The Bridge - Recap: Trailer Park Boys

Credit: Byron Cohen/FX Network

So Jack Childress is our killer. Or maybe not. In fact, he most likely is simply a patsy or underling of the real killer. But even if Childress isn't our man, the pursuit and capture of this crazed gunman makes for an exciting hour. Sonya (Diane Kruger) goes all-in on the investigation, obsessively dedicating herself to discovering the killer's identity. Sonya researches the police car found outside Gina's house last week, and it leads her directly to Childress, a complete nutjob with a weapon collection that borders on an all-out armory, and a manuscript that presupposes that Mexicans are not just illegal aliens, they're the extraterrestrial kind. These facts alone are more than enough for a frame-up job by the real killer, especially when one takes into consideration the nonexistent connections he has to the crimes so far. When Frye (Matthew Lillard) interviews the suspect, it becomes apparent that he has no frame of reference for Agent Gedman, Cristina Fuentes or even Frye himself. Childress implies that he was simply taking orders in trying to off the police, who stormed his trailer park in order to apprehend him, in one of the most tense action setpieces of the entire series.

Credit: Byron Cohen/FX Network

Marco (Demian Bichir) speaks with Officer Stokes at the trailer park, and Stokes has a theory that he feels could break the case wide open, an epiphany that dawned on him while he was at the orthodontist getting his braces removed. But right as he's about to reveal the breakthrough to Marco, Stokes has his head blown to pieces by Childress in one of the most graphic scenes you'll ever see on a network not named HBO. Just blood and gore everywhere, with only a pulpy cavity where Stokes's head used to be. Thus begins the shoot-out, with Sonya attempting to reason with Childress, while Childress attempts to kill Marco (he later reveals that he was ordered to kill "The Mexican". Whether he actually received orders from a third party, or if it's simply a matter of Childress receiving orders from the voices in his head, I'm not entirely certain). This results in a climax in which Childress and Sonya have a stand-off, with their guns drawn on one another, each promising to shoot the other. And that's eventually what happens, except Sonya is wearing a flak jacket.

Credit: Byron Cohen/FX Network

Childress isn't nearly as lucky, and he's tackled by Marco while trying to reclaim his gun. And with that, the feds are convinced they have their man, but Sonya really isn't so sure. In an absolutely chilling, show-closing visual, she stands in front of her mirror, the bullet wound clearly visible below her collarbone, and places her own hand at her throat. There are many different ways to interpret this, but I'd like to think that her fear that the real killer is still out there prompts her to relive the suffocating feeling of being shot. Her world is closing in around her with each day that goes by without this case being solved, and that claustrophobic sensation can feel a lot like suffocating. Lord knows, she's not the only one suffering this week. Frye's body is in complete withdrawal, and he collapses by the end of the episode after his body gives out from his decision to quit cold turkey. Is Frye dead? Matthew Lillard's status as "guest star" in the credits -- since he isn't a part of the official main cast -- has me wondering if we might not have just seen the end of him.

Credit: FX

Of course, the episode, gorgeously directed by Chris Fisher, is fraught with symbolism. Graciela agrees to the deal with Ray allowing him to transport guns through her tunnel...but only if she services her "tunnel" first. In essence, the gun deal is supposed to be a business partnership, yet much like with the oral sex, she's the only one deriving any pleasure or gain from it. Worse yet, Ray's shady dealings could compromise his relationship with Charlotte (Annabeth Gish), who is advised by Caesar not to trust him. But naturally, because Charlotte is dense where men are concerned, she ignores Caesar's advice and simply believes Ray's assurances without question after asking if she can trust him. And since Ray's entire gimmick seems to be that of the "boy toy," she asks him this question during sex. But the symbolism doesn't end there, nor does the sex. Alma (Catalina Sandino Moreno) has no interest in forgiving Marco, despite his insistence that his affair with Charlotte meant nothing. Deciding to get even, Alma cheats on Marco with her boss, Kenneth (Eric Lange): their lovemaking, reflected in the hotel TV, gives us our most seamless transition, as the screen cuts to Marco staring into a mirror while investigating a trailer with Sonya. Though it's not stated overtly, the subtext is clear: Alma's infidelity reflects back on Marco. Sure, she can make her own choices, but ultimately what she does is because of what Marco, himself, has done. It's tremendous visual shorthand.

Credit: FX

But there are still more layers to the story. This week, we learn that Linder (Thomas M. Wright) hasn't been shepherding women over the border on his own whims -- he's actually an agent under the employ of a mysterious woman, who tells him which girls to ferry across the border. This time, she asks Linder to save her own daughter, as she fears for the girl's safety. But there are a few problems staring Linder in the face: not only does she not want to leave Juarez, she's the girlfriend of cartel boss Fausto Galvan (Ramon Franco). This leads to Linder having to run for his life after a second near-death encounter with the crime boss, who's proven to be the most short-tempered character in the series. I'm having a bit of a hard time caring all that much about Linder, but hey, at least he's not Charlotte. However, I do wish the series found a way to make his plots feel more substantial, given the amount of screentime he gets. A guy like Tim Cooper, the cop with the world's greatest mullet, gets a poignant moment or two, even though he really doesn't get as much screentime. Here, he speaks with Hank (Ted Levine) about the tragedy of Stokes's death, with the lieutenant grimly telling his colleague to "give it 15 years," a statement that illustrates not only Hank's hardened nature, but the necessity of that attitude in a line of work such as this. It's a morbid yet telling evocation of the show's dark themes.

Credit: FX

"Destino" can be difficult at times, but it's absolutely worth the effort. We're roughly halfway through the season, and The Bridge shows no signs of slowing down, or even stumbling. It may be one of TV's darkest shows, but it's a psychologically, emotionally complex show that's dense with rich characterization, and a setting that is practically a character itself. At this rate, I'm not entirely sure I care who the killer is, as long as I get to spend a little more time in this world, with these characters, as they do their jobs and deal with the taxing nature of this grim enterprise.