Under The Dome TV Series 'Source Of Dome' Will Differ, Says Stephen King, Writer Approves Of Brian K. Vaughan, Neal Baer Changes

With "Under the Dome" getting killer summertime ratings for CBS, fans will either be happy or distraught to learn that the Stephen King-inspired series will differ in more ways than one from the novel.

"Many of the changes wrought by Brian K. Vaughan and his team of writers have been of necessity, and I approved of them wholeheartedly," writes King on his website.

"If you loved the book when you first read it, it's still there for your perusal. But that doesn't mean the TV series is bad, because it's not. In fact, it's very good."

And viewers agree. After 13.5 million viewers watched the premiere, followed by another 3.2 million viewers through DVR or on-demand and 5.1 million with the Sunday rerun, the series can potentially change the landscape of network television, especially during the summer.

The second episode, "The Fire," saw the return of 11.5 million viewers, a number that is lower but consistent enough to seriously turn heads.

But co-showrunners Brian K. Vaughan and Neal Baer are planning more than few tweaks, they also have a different origin of the Dome altogether.

"If the solution to the mystery were the same on TV as in the book, everyone would know it in short order, which would spoil a lot of the fun (besides, plenty of readers didn't like my solution, anyway)," continues King.

"If you're of a sci-fi bent, think of them as alternate versions of the same reality."

Catch "Under the Dome" on CBS Mondays at 10/9c.