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The Bridge Season 1 was a perfect example of strong writing with well-developed characters and great direction, especially when it involved stunning views of the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden.
*IMPORTANT: This review contains some key details about Season 1*
As Season 2 begins, a ship is taking the usual path, as they should across the waters, but suddenly veers off without warning. It’s not responding to calls from the coastguard, even though we’re told they communicated with it earlier; heads straight for the bridge, hits it and grinds to a halt. Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) is assigned to the case and, on board, she finds five people chained up and no-one else, so whoever has put them in that position has long since got off the ship. But who did this, and why?
Saga’s path is destined to cross with that of Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) as she investigates because the five were a mix of Swedish and Danish nationals, but they haven’t seen each other since August’s funeral. Martin’s boss is unsure how he’ll react to seeing Saga again, 13 months on from everything that happened, while Saga seems completely oblivious as to why this would be the case. In fact, she’s still such an oddity, she still thinks nothing of having a change of tops in her drawer at work, and she’s the complete opposite to a ‘people person’. For example, when Martin asks her why she hasn’t come over to see him since the events of the first season, she says blankly, “because I didn’t have a case which involved Denmark”.
That said, he finds working with her is cathartic in the light of what’s happened.
The next paragraph lists a few of the basics that happens early on in season 2, but just in case you want to avoid them, I’ve hidden them:
Overall, there’s a great deal to stir into the big mixing pot, as with the previous season, and the relationship between Saga and Martin goes from strength to strength. They also announced on Breakfast, on Thursday January 30th, ahead of that weekend’s Nordicana event, that there’s plans for more ‘Bridge’ and I can’t wait for it. I don’t know how many possible scenarios there are for involving a bridge, but even if it didn’t and they found a way to incorporate the two leads then I’m all for it. After all, Taggart survived long after the actor who played the titular character had passed away. There certainly feels like there’s a lot more to discover in the characters of Saga and Martin.
I know that The Bridge also spawned the European remake The Tunnel, which I understand was very close in plot and almost everything else, but I had no desire to watch a copycat version of something so good. It can’t compare. I’m also going to avoid the U.S. remake, also known as the original’s title, The Bridge, involving a serial killer operating on both sides of the Texas-Chihuahua border.
At least we know that if they try to remake this season, they can’t have a ship running loose in either case…
You can see the interview this Sofia Helin and Kim Bodnia on BBC Breakfast page 2, where you can also read about the presentation of the package.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.