User reviews

Although it's an acquired taste, any fan of AMC's "The Killing" will quickly pick up on the parallels in this unusual murder mystery. It features two oddly paired police detectives, one from the El Paso police and another from Ciudad Juarez. As in the killing, the female detective is dedicated but personally challenged by an imbalanced personality and a singular drive to follow her leads to the bitter end. Unlike other viewers, I like Diane Kruger in the role and think we're only seeing the beginning of her personality development: I do believe she is an Asperger's sufferer and captures the traits of one afflicted with this quite well. There are many high-functioning and accomplished individuals with these symptoms all around the country, and in many ways, her focus on the details and minutiae of this case will help rather than hinder her along the way.

As her mismatched Mexican partner in the investigation, Demian Bechir possesses all the odd charm of his counterpart in "The Killing," the streetwise and pragmatic Detective Holder.

I've never seen a TV program that focuses on a sensitive border issue or the tragedy of so many murdered girls in Juarez, so I applaud FX for giving us something truly original. "The Killing" is the only thing remotely comparable to it, and I actually like the same type of slow unraveling of a gripping mystery we're being drawn into. I'm so weary of the CSI and Law and Order one-hour quick kill and wrap-up compacted into one hour of predictable procedural. I'll definitely keep watching!

People seem to be split over "The Bridge" which makes sense for a TV show that probes the dialectic between North and South, white and brown, rich and poor. On the positive side we have an important contemporary topic (the slaughter of young girls in Mexico), some really interesting photography, and a lead character who is struggling with a mental health problem (think "Monk" as another of those rare TV shows that deal with this). Then there is some good acting, from Demian Bichir (he played Castro in "Che" and was nominated for an Oscar for "A Better Life") who plays a Mexican detective, Diana Maria Riva who plays receptionist Kitty, Ted Levine (the serial killer from "Silence of the Lambs") as the haggard Police Lieutenant, and Annabelle Gish (from "The Brotherhood") who plays a widow just learning about her life.

On the negative side, some of the scenes are a little gruesome to say the least, there is a lot of sex which may turn off some viewers (even while it turns on others), and the plot is complex, with multiple story lines that I suspect will ultimately intersect, but which can be burdensome to keep up with at this early stage. And of course, many people find Diane Kruger's Detective Cross a little disconcerting.

Personally I like the discomfort this show brings. I also like not having another one in an endless stream of attractive bouncy policewomen detectives. Co-creators Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid gave us another unusual female series star in Kathryn Morris's work in "Cold Case" (2003-2010), and that show was very memorable. So I'm prepared to stick with this one too. I give it an 8, which is probably more than it deserves at this point, but I think it has the potential to develop into a 10.

FWIW - If the multiple story lines confuse you, I suggest you record 3 or more shows before you watch them, and then have a marathon session in which you watch several in a row. This will make the multiple story lines easier to understand.

Geez. Most people clearly have no clue what people on the autism spectrum are like. Sonia cross has what is formerly known as aspergers-now it's reclassified as a form of ASD-autism spectrum disorder. As someone who deals with this, I can say that Diane's performance is SPOT on. The first episode may have been a little shaky-but after that it's all good. I also want to point out that further in the series you do see her character get emotional-and I've seen people complain about that, because they claim it's "innacurate". It's not. People on the spectrum are prone to meltdowns and sometimes innapropriate emotional reactions. This can easily happen when it's something that's emotionally connected to them. Diane does a great job with this role.

While in the original TV series Sofia Helin gives an outstanding, sometimes funny, always compelling portrait of a police detective challenged with Asperger syndrome, her US counterpart takes out most of the fun by making her personality quite unbelievable.

The same goes for Demian Bichir. His complex character of the Danish Cop in personal troubles becomes the caricature of Latino clichés similar to the perception the US has about their southern neighbor as a whole.

The crisp design of this former superb Scandinavian TV series turns into a the the kind of blunt, boring, mediocre, dark mash of cop series that swamp TV sets world wide.

If you have the possibility, see the superb original to appreciate what TV can do.

