Back Across THE BRIDGE

Article first published as THE BRIDGE Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

It’s a little weird to talk about this week’s episode of FX’s THE BRIDGE, entitled “Yankee,” as a season premiere. The major arc of the first year ends a bit early, and Detectives Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) and Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir) are already on to a new case hours before the season concludes. Thus, “Yankee” is a continuation of the story already in progress, rather than a fresh batch of subplots.

I like that, though. Life is not so segmented as most television shows seem to portray it, and the approach THE BRIDGE takes, keeping the narrative going without tying up all the threads at once, is more realistic. There are a lot of bad things happening near the U.S. / Mexico border, and Sonya and Marco are likely to investigate several of them, sometimes overlapping, as the show continues.

“Yankee” is a pretty typical hour of THE BRIDGE. Sonya is still having trouble understanding Marco (among other people), though she tries. Daniel Frye (Matthew Lillard) is still struggling with his alcoholism. Adriana’s (Emily Rios) sister is still missing. Hank (Ted Levine) still has sage wisdom to share. Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) is still working to come into her own as a criminal queenpin. There are still many missing girls. And something really brutal and bloody happens that viewers may not quite be expecting, not an uncommon occurrence. Basically, it is consistent in quality, tone, and structure with the other installments that have come before it.

Which is not to say that “Yankee” is without any season premiere hallmarks. While maintaining the ensemble from last year, this fresh episode brings a slew of new faces into the mix, each comfortably slipping in within the established framework. There’s: the chilling Eleanor Nacht (Franka Potente, Copper), who doles out harsh punishment for even the smallest slip up; Gary (Brian Baumgartner, The Office), the skeptical sponsor of Daniel Frye; Jack Dobbs (Nathan Phillips, The Saddle Club), the brother of the man who killed Sonya’s sister; DEA Agent Joe McKenzie (Abraham Benrubi, ER); and Sebastian Cerisola (Bruno Bichir, Demian’s brother), to name a few. Other episodes have introduced a new character or two, but it’s the number of arrivals here that make “Yankee” stand out just a bit.

The best part of THE BRIDGE is the gritty authenticity it uses to portray a certain area of the country. This is a place that many viewers will never have been, and there are quite a few differences in culture and action from elsewhere in the U.S. Heck, there are many variations whenever a character crosses from the United States to Mexico or back, two settings for the price of one. What’s most interesting, though, is the way the people who routinely slip back and forth interact with one another and their environment. It more than a culture clash, it’s a complete melding that is anything but consistent in makeup, leading to some personalities that must be quite versatile to cope.

THE BRIDGE can be a little boring from time to time. It’s not my favorite show on FX, and the pacing will often drag when jumping over to some of the less engaging side stories. This hurts the enjoyment factor, even though the inclusion of all of the different aspects are what fill out the world presented and make it seem so complex and layered.

However, it also has an excellent production and style, and is full of terrific performances. Kruger and Bichir stand out, of course, as the leads, but there is nary a weak link among those that surround them. Studying any one of the roles and how it is handled is sure to impress. In this, THE BRIDGE succeeds quite well.

THE BRIDGE airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

Crossing THE BRIDGE

Article first published as THE BRIDGE Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 95%

FX has a treat for summer viewers premiering this week. Titled THE BRIDGE, this latest serialized drama is a hybrid of Justified and The Killing. Loosely based on a Danish / Swedish show, THE BRIDGE follows American Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds) and Mexican Detective Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir, Weeds) as they investigate a serial killer after a body is found split in half on the border of their respective countries.

Kruger is brilliant as the impersonal officer with Asperger’s, stealing the show. She has great difficultly relating to people, and takes the rules and law completely literally, unable to even see why an exception should be made to let an ambulance cross the crime scene when it carries a man dying of a heart attack. Yet, Kruger plays the part with such earnestness and authenticity that she comes across as both believable and sympathetic. She is not defined by the condition, but it’s merely part of the larger, fully developed personality.

Asperger’s has been creeping onto television more and more in recent years, most notably in the NBC family drama Parenthood. What’s amazing is that, unlike in the past with other concepts, I can’t recall it being presented in a stereotypical or parody-like manner. Kruger is going to break new ground in expanding acknowledgment and understanding.

Setting the part in a police drama is great because Sonya’s skills both help and hinder her in her job. She is meticulous and detail-oriented, so she is likely to be very, very good at catching criminals. Yet, she has problems relating to others, so when she goes to deliver bad news to next of kin in the “Pilot,” we see her weaknesses laid bare. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t relate to others on the same level as most people, and that’s why she needs help. These are tasks she cannot avoid, and her department does not spare her this side of the job, meaning she has to find a way to make it work.

Enter Marco, who is all about the personal relationships. Marco, unlike most of his department, including his boss, is not beholden to criminals and has a strong moral compass. He is a beacon of hope for the struggling city of Juarez, hidden away in the thick smog of the corrupt. Marco does the best he can within the system, and clearly wishes he could operate in a similar manner as his El Paso counterparts.

Marco is the epitome of caring, and so quickly figures out what is going on with Sonya and latches on. I’m not sure if he sees something in her he likes, but he definitely appreciates what she brings to the table, and is attracted to her sense of justice. Together, they will balance each other out and be able to nab the bad guys.

Kruger will get all the attention because she has the character with the hook, but Bichir is every bit as vital to THE BRIDGE as she is. He has a presence that is more than just an interchangeable archetype, and he will control a great deal of the story, despite appearing to play second fiddle. It’s the manner in which Marco deals with Sonya that will define their partnership, and Bichir is very responsible for this element.

Now, the standard male-female partnership is prevalent across the crime genre. What makes THE BRIDGE different is that: a.) both characters are much more dynamic and fleshed out, b.) the show is about them at least as much as it is about the solving the case, and c.) the romantic tension is not played up. I’m not saying that there isn’t a connection between them, but like Holder and Linden on The Killing, that just isn’t the point of the show, unlike, say, Castle, which very much caters to the “will they, won’t they” between its leads.

Marco may just be what Sonya needs at work. Her mentor, Lieutenant Hank Wade (Ted Levine, Monk), who has advised her on all things emotional, is looking towards retirement. He can’t stick around forever, and has other considerations to think about besides Sonya. Sonya must have someone like Hank looking out for her, though, and so Marco may just be the substitute necessary at this time.

One of the best moments in the “Pilot” is when Hank breaks this news to Sonya. She takes it hard, and yet, without a lot of external reaction. We see the thoughts playing across Kruger’s face and the tears in her eyes, and yet she keeps her display within the character. We quickly realize this is about as bad as it gets for her, even showing more sadness here than when mentioning her dead sister. Sonya becomes a person in that scene, even to those who have trouble accessing the series through her until then.

There are also a couple of subplots going on. The aforementioned man in the ambulance dies, leaving his widow, Charlotte Millwright (Annabeth Gish, Brotherhood), whom he asks for a divorce for shortly before passing, to uncover his secrets. Presumably, there will be a connection between Charlotte’s husband and the dead bodies, but at this time, we do not know what it is. Also, a reporter named Daniel Frye (Matthew Lillard, Scooby-Doo), whom the cops strongly dislike, gets involved in a big way through no fault of his own, making for a heck of an exciting final act in this “Pilot.”

Basically, THE BRIDGE is a top notch, high quality crime drama, head and shoulders above what the broadcast networks deliver, in keeping with its FX and AMC peers. The cast is phenomenal and the writing is intelligent. It will likely be nominated for some awards, and many critics, this one included, will sing its praises. Don’t miss it.

THE BRIDGE premieres Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FX.