The Bridge - Series Premiere - Recap: Top to Bottom
Recap and review of The Bridge - Series Premiere - Pilot:
There's a lot to say about The Bridge, but I'm hesitant to really give anything away in the event that someone on the fence about the show hasn't made up their minds yet about watching. It's probably one of the most flat-out intriguing new cable series to come down the pike in a long while, and there are several reasons for why this is the case.Credit: FX
Both shows look to tell a single, self-contained crime story over the course of one season, with a sprawling cast of characters who may or may not be connected to the central incident, but who help flesh out the dynamic world of the story regardless. Both shows are based on acclaimed Danish/Swedish dramas, and have been adapted for American audiences. Both shows also feature a cop that you probably aren't sure what to make of, on the first go-around. This latter point is one area where The Bridge stumbles a bit, as I feel Det. Holder was a much more relatable, identifiable character in the first season of The Killing than the somewhat off-putting Det. Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger). Yet The Bridge is much more nuanced in the early going than The Killing was in its early episodes (though I do love The Killing, for whatever faults it's purported to have, and despite the faults it occasionally does). This series allows the leads to exist as entities independent of the investigation, as opposed to existing solely as vehicles for exploring the murder mystery at the show's center. It's a fascinating approach that immediately pays dividends for the series, since we get a better sense of who these people are, relative to the case at hand. Of course, I only compare the two series as a means of entry into exploring what makes The Bridge a series that's worth your time, even if its grittiness threatens to alienate many audiences.
Credit: FX
Based on the Danish drama Broen (Bron in Sweden), The Bridge immediately explores the implications of its setting by presenting a conflict that forces cooperation between the United States and Mexico at a time when controversy over border regulation and immigration reform are at an all-time high. A car races over the bridge leading across the border into the United States, stopping at the border and disposing of a body, before speeding off into the night. While it appears to be a cut-and-dry case of gang retaliation against a harsh judge, closer inspection reveals that the body is actually a bisection of two corpses: the top of one woman, and the bottom of another. The incident at Cordova Bridge brings the American and Mexican governments into the investigation together, as the bridge links El Paso, Texas, USA with Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. American Detective Sonya Cross pairs with Mexican Detective Marco Ruiz (Demián Bichir), and like that, we have ourselves a series. And right away, the series plays on the tension between the partners, as they immediately clash over whether Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) and Marco Ruiz (Demián Bichir) square off over whether an ambulance carrying an American citizen in the midst of a heart attack should be allowed to cross the border while the coroner attempts to ascertain the victim's identity. It's representative of the larger tug-of-war between nations, as the murder is implied to be connected with a series of killings in Juárez that have been largely ignored by American authorities.
Credit: FX
Much of the show's merit is tied to how well it utilizes its surroundings. There's an auspicious illustration of the disparities between American and Mexican society, and the ways in which both countries both inform and alter one another. People commute across the border every day for work or school, illustrating that the divisions between the two countries are far more symbolic than literal. One country's problem is the other's, much like with this serial killer. Even at a smaller level, the ties are there, as Marco's son attends college in the United States while Sonya's self-worth seems to be tied up in her ability as a detective. Both towns are depicted as rife with danger and promise, in equal measure, and perhaps it's part of the killer's motive -- to draw out the parallels between the two nations, to force cooperation and show that the crimes and disparities that plague one nation can't be ignored by the other. It's a case where the who isn't anywhere near as interesting as the why.
Credit: FX
The cast, of course, is one of the big reasons this all comes together so splendidly. The actors are uniformly superb, particularly the central duo. Diane Kruger brings a slightly-unhinged sensibility to her character, a quality that informs Sonya's affliction with Asperger's. Her difficulty with interactions, and her robotic, almost alien behavior makes her fascinating to watch, even while several of her scenes become uncomfortable to watch. Kruger is outstanding at getting us to squirm in our seat as Sonya tries to simply be, yet the more she pours herself into her work, the less awkward she becomes. If nothing else, this is a fitting comment on how Sonya measures her worth. Bichir, meanwhile, is every bit as good as Kruger, imbuing Marco with a rough, implacable charm that's leavened by equal parts warmth and genuine character. He's a good man with a host of flaws, not the least of which is his womanizing, despite being married with three kids. However, he's a by-the-book cop, refusing to accept bribes and always attempting to do what he can to help people. In some ways, he's depicted as a good guy stuck in a lousy system. It's apparent that he tries to do his best, both at his job and in his home life, but circumstances continue to make things as hard for him as he makes things hard for himself. In that sense, Marco and Sonya are a perfect pairing, not unlike the actors who play them.
Credit: FX
However, the secondary cast is also excellent. Matthew Lillard is a real eye-opener as Daniel Frye, a newspaper reporter with a drug problem; Annabeth Gish is solid as Charlotte, the wife of the wealthy man having the heart attack on the bridge. While her story seems disconnected to the larger fabric of the series, Gish does a commendable job in leaving an indelible impression with the paucity of screentime she's given. Ted Levine also makes a similarly lasting impression as Sonya's boss, Lt. Hank Wade. Overall, this is one of the best-assembled casts on TV this summer, and I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being one of the best on TV this year. Ultimately, the pilot finds something significant to do for nearly everyone, making this feel like a much more fleshed-out world in its first episode than most other shows of its ilk. I'll be interested to see if the show fully commits to its secondary cast the way it's committed to Sonya and Marco, as the mystery is going to need to be drawn on a much larger canvas than the condensed space of the pilot. But no matter how far or wide the show intends to cast its net, the makings are here for a classic TV drama. It's impossible for me not to recommend The Bridge.