'Under the Dome' underwhelms

It’s hard to believe “Under the Dome” has such iconic backers as Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, the author of the novel the show is based on.

It just doesn’t make sense.

It’s not that the series premiere of “Under the Dome” was all that bad. It just wasn’t good enough to live up to massive reputations like Spielberg’s and King’s.

I really did want to love the show. It stars the flawless Dean Norris of “Breaking Bad” fame, who, as was expected, was at the top of his game in the pilot episode. It’s based on a pretty ingenious concept. On paper, it leaves its viewers guessing and craving more, but that just didn’t pan out onscreen.

In the pilot episode, the audience watches as different citizens and visitors in small-town Chester’s Mill suddenly have their world literally shaken by a massive force-field-like dome suddenly, and seemingly out of thin air, surrounding them. Different secrets of the ensemble cast begin to take shape as more and more questions unfold.

However, in the premier of “Under the Dome,” we’re treated to something slightly disappointing. The acting is just kind of matte, the dialogue wasn’t all that fun to follow and the suspense just wasn’t there. I found myself not caring much about the questions the show was throwing at me.

The production quality of the series premier was laughable. At times, I felt like I was watching a SyFy Channel original movie. If you’re going to do science fiction, you can’t leave the effects to null. They have to be honed out to make the show feel polished.

Granted, a pilot episode has to be judged for the potential it sets its show up with, and “Under the Dome” definitely has some potential. There’s a strong likelihood it just needs to get in its stride, that this was just first-episode stage fright.

I’m rooting for you, “Under the Dome.”