Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Under the Dome: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

As in the discs are literally "under the dome."

Below is a package and extra content review for the special edition of 'Under the Dome.' For a full review of the program, video, audio, and non-exclusive supplements, please see the link here, which is also reproduced in the relevant spaces below.

Under review.

Under the Dome: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For a review of this set's video presentation, please click here.

Under the Dome: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For a review of this set's audio presentation, please click here.

Under the Dome: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The special edition release of Under the Dome contains the same four discs found in the standard release (detailed in that review; please click the link) and also includes an added bonus disc containing several additional supplemental features, detailed below. First, the packaging and and miniature dome. The set is a bit larger than it appears in promotional photographs. The sturdy, nicely designed outer box measures 9" across, 8.75" high, and 5.75" deep. The front features a tasteful promotional image of the town covered by the dome. The back offers nothing but a UPC code. The top side of the box offers several stills from the series, critic blurbs, special features listings, and content summary. Two sides simply say "Under the Dome" while the fourth offers a specifications box and instructions for opening the dome.

The dome comes protected in a two-piece, form-fitting styrofoam covering. The dome itself enjoys a surprising bit of heft and feels anything but flimsy. The circumference at the widest point of the base measures an impressive 22" and the product measures approximately four inches high from the bottom of the base to the dome's peak. Inside is a miniature replica of Chester's Mill. Barns, houses, a few larger structures, and a handful of animals reside inside along with trees of various shapes and sizes on a grass plain with several intersecting roadways. It's about on par with the quality found on the Christmas village miniatures places like Lowes sell around the Holidays. Neither the detail nor the paint quality rate as excellent, however. The structures can appear a bit lopsided and the paint is fairly uneven and looks as if it was hastily applied; house colors bleed onto roofs and in many cases one coat doesn't appear sufficient to fully sell the illusion or cover the building to hide the under color. The dome itself features the famous bloody handprint from the show near the top and the bloodied cow that's been chopped in half by the dome near the bottom. Both are aligned so as to be visible when the base points outward where the "Under the Dome" text sits. The text, too, has a slightly uneven look to it, as if a child (a child who was trying to be precise) wrote and painted it.

Opening the dome requires holding the base with one hand and twisting the top in a clockwise direction with the other. The bottom of the dome is protected by an attached piece of felt. The base contains five discs and a circular booklet. Left-hand side pages of the booklet feature character portraits (the same seen inside the regular release) while the right-hand side features episode listings and summaries as well as any special features that appear on the disc. The last two pages show only the bloody hand on the left and the listing of the new bonus features included on disc five on the right. The discs are simply stacked one on top of another in the base. A smaller styrofoam disc fits around the spindle and helps hold the Blu-rays in place while inside the dome. Each disc is separated by a disc-sized black cloth to help prevent damage.

Below is a review of the added supplemental content that may be found on disc five:

• Stephen King Visits Big Jim's Car Dealership (HD, 4:20): In this supplement, Under the Dome Author Stephen King discusses the "Big Jim" Rennie character as he walks through the lot, examining the cars and the signage. He also discusses the inspiration for Chester's Mill and the importance of basing a location on a real, familiar place. Finally, King speaks on meeting Actor Dean Norris and visits with Actor Dave Blamey.
• The Visual Effects of "Under the Dome" (HD, 11:35): A broad examination of creating photo-real visual effects that merge the practical and the digital, with emphasis on making the sliced cow, the crashing truck, the dome itself, the butterflies of episode five, a large explosion, and a key visual introduced in episode seven.
• "Under the Dome": Executing the Finale (HD, 9:41): A detailed look at making the final scenes of the season. Note that, obviously, major spoilers are inevitable.
• The Wilmington Pilot Premiere (HD, 6:02): A look into the pre-broadcast premiere of the show in Wilmington, North Carolina's Thalian Hall. The cast speaks on the show and Stephen King. The city's mayor welcomes the cast, crew, and audience and presents Stephen King with a key to the city. The pice ends with a short discussion of the show's success.

Under the Dome: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Under the Dome is a mediocre series that started strong and ended poorly, straying too far from the source for its own good. Much the same may be said of this special edition. It's an excellent product in theory but the execution leaves a little bit to be desired. Despite the heft, the final product doesn't rate very highly, considering the rather rushed feel of the paint job and miniature construction. The set does look rather nice at a distance and is a bit bigger than it appears in the promotional photographs at the top of the page. It's clear Paramount went to a fair bit of effort to ensure the safest delivery possible by protecting the discs with the shaped cloths; kudos for that. Despite the hiccups, it's a neat product that will look good on the shelf, again at a distance. Major Under the Dome fans will probably love this, warts and all. It'll make a great gift, and the box is perfect for wrapping. Recommended as a Christmas gift for that super fan or special edition Blu-ray collector in the family, particularly if Amazon drops the price ahead of time.