I am always amused by reviewers claim to have seen the "original" foreign version and then proceed to give one or two stars to any American version. I have watched the original of this series and liked it a lot. So I was interested to see how the show was recast for an American audience. So far, the plot is very true to the original and as close as it can given the change in countries. And it is at least as good as the original as far as the first show is concerned.

What I liked about this show is the interesting twist of the two partners who are effectively forced to team up with each other. For me, the Americanization of the plot line was a positive and I thought was very well done.

Try this show and I think you will like it if you like solid police procedurals with an interesting twist in the personalities of the main characters.

Edit: After watching the first 5 episodes of this sleeper show of the season, I believe this version tops the original. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and its interweaving of the US border problems, drug dealing and wild west type newspaper headlines is very well done. Watch it and enjoy.

One last thought. The original was topical to Sweden and Denmark so I am amazed how naysayers who saw the original either never spotted the topical nature of the show or seem to be saying that the Sweden/Denmark cultural aspect of the original show should have been duplicated in a U.S. show! Most U.S. viewers would not know what to make of seeing Sweden/Denmark cultural clashes or even know of those clashes! What are these naysayers thinking??

I think Diane Kruger's portrayal might be off putting to people who don't realize Sonya's character has Asperger's. Once you know that, I think her character will make more sense. I think she does a brilliant job as Sonya. In fact, I think all the character portrayals are well done. I like Demián Bichir's polar opposite character where Sonya is socially awkward and inept so she says and does what ever comes to mind while Marco has to navigate the delicate politics of not going out of bounds with his Mexican Superiors and is good at charming his way into and out of most situations. I haven't seen the original show this was based on so can't compare but if it's better than this, I'll have to see it some day : )

Matthew Lilliard makes this series worth watching. Not since the character Jeff Spiccoli has there been a more hilarious druggie. Aside from the tons of humor created by Lilliard, the story itself is riveting and gives a close-up look at Mexican cartels and American corruption. The many death scenes are not for the weak-minded, reminding one of Criminal Minds (but not as weird).

The first season is a remake of the original Danish-Swedish version of The Bridge but they do enough differently to make it interesting. The show uses the story of the bridge murder to explore the dynamic between the US and Mexico and the corruption and helplessness felt in the face of the powerful narcos.

The first season does a good job with the remake and then the second season dives deeper into the narco state and the people that are corrupted or left dead in its wake. Some great characters pop up and there is no black and white, only interesting shades of gray among them. I really enjoyed the second season which started to remind me of Breaking Bad a bit, both in the descent of a particular character into corruption and just in general great quality of the show.

In summary the first season was an 8 for me and the second season a 10 so I landed on 9 for the series grade. Too bad they didn't go for more seasons but they went out on top quality which is rare, so thanks to all involved.

SPOILER: Being intimately familiar with Asperger Syndrome (AS), I think it would be extremely difficult for an actor to play. Kruger did a reasonably good job in the first episode and I think that's actually why some people were turned off by her performance; AS is often characterized by the flat affect that she is exhibiting and it doesn't make for the kind of dynamic character that people are usually drawn to.

This show should spark a lot of discussion and raise awareness of AS. The plot piqued my interest and I'll definitely continue to watch.

(Note to director: Shot of victim's eyes fading into headlights was cool!)

First of all it's not possible for me to compare this series to its original Danish version because I didn't see it. Most of the time the original versions are better but honestly for this one I don't really care because this show is good enough for me to be well entertained. And I am sure that the Danish/Swedish conflict could not be compared to the American/Mexican conflict. And that's just the point that makes this series highly enjoyable. The whole connection that two different detectives from different countries have is a delight to watch. Diane Kruger (as detective Sonya Cross) puts down a good performance playing her character with Asperger Syndrome. Demian Bichir (as detective Marco Ruiz) is perfect in his role, trying to keep his integrity as much as possible in an environment where corruption rules. The plot has enough twists to keep you intrigued. A good show for those who like crimes and mysteries.

