The Bridge

I didn't really appreciate the acclaimed Danish series The Killing, specifically its first two seasons, because I clearly felt their contrivance and considered them an artificial construct. The same can be said of The Bridge, and yet this series eventually captured my attention, despite my initial doubts, and with each episode, I enjoyed it more and more. I appreciated its social and psychological dimension, as well as its attractive characters. It is dark, uncompromising, consistently surprising, and overall an excellent work about how one embittered person can destroy their surroundings with their hatred. This is one of the peaks of contemporary television series production that can do without an excessively large budget. All it takes is quality screenwriting, clever directing, and excellent casting. Overall impression: 90%. /// I have just finished the second season and I must admit that it is as high-quality as the first one, maintaining its unique style and cleverly building on the previous narrative. I can therefore apply the same criticism to it, that it is an artificial construct, but very well executed, written, and directed. Simply a Nordic treat. After the second season, I feel like giving it 100%. (31/12/2014)

After the second season of The Bridge, where the investigative duo faced a highly sophisticated conspiracy of an international terrorist organization with global ambitions, the third season returned the series to its beginnings. Once again, the detectives are confronted with a shocking series of murders, perpetrated by a macabre, deranged individual who seeks revenge on the world and everyone who has allegedly or actually harmed him. This concept works for the third time, and I must admit that I am personally surprised at how well the series is doing. The problem lies in the excessive complexity and overwhelming number of characters, which, although a phenomenon accompanying the series from the beginning, escalates in the third season. I got a bit lost in the multitude of Nordic names. The series benefited from a change in the male lead of the central duo. Just like Saga, her new partner carries the burden of the past and struggles with inner demons. But that is precisely the seasoning that helps divert attention from the improbable, even unreal moments. The viewer must be fascinated by the perpetrator, who effortlessly assumes the roles of a midwife, top sniper, welder, fighter, handyman of all sorts, artist, and designer. One cannot help but understand why the Nordic countries are so successful when they produce such outstanding individuals. The Bridge is certainly not real life, but it manages to capture many of the real problems of contemporary Sweden. Moreover, and above all, the series practically always keeps the viewer in suspense and diverts attention at opportune moments. I would not object to a fourth season. Overall impression: 90%. (22/05/2016)

In my comment about the 3rd season of The Bridge, I wrote that I have enough strength and desire to watch the 4th return of the peculiar Swedish-Danish crime-solving duo, but after two episodes of the 4th season, I felt that my interest was quickly fading and all the project's shortcomings were being revealed to the core, which I had generously overlooked before. The catalyst for changing my perspective on this type of Nordic crime construct based on absurdity, coincidence, and completely detached from reality was the Midnight Sun series, where I realized how foolish crossing a certain boundary can be. I only endured half of the season and then gave up. It doesn't differ much from previous seasons, I just got tired of this type of production and decided to focus my interest on a more realistic and objective line of the genre. I won't rate it with stars, it would be too harsh for a project that I once liked so much. The only thing I can appreciate is the motive of Saga Norén's stay in prison, which unfortunately the creators quickly abandoned... (27/07/2020)