The Bridge

[Jrag]

If this show can live up to the first few episodes, I think it will be a big hit around here in the future.  We might as well get this topic started now!

 

The serial killer/murder case stuff has been done to death, but The Bridge really sets itself apart because:

 

1.  Location - El Paso and Ciudad Juarez are the primary locations and this show doesn't shy away from all of the issues that come with that.  The first few episodes reminded me of The Wire because of just how central the location is to the heart of the show.

 

2. Interesting side characters - Old wise cop and goofy office cop are both extremely fun, creepy bearded guy is intriguing, the journalists play off each other well and the widow subplot seems important to the big picture. 

 

3. THE LEADS ARE KILLING IT - I've read some early reviews, and, while some aren't sold on Kruger's performance, everyone seems to agree that Demian Bichir is bringing the goods.  I think their chemistry together is going to make this show.

 

Episode 3 airs tonight on FX.

[Fat Spanish Waiter]

It's boring the shit out of me but the concept is interesting so I'm sticking with it for now.

[J.T.]

I would rather just watch and try to solve the crime.  I am for the Dream Act and all, but the show's politics are fucking distracting.

[_MJ_]

Yeah, I dig the way Demian Bichir plays his character.  I didn't like his character on Weeds(not his fault), but he's the highlight for me so far. Diana Kruger's character doesn't bother me nearly as much as she appears to bother others.  Matthew Lillard as the douchebag journalist and the Captain from Monk are nice additionals too.

 

However, the plot hasn't grabbed me.  Maybe it's me, but I feel like I'm only half paying attention to it when it's on.  I zone out during the scenes with the widow who is slowly discovering her dead husband's shady dealings, even though I know it's going to eventually link up to the main storyline.  That side plot has been dull (so far).

 

I really like the idea of the show.  I'm going to keep watching it because it has potential and it's one of the few quality shows running this summer.  Good timing by FX.  I've read the showrunner wants to use the first case as an introduction into the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez setting and they want to explore the area deeper a la Baltimore in The Wire.  She doesn't want it to be a traditional "cop show".  This interests me.

 

At this point, I prefer FX's The Americans over it, but it's alright.

Edited July 24, 2013 by _MJ_

[Eivion]

Its decent so far though I don't like the female lead at all. That said I do kind of like the chemistry between her and Demian Bichir.

[Petey]

I only watched the Pilot and liked it enough. I have the second episode on my DVR so I'll probably watch that tonight since the third episode is about to air. I find the female lead to be unrealistically awkward, but I enjoy the premise enough and the male lead interesting enough to keep watching.

[Elsalvajeloco]

Dead, dead horses

[Jrag]

Didn't like episode three as much as I liked the first two.  Creepy bearded guy being questioned by Ruiz was a fun moment, though.  I feel like those are the two best performances so it was fun to see the interaction.

[supremebve]

I like how the creepy bearded guy sounds exactly like Buffalo Bill, when Buffalo Bill is standing right there. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

I like how the creepy bearded guy sounds exactly like Buffalo Bill, when Buffalo Bill is standing right there. 

When I watched last week's episode, I knew it couldn't be an American playing that role. It's just some Australian dude hamming it up.

[_MJ_]

Yeah, the last episode was definitely the most disappointing.  I'm not feeling Ruiz hooking up with the widow already.  Too easy.

[Jrag]

Yeah, they kind of mucked up his morality a little bit.  I didn't really mind Ruiz banging the widow, but the whole trying to break into bearded creepy guys trailer thing just seemed way off.

[supremebve]

Yeah, they kind of mucked up his morality a little bit.  I didn't really mind Ruiz banging the widow, but the whole trying to break into bearded creepy guys trailer thing just seemed way off.

I thought him trying to break in was one of those, the rules are different in the U.S. than Mexico scenes.  I figured it was supposed to be a reflection of the scene in the second episode where she couldn't understand that there were certain questions she couldn't ask in Mexico.  Him hooking up with the widow didn't make sense to either character in my opinion.  She was willing to have sex with some dude she only met in passing, but wouldn't have a conversation with a woman who was obviously threatening her life.  Why is one of these things on the table while the other is out of the question?  It didn't make sense to me.