A woman's body is found on the bridge between El Paso and Juarez on top of the border. Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) is a cop from the American side and Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir) is from the Mexican side. They are forced to work together. Lieutenant Hank Wade (Ted Levine) is her supervising officer. Charlotte Millwright (Annabeth Gish) owns a ranch at the border and finds a tunnel on her property. Daniel Frye (Matthew Lillard) is an American investigative reporter on the edge.

The first season is mostly about one serial killer investigation. It's somewhat boring. I don't buy Kruger's performance. I like Bichir's performance much more. It moved fairly slowly and unconvincingly. Millwright's storyline never really connected. Then the show changed right before the end of season 1. It added quite a few weird characters. The best one is Eleanor Nacht (Franka Potente) as the unemotional disturbed hired killer. The second season is definitely crazier, and weirder. It feels almost random as the show gets wilder. At least, it gets more interesting. With the show changing over the two seasons, it feels unstable and never really settled down. I do find some of it very interesting.

As someone who teaches students with special needs, I find the character of Sonya North spot-on. I think this is a VERY well-put-together show. It is well-cast, well-scripted, and does a great job of keeping the audience in suspense.

Interestingly, I thought North was the protagonist, not Ruiz. While we do see Ruiz's home life in the pilot, we learn an awful lot about North's life. It is also great to see Ted Levine in a show again. I wonder how one goes from being Buffalo Bill in "The Silence of the Lambs" to playing a cop repeatedly.

It will be interesting to learn how Matthew Lillard and Annabeth Gish's characters will fit into the story. I can't wait to get lost in the episodes of this show!

Absolutely dreadful remake and a totally different and incoherent storyline. I found it hard to follow and the gratuitous sex scenes were a real embarrassment and not worthy of Annabeth Gish.

If it wasn't badged as a remake of the original it would have been more bearable but I gave up after episode 8. Time again I wouldn't have bothered.

I watched the Danish version of the bridge and am a big fan. The premise of the American version HAD me really excited. The fact that they tried to copy exactly the Danish version was a complete disaster. Diane Kruger is horrible in this role. I don't doubt she has talent but they should have allowed for her to play the role in her own way instead of copying an unforgettable role that was already done (and done well).I had a hard time sitting through the 1st episode. Demian Bichir is the only redeeming quality in this show and might be the only reason I continue to watch. The female lead in the Danish version is extremely hard to pull off, so they shouldn't have even tried. I'm seriously saddened since I had high hopes for this show. Did no one watch the reels before putting them out for human consumption? Was there not a test audience?

On Prime & a couple of episodes into series two and the English language subtitles disappeared and couldn't be selected. This made it very difficult to follow the plot as it shifted from English to Spanish and back to English quite quickly and frequently.

Did they expect viewers to pick up a working knowledge of Spanish in a few episodes?

The Bridge is a very dark story indeed and very well acted by all.

Not for the squeamish but the plot isn't gratuitously violent.

The main characters from both sides of the bridge have very different and flawed personalities and those personalities are portrayed superbly.

I''ve watched as far as episode 5 of season two and stopped at that point.

However, I intend to buy the bridge on dvd, in the hope that the subtitle issue was resolved for dvd (or the fault was limited to the Prime version).

I love this show. I can't wait until the next week to find out what happens next. My husband and I watch this together and we both love it. It is a great series. The series has suspense, murder, sabotage, mystery and humor. Each week's episode contains an unexpected twist. I keep wondering how are they going to keep the series going long enough for a season but they keep me coming back each week. My favorite characters are the Mexican protagonists. Marco Ruiz, his wife, the female reported and the drug lady. I also really enjoy watching the guy who played Shaggy in the Scooby Doo Movie as a drug addict reported. He is entertaining and really does a fabulous job in series. I hope this series last a very long time. It brings attention to the horrible things happening in Juarez that people now consider commonplace in Juarez and are no longer horrified by the atrocities. I have been waiting for The Bridge for many years. There is no other show like it on TV.

