'Under the Dome': Mike Vogel Says He Was 'Shocked' by Season 3 Premiere
Under the Dome is looking to pull in some new fans in Season 3. “We pick up this year exactly where we left off last year and really, really, really take it some interesting places,” promises star Mike Vogel. The series has a new showrunner, Dexter’s Tim Schlattmann, who is emphasizing the show’s sci-fi elements as it heads into its third season.
Last season ended with what looked like a way out of the dome. Barbie and the gang followed the butterflies to a portal where, beyond, they saw Melanie. “Follow me, we’re going home,” she tells the stunned townsfolk. So that’s it, right? Season 3 is just one episode where everybody leaves, and the show’s over? “That’s right! I’m already looking for another job right now,” says Vogel, laughing.
Joking aside, “The theme of this year is ‘the enemy within.’ There is something powerful and terrible happening within the people of Chester’s Mill,” explains Vogel. “Right off the bat — starting from first two-hour premiere — there was a ton of stuff that shocked us.” As you might expect given Schlattmann’s history on Dexter, “We’re getting to go to a lot darker places than we’ve been able to go into in the past,” says Vogel. “We’ve seen Barbie be the anti-hero and trying to make amends for a lot of his demons in the past and his military days. This year, we tap into the dark side of him.” There will be “more of Barbie in his element,” adds the actor, emphasizing his military and tactical skills.
Though Vogel is mum about what happens after Barbie and the Chester’s Mill residents follow Melanie “home,” he will say Barbie’s relationship with Julia “is tested big time” this season. One such test: Eva Sinclair (Kylie Bunbury), a young anthropologist "who presents a… challenge for Barbie and Julia,” explains Vogel with a chuckle. CSI mainstay Marg Helgenberger “brings a load of experience” as anthropologist Christine Price (her name is an homage to the famous Stephen King novel about a possessed car).
Helgenberger will be a big part of providing the answers viewers have been waiting two seasons for, though more questions will inevitably arise. Says Vogel, “It’s been exciting seeing all those puzzle pieces come together here.”
Under the Dome premieres Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. on CBS.
