TV Show Review

TV Review: UNDER THE DOME: Season 3, Episode 8: Breaking Point [CBS]

Mike Vogel Under the Dome Breaking Point

CBS Under the Dome Breaking Point TV Show ReviewUnder the Dome: Season 3, Episode 8: ‘Breaking Point’ did us a solid, at least, by dropping the pretense that apocalyptic stakes were in play. I mean, who really bought into the post-pod Matrix rehash? No, really – show of hands. It’s not like I plan to single you out, or nuthin’ – honest….

So the curtain came down, on pod projecting Christine’s (Marg Helgenberger) shadow puppet theater, and it was as much a success, for a re-emergent Christine, as CBS was hoping the bait-and-switch would be for the show’s ratings. For his role in putting her back into a Dome draining pod, in the first place, Sam (Eddie Cahill) was singled out for special treatment. A treatment somewhere between Anne Rice vampire, and Baron Harkonnen’s Mentat recruitment, but I hope he comes out of it a better match for pod juiced Junior (Alexander Koch).

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Things took a ‘Real Homewreckers of the Dome’ turn, as Christine & Eva (Kylie Bunbury) gloated, over Eva getting anatomically correct with her Barbie (Mike Vogel) doll – even as Julia & Norrie (Rachelle Lefevre, MacKenzie Lintz) stalk their respective loved ones. In the case of Norrie, that was Carolyn (Aisha Hinds) – Joe (Colin Ford) being the reason both Norrie & the viewer need reminding of Carolyn’s existence, and all.

After another round of futile outreach – meant to highlight Julia’s love & resolve, but only resulting in Barbie seeming that much more gullible, and Eva that much less redeemable – the resistance got around to some resisting. For Big Jim (Dean Norris), this first meant bonding with post-Kinship Hunter (Max Ehrich), as they made contact with Aktaion’s new Hunter, Lily (Gia Mantegna) – although, she may have had more in common with original Aktaion Hunter than she had first let on. A little productive dishonesty, on Jim’s part, and his 2nd Amendment solution got a July 4th upgrade.

While Christine marshaled the Drone-estics into a salvage operation, presenting the resistance with a clear target, Joe & Norrie got side-tracked by Norrie wanting to free Carolyn – emo style. Norrie missed the seminar about not treating things-that-look-like-loved-ones like loved ones. When the pod people start to point & wail (stare & whistle, in this case), it’s always a good sign to book. Unfortunately for Joe, he was as anchored to Norrie as she was to Carolyn, so….

With no idea that Joe & Norrie had been pressed into mining duty, Jim went about bringing some fireworks to Christine’s operation. I’d say Jim was having too good a time, killing former neighbors; but I guess that’s what happens when some people get to live out their Red Dawn fantasies. He had to get past both Barbie (who failed to realize that flashlights give you away, in the dark), and Junior to do it; but at least somebody got to knock Junior down a peg. Why Barbie didn’t warn the miners first, before attempting bomb disposal, I don’t know; but as a result….

Looks like Norrie will be needing no more reminders about having a parental unit. Maybe the awkwardness, of living with the two indirectly responsible, might mitigate any potential fallout, from the two teenagers without parental supervision dynamic. A part of me entertained the notion that Aisha Hinds saw the scene after effects and quit; but I’m more concerned with Norrie back to being plain old emo (like there really was such a thing as a heroic version). Never mind Jim & Julia – we all have to live with her, now.

Julia’s confrontation with Eva was less satisfying, than the Jim-Junior crossing; but it likely gave Beva haters hope that Julia will be taking the gloves off, going forward. It won’t just be Barbie & Eva out for blood, however. After this first strike, Christine reset her Drones from stunned compliance to kill.

At this point, I couldn’t care less where this show is going, or who gets there in what shape. There is an ever growing list of people in need of a good comeuppance (it might actually be easier to list those who aren’t); and I am currently resigned to that being as good a reason as any to keep watching.

Hey, Team Julia, evil exes (and minions) – fight.

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Sam Joseph

Sam is an Avid consumer/observer of Geek culture, and collector of Fanboy media from earliest memory. Armchair sociologist and futurist. Honest critic with satirical if not absurdist­­ wit with some experience in comics/ animation production.
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