The Bridge could very well be the next "Breaking Bad". I do not understand the criticism of the Sonya character. Different types of characters make stories better. I think she is great and truly acts like she has Aspergers Syndrome. With all of the cookie cutter cop shows on TV now.....I was delighted to see the bridge. My husband and I grew up in El Paso and find the settings, language etc. very realistic. I hope it gets to stay on the air because it has so much potential........there are too many reality shows and Honey boo boo type already. Quality TV is rare....this could be great if given a chance.

People involved in creation of remakes or based on series / movies often forget that they don't have or need to do it in the first place if they don't possess the true material and right script / storylines for doing so, being capable to do justice to the often bright original version and its exclusive and right atmosphere.

We have a series that fails on all accounts in regard to the original, shouldn't have been named The Bridge and shouldn't have been (falsely) based on the awesomly successful Swedish-Danish version and production.

• It lacks the cold, rightly done, grimmy, menacing and dark atmosphere and vibe of the original
• It lacks the brilliant diamond-like play and portrayal of the original female lead investigator that won't be mimicked or surpassed for a long long time. With all respect, Diane Kruger doesn't pull off an epsilone of that.
• It lacks the very good cast and acting of the original
• It has an awful and bizarre opening sequence soundtrack, not being of interest and not contributing to the show
• It has a messed up script and story with lots of fillers, blood and (unsuccessful) violence depicting the American-Mexican mishmash
• To its credit: It has some good acting, mainly by Demián Bichir (Marco Ruiz) and Eric Lange (Kenneth Hastings)
• To its credit: It has some entertaining values letting it flow mindlessly before your eyes, episode by episode, until its jumbled ending
• To its credit: Very good for practising the Spanish language and idioms

To wrap it up in one sentence, a forgettable series with latin vibes and culture, best put back on the shelves and have a restart of the nostalgic Bron/Broen.

Lots of reviewers talk about the Danish-Swedish version and how this doesn't compare favourably..as someone who has been watched a lot of Scandic Noir (Killing, the Bridge etc) this series works in its own right.

The show uses the challenges of USA-Mexico border issues, the politics, crime and reality of what is being faced. This adds a great dimension to the series and whilst the story arc is similar to the Danish-Swedish original, the characters are different, yet very good.

The I teractio. Of the detectives, families, plus other characters (interesting development of the journalist character) makes this a great series. It also uses the landscape to great effect, the people, the different jurisdiction s - local police Vs federal police, the corruption and more. If you get to series two (which you should) there is great guest appearance, I'll let you find out more!

Well worth watching!

I've seen this series from various countries. No one, I mean no one comes close to Sofia Helin's Saga portrayal. Of all the countries' portrayals, this one is the poorest due to bad acting by the lead female. Truly awful and embarassing. Instead of this, watch "The Tunnel" from Great Britain. That actress did a decent job of the detective's portrayal, although still not close to the performance from Sofia Helin. Kim Bodnia is also irreplaceable as the other detective.

I love The Bridge. It's just a breath of fresh air from your other crime shows. The Bridge is not for everybody. This show is bloody,violent, sexual, horrible (in a good way) and so much more. But at the same its good, funny, enjoyable. It just keeps getting better and better and you just keep wanting more. I can't get over the whole I'm good, I'm bad, I'm evil. Its just so good. The partnership between Sonya and Marcos is so genuine. It's not romantic its just really good cops doing a good job. And I would hate it if they go the romantic way for those two. Sonya and Marcos are meant to be best friends. Sound cheesy but its true. Its like a you have to watch it to know what I'm taking about.

I've seen all the seasons and mostly enjoyed this series. It depicts a group of police officers and people who are dealing with past and present trauma that effects they're daily lives. The characters are very well developed as is the plot. Several scenes can be very disturbing but realism seems to be what the writer's had in mind, and they have succeeded admirably. This is excellent Nordic noir and well worth the time. Like most of this genre the characters home lives are well developed right down to the inclusion of petulant teens that lend the obligatory angst that seems to inhabit most of the European series of this genre. It keeps you guessing right up to the end, which is after all why we love these programs.