Under the Dome

Two weeks ago,

an invisible dome crashed down on Chester's Mill,

cutting us off from the rest of the world.

Why the dome is here or what mysteries lie ahead,

we still don't know.

Every day it tests our limits,

bringing out the best and the worst in us.

Some say we'll be stuck here forever,

but we will never stop fighting to find a way out.

I'm getting e-mail.

Signal's getting stronger.

It's coming from here.

James, I expect you know,

that I'm alive.

Talk to Lyle Chumley.

No, no, no. Come on, come on, come on.

She was drowning in the lake.

She just appeared.

I have no idea where she came from.

You made a promise 25 years ago

to make sure that what we buried stayed buried.

Looks like Angie got a piece of whoever did this to her.

Those are the fingertips of a hand--

a big hand.

A man's.

"Summer '88."

"Lyle, Sam and Pauline."

What?

What is it?

It's... me.

Day's coming when there won't be enough food to sustain us.

It may become necessary--

to thin the herd.

this is a census, to help you decide who lives and who dies.

Good morning.

I'm not sure how good it is.

It is if you're using the census

to address our population problem.

Well, got to see where we stand.

Well, we know where we stand.

We need people who are healthy, with practical skills,

who give more than they take.

So, who's next?

Alice.

She was the first dome baby.

Her mother's Harriet-- she teaches Sunday school.

What else does Harriet do?

That's it.

She's a... single mother,

a woman of faith.

Jim, our food supplies are dwindling.

We can't let these emotions dictate.

It won't be easy...

Listen, I grew up with these people.

I was chosen to lead them.

I'm not gonna shake the tree until I'm sure

who can carry their own weight...

and who can't.

But how will you be sure?

I don't know.

Maybe the dome will guide me.

That's a start.

What are you up to?

I'm headed to the school.

Our windmill power project is really coming along.

Listen, Rebecca...

we're gonna get through this.

As long as you're leading us.

Are you okay?

No.

Did Phil I.D. Angie's killer

from the stuff we found under her fingernails?

That's a dead end-- there's no way to run the DNA.

And half the town probably has scratches after the magnetization.

Rebecca Pine thinks Chester's Mill

can't sustain itself for much longer,

and she and Jim want to use the census

to decide who lives and who doesn't.

I know. It sounds crazy.

No. Big Jim's always had a God complex.

I know they have a plan; we need to find out what it is.

We?

I could use the help.

Where does Barbie stand on all this?

On Jim's side.

Jim.

We need to talk about your extermination plan.

- Reduction option. - Okay, whatever.

Look, I know that we need to prepare for the worst, okay?

But if that day happens, I want to be clear--

no one acts unless we both agree.

Listen, Barbie, I don't want that day to get here any more than you do.

Look, Chester's Mill couldn't have survived

the past few days without you--

the magnets, the crops, the rain.

If we need to take that next step,

we do it together.

Harriet.

There's so many people here.

It makes me feel like Alice has a family.

Well, that's right.

One big family.

Hey, we're so lucky to have you take care of us. Right, Barbie?

That's right.

If this place runs out of food,

let's hope that we're not on the menu.

How can this be?

Yearbooks don't lie.

It's from 25 years ago.

Hey, this is kind of personal,

- but do you have probe marks? - Joe, please.

Save your theory on intelligent life-forms of the universe

for a TED talk.

Explain her memory loss, and the fact that

she hasn't aged in decades.

Maybe the dome sent her.

It sent my mom.

No, Melanie's a person.

- The dome sent an avatar; you can't grab an avatar. - Okay,

whatever she is, let's not manhandle her.

And since there's no way she's actually Melanie Cross,

then we probably shouldn't call her that.

Then what should we call her?

I should know what my name is.

But I don't.

We should show him.

Uh, yeah, no, the last thing he wants to hear

is that you found the fountain of youth in 1988.

Rockin' the same clothes as yesterday.

Too busy to come home last night?

Yeah. Is Julia here?

No. She left a note saying she'll be back later.

What are you guys doing up so early?

- We need to talk to Julia... - Uh, we got e-mails.

You got e-mails when?

Yesterday.

And you're just telling me about this now?

We all got e-mails, until the signal was blocked.

And this popped up.

"This page can't be displayed."

You think the military's blocking us, or...?

That's not the standard response.

We get that signal back, we can communicate

with the outside world.

Hey, I want you to take me to where this came through.

The devil shall cast some of you into prison,

that ye may be tried;

ye shall have tribulation ten days:

be thou faithful unto death,

and I will give you a crown of life.

On your feet, Lyle.

You came to set me free.

My mother said you had answers; I want them.

I can do better than tell you.

I...

I can show you.

Let me out.

Put these on.

O ye of little faith.

You kidnapped Rebecca and you tried to kill her.

She was standing...

in the way of the Rapture.

If I'm gonna break you out,

I want your hands together.

Think of it as a prayer.

- Thanks for coming over. - How's the piglet?

I think it's a flu.

I'm sorry. It's too late.

I'm worried about the others.

She was a newborn. The others are strong.

If it's a flu, they'll fight it.

People can catch this, too.

Are you feeling all right?

I'm fine. So is Beth.

We've been careful about contact.

Good.

Do you have a wheelbarrow?

No sense touching her more than you have to.

Everything happens for a reason.

This Wi-Fi signal's gone.

It disappeared when we got here.

So, you said this is where it was strongest, right here?

Yep. Because not enough's creepy about that locker.

I'm gonna have to go find something to pry this open with.

Uh, there's nothing in there.

But you don't know that-- it's locked.

How do you know that combination?

I think this was my locker...

in 1988.

What?

Okay, i-is this some kind of joke?

Played on us by the universe.

Looks like her, huh?

That doesn't make any sense.

And the dome does?

I mean, you could be this girl's daughter.

Barbie...

you know what it's like to be a stranger here.

I don't want to be one anymore.

I'm not sure I can help you with that.