Under the Dome: Cancel or Renew for Season Three?

Last year, Under the Dome was quickly renewed for another season on CBS. No such luck this time around. Will it be renewed for a third season or will the series be cancelled instead?

Under the Dome revolves around residents of Chester’s Mill in Maine after a large transparent dome cuts them off from the world. Those on the inside must work to survive with limited resources and rising tension. The large cast includes Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre, Natalie Martinez, Britt Robertson, Alexander Koch, Nicholas Strong, Colin Ford, Mackenzie Lintz, Jolene Purdy, Aisha Hinds, Dean Norris, Eddie Cahill, and Karla Crome.

Last year, the show started strong but lost a lot of steam over the course of the season. It ended up averaging a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 11.21 million viewers.

Season two has seen a big decline in the ratings. It’s dropped 41% in the demo to a 1.6 rating and dropped 36% in viewership, to 7.14 million. On the positive side, it’s still the network’s highest-rated scripted series of the summer.

Last summer, CBS President and CEO Les Moonves noted that, because of deals with Amazon and overseas distributors, Under the Dome was profitable for the corporation even before the series had even premiered.

Recently Moonves told investors that, even though the show’s ratings are way down, it is still profitable — generating $2.5 million per episode before they air.

Based on this information, it sounds very likely that Under the Dome will return for a third season next summer. If they plan to end it, hopefully they’ll close the story properly.

But, what do you think? Should Under the Dome be renewed for a third season or should it be cancelled? How long should this series run?

10/9 update: CBS has renewed Under the Dome for a third season.