Per Matt
What happens under the Homer Dome stays at the Homer Dome… until now.
The Simpsons had an amazing fan experience, exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con 2014. Located outside the San Diego Convention Center, I spent the better part of one complete day soaking in all the Simpsons goodness (mostly waiting in very long lines), enjoying every minute of it.
It seems 20th Century FOX Television spared no expenses in promoting the brand to reach thousands of fans, creating a county fair-like atmosphere to spread the word: The Simpsons is headed to sister station FXX, where the entire catalog of the TV show will be syndicated, beginning with the longest-running marathon in TV history. The series (along with The Simpsons Movie) will air in chronological order, kicking off at 10 am on Aug. 21 and will run 24 hours a day on FXX until 12 am on Sept. 1.
There was a carnival game, where attendees must shoot a water gun into a target. Although everyone received the same prize (a very cool inflatable donut), the prize trumped the experience. This attraction had a continuously long line throughout the week (but the prize was worth the wait).
Marge’s Sweet Station offered a unique opportunity to eat free blue cotton candy (looking much like Marge’s hair).
Statues of the Simpson family — which were very nice — gave the attraction an amusem*nt-park feel, but the chaos created around them by families seeking photo-ops was maddening, as they continuously interfered with the attraction lines. Not to be outdone by the statues, another highlight of this themed attraction was getting your picture taken with costumed characters of the Simpsons Family. Now, this line was completely crazy. It’s a good thing these cosplayers had a handler, who attempted to quickly snap photos for fans before the actors overheated in what looked like some very hot costumes.
Another attraction in this area was a sneaky attempt to work The Simpsons into the record books yet again… and it succeeded. A mural was created with 5,565 blank squares in a paint-by-numbers format. Organizers asked attendees to paint only one square, hoping to break the previous world record (2,042 people) for a mural. When I visited the area on Sunday, the mural was complete and it was officially awarded an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Looks like I’ll be purchasing a certificate of participation in the very near future as an exclusive commemorative souvenir!
The main attraction of The Simpsons area was making a visit into the Homer Dome. As you can guess, the line to this area was the longest of the entire area. While waiting in line (my wait was about an hour and a half), event employees distributed plenty of Simpsons swag, including branded water bottles, snacks and a drawstring bag, heavily promoting the TV show’s move to the FXX network.
Guinness adjudicator awards the world record by SDCC mural. (Courtesy of FXX)
Once you arrived at the end of the line, 30 people at a time entered the air-conditioned building (built in the shape of Homer’s head) to watch a video clip (projected onto the ceiling, much like a museum’s planetarium show), peeking into Homer’s mind, flashing back to past TV episodes, all the while promoting the upcoming Simpsons World app. This app can seemingly do it all, allowing users to access to every single TV episode of The Simpsons, 554 episodes (as of this writing) of quotes and endless trivia, behind-the-scenes info and many pop-cultural references. Supposedly, there’s even a way to create Simpsons GIF files, as well.
Wrapping up my visit, I asked the event manager if this Simpsons promotion was a tour, headed around the country to promote #EverySimpsonsEver after SDCC wrapped up. I was shocked when she replied that this was a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, not appearing anywhere else. A very large amount of money was spent on this promotion and it was an incredible experience. I expect everything to eventually wind up at an amusem*nt park (possibly joining The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios), to be enjoyed by many more people.
While the lines were long and the weather was hot, I enjoyed reminiscing through past seasons as music of The Simpsons played through nearby speakers. There’s been many smartly written and performed songs scattered throughout the show’s 552 episodes (as well as motion picture), so whenever they played, I sang along. I didn’t mind geeking out to one of my favorite TV shows (knowing all the words to each song) while surrounded by fellow geeks.
Overall, I had an amazing time enjoying The Simpsons all over again. Although my cable provider doesn’t get FXX yet, I’m looking into changing providers soon and hope to find a better package. I also look forward to the Simpsons World app. It seems too good to be true. I hope it provides everything it promises. If so, I’ll be buying this app on the first day! Congrats to all the cast and crew of The Simpsons (along with 20th Century FOX Television) for creating and believing in a great product. As a fan of the series since The Tracey Ullman Show aired (which I watched on TV), I’ve seen the show get bigger and better each year. Here’s to hoping for another 552 episodes!
FAQs
The series was developed by Brian K. Vaughan and based on Stephen King's 2009 novel of the same name. Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the fictional small town of Chester's Mill, when a massive, transparent and indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world.
