understand, right?  This past Sunday’s installment could have just been a fluke and the rest of the season could end up jumbled mess with no direction or resolution.  But I will worry about that when the time comes.

In the meantime, the Seizure Twins failed to annoy me even one time.  It was worth watching the episode just for that alone.  In fact from here until the next time they annoy me I am forgoing my appointed nickname for the duo and calling them by their given names, Joe and Norrie.  Whoa, that felt weird.  Hold on, I need a minute.

Okay, I’m back.  Sorry about that I was just so used to them annoying me and me mocking them I wasn’t sure how to react to the fact that for the first time in 5 episodes I was actually interested in their piece of the story.  I know, I know it blew my mind too.  How awesome was it that when they thought the world was ending their first reaction wasn’t to seek shelter, but to share their first kiss?  It was such a natural reaction that I couldn’t help but smile.  I’m hoping that the M.O.A.B (Mother Of All Bombs) disrupted whatever signal the dome was sending and we never have to deal with the Seizure Twins again.

Big Jim is seriously causing me whiplash.  Is he a good guy? Is he a bad guy?  A good guy who does bad things? What?  I was sure I knew the answer when he didn’t let Angie go at the beginning of the hour, but then he went and let her go.  Which got me to thinking he was a good guy who traveled some dark paths until he went and killed the Reverend.  Granted the good Ol’ Rev was probably going to end up getting a lot of people killed in the long run, but still that wasn’t the reason Big Jim committed murder by dome.  Big Jim’s got me all twisted.

And then we have Junior freaking out when he found out his captured damsel had been set free only to end up apologizing to her.  So how does Angie respond?  Why she freaking kisses his forehead and holds him in their “last” minutes on earth!  What the hell!  I’m all for forgiveness, but come on are you kidding me?!?!  Angie, you in danger girl.  Run.

The only part of the episode I didn’t like was the neat and tidy way they closed out the “I accidentally killed your husband because he wouldn’t make good on the money he owed” storyline between Barbie and Julia.  Color me a drama queen, but I was hoping for a little more drama.  A little more anything.  Just a few moments ago Julia was certain she knew her husband and how he felt about her, but now we are supposed to buy it that she would believe he just abandoned her in the midst of all this?  I don’t think so.  Yes, I understand that he was a gambler and that he wrote the note to his sister, but I’m not buying her sudden change of heart when it comes to her belief in Peter’s love for her.  Of course I don’t see why we even need to have a Barbie and Julia hook-up.  Let’s defy convention and not have them hook-up.  Let’s not ship the obvious.

On the flip side, however, I adore anything and everything having to do with Dodee and Phil.  I need them in more scenes.  I don’t care if they are in scenes together or with other characters I just want to see more Dodee and Phil.  It was a nice touch that they showed Dodee speaking sign language with her mother perhaps to make it seem more believable and less out of the blue that she could read lips.  Although why she would have needed to learn that skill seeing as how she isn’t deaf is beyond me I’m not going to dwell on it too long.  As far as Phil goes I just love him and his relationship with Dodee.  You can tell they care about each other and are probably the others best friend, but that’s not something they will ever admit to each other.  Not even when the world is ending.  Instead they will share a dance, because is there a better way to see the end of the world in than by dancing to the amazing sounds of Skeeter Davis?  I don’t think so.

Stray Observations of “Blue on Blue”

Isn’t it time for Alice and Carolyn to get, maybe not a bigger piece of the storyline action, but at least more than a couple of lines every other episode?

Big Jim, sweetie, your son is a psycho because you’re a bit nutso yourself.  No judgements, just an observation.

I’m not advocating character deaths, but there are so many “main” characters on this show that some characters are getting pushed to the side and are running the risk of becoming pointless.  Deputy Linda for example or are we officially calling her Sheriff now?

Thanks to Fringe, I find swarms of butterflies to be creepier than flocks of birds.  That’s right Hitchcock, you’ve been replaced.