I'm such a procrastinator. This post was meant for last week.
Stephen King novels are perfect foundations for movies or television series: Frank Darabont made a career out of adapting King novels into succesful movies (The Mist, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile); Carrie (1976) saw two of its stars nominated for Academy Awards (Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie). The Shining turned Jack Nicholson into a household name.
And so it was pretty delightful to learn that there is whispers of a possible Under The Dome television adaptation. The story centers around Dale Barbara, an army veteran who is called back into duty when Chester's Mill - a sleepy cottage town - is suddently, and inexplainably, shut off from the rest of the world. A forcefield nicknamed "The Dome" is sealing off the residents of Chester's Mill creating political envy, deadly powertrips, and hallucinations of Halloween.
Showtime has expressed interest in broadcasting the series but nothing is set in stone as of now.
This "Top Ten" list serves two purposes: Listing the ten characters I find interesting enough to be carried forward into the series AND assigning them an actor I see portraying the character in question.
John Goodman as "Big" Jim Rennie
Big Jim is a used car salesman, in every sense of the word. He is on city council and runs it with an iron fist. The most evil son-of-a-bitch i've ever seen in print. Once he realises the benefits of being sealed off from the world, he doesn't hesitate to abuse of them.
John Goodman would be perfect as the cunning yet short-tempered Jim Rennie. He's proved he could be versatile and he could pull off the charming sarcasm that rolls off Big Jim's fat ugly tongue!
Greg Kinnear as Dale "Barbie" Barbara
Barbie is fairly new to the town and gets to know - and befriend - the locals of Chester's Mill through his job as a cook at Sweetbriar Rose's. But when the town is sealed off and murders begin while bodies pile up, fingers are pointed and most are pointed straight at Barbie.
I can
only picture Greg Kinnear when I think of Barbie. Not everyone could pull off the name Barbie and still look tough doing so. I have a feeling Kinnear could do that; he still carries boyish looks while maintaining an air of maturity. He would murder this part. No pun intended.
Patricia Heaton as Julia Shumway
Julia Shumway is the town reporter and Barbie's strongest ally. She has serious balls and demonstrates it time and time again; negotiating deals with the upper echelon of the army, advocating Barbie's innocence, and going against the supreme fuckin' ruler, Big Jim.
This one was actually a toss up between Heaton and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But I went with Patricia Heaton because she has that imposing energy that Julia Shumway portrays. She could bring forth the character's brash approach to situations.
Topher Grace as Junior Rennie
Junior is not feeling so well lately. He suffers migraines that lead him to do unspeakable things that changes the town forever. Along with his dad, Junior Rennie helps to create a blanket of fear over the town and quickly emerges as Chester's Mill's most disturbed resident.
I can't remember exactly when I thought of Topher Grace playing Junior, but he would fit perfectly well in Junior's skin. He has that odd, creepy factor about him when he tries. And it's about time Grace comes back to television!!
Adam Scott as Eric "Rusty" Everett
Rusty is a paramedic-turned-doctor-under-crisis and general cool dude in town. He has a pretty laid back attitude but only before the "Dome" comes down over Chester's Mill. When he realises the schemes of power-hungry Jim Rennie, Rusty begins an investigation into the cause of this "Dome".
Adam Scott embodies the laid-back stereotype; shaggy hair, squaggly limbs, and dopey eyes. And he's proven his acting chops in drama (The Vicious Kind).
Ivana Milicevic as Linda Everett
Just another "tiddy cop" according to Big Jim. Linda is Rusty's wife and mother of his two kids. She also serves as an acting police officer but once the town becomes a playing ground for Jim Rennie, her loyalty is put in question.
There are several underused actors out there and Ivana Milicevic is one of them. She would play the protective mother type brilliantly! She's sweet yet stern when need be. If this character is well developped in the series, Ivana Milicevic could emerge as the shining star. (Biased! I love Ivana's work and Linda's character)
Kevin Durand as Peter Randolph
The dumb ass deputy who inherits the reigns of Chester's Mill Police Department when Sheriff Duke Perkins dies mere moments after the "Dome" covers the town. He follows Big Jim's every orders without question, leading him to act in
unsheriff like ways.
Kevin Durand was on LOST and I hated his character so much! And when Peter Randolph sank deeper into Rennie's twisted plot, I couldn't help but to think of Durand. No offense Kevin Durand, but you seem like you could play a sheep looking for its shepherd quite effortlessly.
Glenne Headly as Reverend Piper Libby
There is something to say about Stephen King's rather comic portrayal of religious figures in his novel. They are either zealous (Reverend Lester Coggins) or rather disgruntled towards God. as is Reverend Piper Libby. I personally find her character compelling and charming, if only because of her odd relationship with God ("Hey Not-There!").
Glenne Headly was Tess fucking Trueheart in Dick Tracy. Just like I pictured Kinnear as Barbie, Headly is the first image I had of Piper Libby. Looks all sweet and innocent but packs a mean punch!
Chandler Canterbury as Joe McClatchey
Joe is a thirteen year old boy who sees the corruption before anyone else. He's rebellious at heart but tackles the difficult task of seeking the source of the "Dome".
Canterbury seems to be everywhere lately, appearing in Knowing, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and has television appearences in Fringe and Criminal Minds. He's the right age and could easily play the part of the rampant teen. Anyone BUT the kid who plays Carl in The Walkind Dead.
Samaire Armstrong as Samantha "Sammy" Bushey
By far the most touching character in the entire story - and there is a shitload of characters. Sure, she lives in a trailer, married a meth-head, named her kid Little Walter, and engages in lesbian activity but the abuse she suffers and the subsequent revenge she plots on her abusers is unsettling. A perfect character for dramatic television.
Armstrong fits the mold perfectly! She can play stank n' skank like no other as proven with her performance in Stay Alive. And she can pull off the emotional scenes that seem to encompass Sammy's life.
Agree or disagree with this fantasy cast? What character would you like to see on the small screen?
Candles are out,
Eleven's Ink