What is Under the Dome by Stephen King about? ›
Under the Dome is the story of the small town of Chester's Mill, Maine which is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. No one can get in and no one can get out. When food, electricity and water run short, the normal rules of society are changed.
Who was responsible for the Dome in Under the Dome? ›
They conclude that the device was put in place by extraterrestrial "leatherheads" (so named for their appearance), and that specifically they are juveniles who have set up the Dome as a form of entertainment, a sort of ant farm used to capture sentient beings and allow their captors to view everything that happens to ...
How did Under the Dome book end? ›
The Dome rises slowly and vanishes, allowing the toxic air to dissipate and finally freeing what is left of the town of Chester's Mill.
Why was Under the Dome banned? ›
The documentary was banned on March 7, 2015, in mainland China, by the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party. The reason of banning was said to be the pressure of public perception of smog and the fear of collective action of the people.
Is Chester's Mill a real place in Maine? ›
The show takes place in the mythical town of Chester Mill where the residents find themselves trapped inside a mysterious barrier with no way to communicate with the "outside world." Executive producer and author of the book, Stephen King, based Chester Mill on the town that he makes his summer home in Bridgton, Maine.
How long was the Dome over Chester's Mill? ›
- There were plenty of differences in King's book and the series, including how long the dome actually lasted. In the novel, Chester's Mill delved into chaos in just a week before the dome came down. In the series, it was up for over a month.
Where did Stephen King get the idea for Under the Dome? ›
Inspiration. The idea for this story had its genesis in an unpublished novel titled The Cannibals which was about apartment dwellers who find themselves trapped in their apartment building. Click here for more information about The Cannibals and to download an excerpt.
Who are the aliens in Under the Dome? ›
The Leatherheads in Stephen King's Under the Dome (2009) are a group of interdimensional extraterrestrials who have materialized a gigantic dome over the small town of Chester's Mill, Maine. Much like the Creatures of the Mist in King's The Mist (1980), these aliens have a very Lovecraftian persona.
What is in the egg in Under the Dome? ›
The Egg and the mini-dome are linked and it's believed to be the energy source for the dome. Joe theorizes that the mini dome egg could be the dome's energy source. It is what the military and the Aktaion energy company believe.
A: What's the deal with all of the propane? While a drug ring had been hinted at previously, episode 4 firmly establishes that Big Jim, Coggins, and others were cooking meth with all of the propane.
What happens to Barbie in Under the Dome? ›
He insists that the Dome spared his life and redeemed him, and it has chosen him to carry out its desires. Big Jim tells Rebecca that he waited outside of the school and saw her leave, but Barbie never came out. He demands the truth, threatening her, and Rebecca finally admits that Barbie fell to his death.
Does the Dome disappear in Under the Dome? ›
Joe takes Norrie's place to protect her just as Dawn expected. After Joe triggers the transmitter, the Dome comes down. Moments after the Dome disappears, after briefly appreciating their freedom, Julia and Big Jim attempt to kill Dawn but Junior attacks Jim before he can shoot her.
Who kills Maxine in Under the Dome? ›
After Barbie uses his alarm to escape, Big Jim shoots and kill both Otto and Maxine. Thankfully for Big Jim, Barbie attacks Big Jim right before Linda Esquivel (Big Jim's personal sheriff) arrives on the scene.
Does Julia survive Under the Dome? ›
No. Taking up where the previous season left off, inside the tunnel Barbie and the surviving townspeople follow Melanie into the white light. Then they magically appear not only outside the tunnel, but outside the dome which quickly shatters. Barbie runs back for Julia and finds Big Jim, Junior, and Julia dead.
What is Under the Dome based on? ›
CBS's Under The Dome- based on a Stephen King novel, but what's the original book he ripped it off from? : r/printSF.
How long was the dome over Chester's Mill? ›
- There were plenty of differences in King's book and the series, including how long the dome actually lasted. In the novel, Chester's Mill delved into chaos in just a week before the dome came down. In the series, it was up for over a month.
Did the dome ever come down in Under the Dome? ›
Although the dome itself comes down (sorry, we'll get to that in a minute), the show ends on a cliffhanger and doesn't have much sense of resolution or closure. The writers and producers obviously expected to get a fourth season out of this fiasco.
Does the dome ever come down? ›
Joe takes Norrie's place to protect her just as Dawn expected. After Joe triggers the transmitter, the Dome comes down. Moments after the Dome disappears, after briefly appreciating their freedom, Julia and Big Jim attempt to kill Dawn but Junior attacks Jim before he can shoot her.
