The series takes place in Chester's Mill, Maine, a small American town that suddenly finds itself totally cut off from the rest of the world when an invisible, impenetrable barrier, referred to as "the Dome", mysteriously appears around it. While a contingent of the town's remaining government tries to maintain order, a small group of outsiders, led by Army veteran Dale "Barbie" Barbara (Mike Vogel), attempts to uncover the truth behind the Dome and how to escape from it.