[SovietShooter]

She was willing to have sex with some dude she only met in passing, but wouldn't have a conversation with a woman who was obviously threatening her life.  Why is one of these things on the table while the other is out of the question?  It didn't make sense to me.

 

 

That actually makes perfect sense - she didn't want a conversation, she wanted the D.  She doesn't realte to people at all.  Right after she got off, she started looking at gory crime scene pictures, and told the dude to bugger off.  Look at how she flipped out when Ruiz gave the receptionist the flowers from "them", or how she reacted when the dude she banged showed up at the station. 

[Randy]

 

She was willing to have sex with some dude she only met in passing, but wouldn't have a conversation with a woman who was obviously threatening her life.  Why is one of these things on the table while the other is out of the question?  It didn't make sense to me.

 

 

That actually makes perfect sense - she didn't want a conversation, she wanted the D.  She doesn't realte to people at all.  Right after she got off, she started looking at gory crime scene pictures, and told the dude to bugger off.  Look at how she flipped out when Ruiz gave the receptionist the flowers from "them", or how she reacted when the dude she banged showed up at the station. 

 

 

supreme is talking about the rancher's widow, not the detective.

[Jrag]

I actually had a completely different take on the Ruiz and the widow stuff.  The widow clearly doesn't grasp how much danger she is in, but she isn't oblivious to it either.  She recognizes Ruiz as an honest cop because he refused money on the bridge when he let them pass and, due to the way she made her fortune, it seems she isn't above sleeping with someone to get what she wants.  In this case, I would say she wants a little security or protection.  From his perspective, it is sort of implied that he gets around a little bit (flirty guy, his wife was jealous of Sonya).  I would bet on Ruiz eventually getting mixed up in the business with the tunnel.

[Jrag]

Are people still watching this?  I thought last nights episode was probably the best of the show so far. Sonya is growing on me because they are starting to put her in situations where her abruptness is fresh air.  I hope we get more scenes of her bewildering FBI agents and that dickhead reporter.

 

Linder continues to be the most fascinating character, but Fausto is a close 2nd.

[Fat Spanish Waiter]

It's getting hard to watch with all the weirdness.

[SovietShooter]

I was surprised at the whole wallet situation with Sonya and Ruiz.  Seems like Ruiz' fling with Charlotte is more of a plot device to move something along, with her beau coming into town, and there being some odd situation with Sra. Ruiz, Gustavo, and her co-worker/boss. 

 

Sonya saying why she wasn't eating the enchilada was choice. 

[TimWresPowr]

A friend told me about The Bridge so I watched the first episode last night. I'll probably continue to watch. It's kind of dry but very intriguing story or woven stories. Totally didn't realize the woman was supposed to have Asberger's (read that on another board), that probably would have been best spelled out in the first episode by her boss or something. But I guess he's kind of a rube so just thinks she's special or odd which is how it came across. She seemed eerily unattached so now it makes sense. I've never watched an FX show before and have some catching up on OnDemand first before I need to go figure out when this actually airs.

[SovietShooter]

Wow, that seemed like a season finale.  Awesome episode. 

 

I knew when they showed that cop getting his braces taken off that

he was gonna bite the dust... but holy shit was that unexpected, gruesome, and awesome

. 

 

Annabeth Gish is getting it done on this show, looking extra milf-y. 

[driver]

Yes, most definitely...

the face removalry was pretty fucking awesome.

[Jrag]

Are we supposed to know how Linder separated himself from Fausto, Fausto's friend and the corpse?  Did I miss something?  His whole subplot has turned really sloppy after the hot start.

[John Austin]

Just watched it, my goodness it really did feel like a season finale.  I was wondering that abotu Linder too, how in the world did he get away.  And I'm suprised Fausto didn't recognize him when he pulled his gun out. 

 

How many episodes are we getting this season?

[Jrag]

Well, this show has certainly turned it up.  I'm about halfway through this weeks episode, but I had to come in here and point out just how awesome Sonya is now.  The "is it hard to sleep next to the same person every night" line was the hardest I've laughed at this show.  Brilliant timing.  I think they've found a great balance between comic relief and the super-serious aspects of her character.