See... that's what you get when there is not a long range plan on these series. The stories deviate because of no well thought out direction. Let's throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks.

Under the Dome is a well thought out story with beginning, middle and end. The playbook is right there. But studio's think they can do better. They go after the money, blinding them to what makes the story good.

Lost was proposed as a one season project. I just read The Leftovers, much of the story is created on the fly. I would bet they have thought very little of the next season. This kind of information just makes me cringe.