“The Simpsons” Will Be Given Homage In CBS’ “Under The Dome” Series

“Rip-off!”

That’s what every Simpsons fan claimed when critically-acclaimed horror story writer Stephen King published his science fiction novel Under the Dome in November 2009. The novel tells the story of small Maine town of Chester's Mill being suddenly isolated from the outside world by an invisible dome barrier. This is a plot device that, as all hardcore followers of America’s most famous animated family will know, has been used in The Simpsons Movie, where the entire town of Springfield has been (SPOILERS!) bottled in immense glass dome by U.S. President Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Though in the author’s defense, King claimed that his novel’s premise has been in the process of writing since the 1980’s, and had never seen The Simpson’s animated movie adaptation. The Simpsons writers, knowing where they really stand, gave homage to King’s novel in a 2010 episode where Mr. Burns tried to cover the town (again) in a big glass, admitting he got it from King’s novel (even holding a copy in his hand).

And in an act that may or may not earn The Simpsons fans respect, CBS decided to return the favor by referencing the animated show in the novel’s TV adaptation coming out this June, 2013. “We have a ‘recharge party’ in episode 3 and the kids are watching it. We make a verbal reference [in the script],” says Executive Producer Neal Baer in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

So cheers, Simpson’s fans. Someone’s doing the referencing to your show this time, instead of the other way around.