The Bridge Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10 “Rakshasa”/”Eidolon”
Written by Marisha Mukerjee/Patrick Somerville
Directed by Guillermo Navarro/Colin Bucksey
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
For all the talk around the internet of how The Bridge solved “the David Tate” problem of season one by removing the whole Serial Killer with a Personal Vendetta crap from the proceedings, “Rakshasa” and “Eidolon” both prove – as the entire season has, really – that the show hasn’t really ‘solved’ this issue at all, even after killing off David Tate a few weeks ago. They’ve merely replaced it, morphing a scorned employee of a main character’s wife into a one-off villain whose personality and characteristics are as random as the motivations David Tate seemed to have throughout season one’s episodes. I’m obviously talking about Eleanor Nacht – and while the performance and dramatic storytelling around it continue to be entertaining, her...
Written by Marisha Mukerjee/Patrick Somerville
Directed by Guillermo Navarro/Colin Bucksey
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
For all the talk around the internet of how The Bridge solved “the David Tate” problem of season one by removing the whole Serial Killer with a Personal Vendetta crap from the proceedings, “Rakshasa” and “Eidolon” both prove – as the entire season has, really – that the show hasn’t really ‘solved’ this issue at all, even after killing off David Tate a few weeks ago. They’ve merely replaced it, morphing a scorned employee of a main character’s wife into a one-off villain whose personality and characteristics are as random as the motivations David Tate seemed to have throughout season one’s episodes. I’m obviously talking about Eleanor Nacht – and while the performance and dramatic storytelling around it continue to be entertaining, her...
- 9/13/2014
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
In this Golden Glut of TV drama, it's hard for any new drama to break through and find an audience, because there are so many options out there (not to mention easy access to most of the great dramas of the previous 50 years). It's harder still for a show that has an audience and loses it to get those people back, no matter how good it becomes. Case in point: FX's "The Bridge," the current belt-holder for Best Show You're Not Watching. In season 1, the ratings weren't huge, but they were decent enough for FX to order a second season. The problem is that the original batch of episodes — translating the Scandinavian series "Broen" from the Denmark/Sweden border to the one dividing the U.S. and Mexico, complete with a relatively faithful rendering of that show's serial killer story — wound up turning a lot of viewers off as the season went along.
- 9/10/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
The Bridge Season 2, Episodes 6 & 7 “Harvest of Souls”/”Lamia”
Written by Evan Wright (“Harvest of Souls”) and Dre Alvarez & Anna Fishko (“Lamia”)
Directed by Guy Ferland and Adam Arkin
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
There have been unfair comparisons made in the past between The Bridge and The Wire, but there’s no way not to invoke the latter during the last two episodes of The Bridge, which have seen various characters from both sides of the border crossing paths, at times seemingly at random. And like it often did with The Wire, The Bridge‘s use of this narrative device serves a useful purpose outside the plot: it narrows the show’s scope a bit, adding a bit of focus to a sprawling world rich with diverse characters that would otherwise feel like a random collection of stories only related by geography. The more characters on The Bridge enter each other’s lives,...
Written by Evan Wright (“Harvest of Souls”) and Dre Alvarez & Anna Fishko (“Lamia”)
Directed by Guy Ferland and Adam Arkin
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
There have been unfair comparisons made in the past between The Bridge and The Wire, but there’s no way not to invoke the latter during the last two episodes of The Bridge, which have seen various characters from both sides of the border crossing paths, at times seemingly at random. And like it often did with The Wire, The Bridge‘s use of this narrative device serves a useful purpose outside the plot: it narrows the show’s scope a bit, adding a bit of focus to a sprawling world rich with diverse characters that would otherwise feel like a random collection of stories only related by geography. The more characters on The Bridge enter each other’s lives,...
- 8/22/2014
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
A review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming up just as soon as I plan a trip to see the fjords... "The system... does not work." -Gary I'll admit to feeling puzzled at times this season that the show didn't feel appreciably better despite dumping the serial killer mastermind nonsense. But the plots have really started to intersect in fascinating ways the last two weeks, and we're starting to get enormous payoff to all the patient storytelling done in the season's first half. "Lamia" — easily the season's best episode to date, and one of the best hours of "The Bridge" so far — was a reminder not only of the power of that patient storytelling, but of the many strange and seemingly incompatible tones this show can feature in the same hour when all the elements are in balance with one another. It's an episode that can open with a darkly comic...
- 8/21/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
The Bridge Season 2, Episode 5 “Eye of the Deep”
Written by Mauricio Katz
Directed by Alex Zakrzewski
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
If there’s been a common theme among the main characters of The Bridge, it’s exploring the darker avenues of dealing with great loss. It occurs on both a human level, and with the larger plots at play: while Fausto and his organization scramble from the $70 million loss they just took on the other side of the border, characters like Adriana, Marco, and Sonya are dealing with the loss of family members, and Charlotte and Ray find themselves at a loss for freedom under Galvan’s violently oppressive thumb. And as all these plots begin to coalesce, “Eye of the Deep” reaches farther and deeper than the episodes before it to go out of it’s way painting a group of people reaching their wit’s...
Written by Mauricio Katz
Directed by Alex Zakrzewski
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
If there’s been a common theme among the main characters of The Bridge, it’s exploring the darker avenues of dealing with great loss. It occurs on both a human level, and with the larger plots at play: while Fausto and his organization scramble from the $70 million loss they just took on the other side of the border, characters like Adriana, Marco, and Sonya are dealing with the loss of family members, and Charlotte and Ray find themselves at a loss for freedom under Galvan’s violently oppressive thumb. And as all these plots begin to coalesce, “Eye of the Deep” reaches farther and deeper than the episodes before it to go out of it’s way painting a group of people reaching their wit’s...
- 8/8/2014
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
A quick review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming up just as soon as I end up being transferred to Sierra Leone... I was on vacation last week, and therefore didn't review "The Acorn." This is probably for the best, because the majority of the review might have just been expletives and emoji as I grappled with my feelings about both the final scene with Eleanor and her mysterious imprisoned friend/relative/lover/pet/acorn-eater, and with Sonya trying too hard to connect with her late sister by inviting Jack Dobbs' brother to choke her in bed. The show tends to be at its best when it's at its strangest, but this might have been a weird "Bridge" too far. "Eye of the Deep" doesn't offer a ton of clarity on the Eleanor front, instead adding another quirk in her enjoyment of romance novels. Its primary concern, unfortunately, is to revisit...
- 8/7/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
A quick review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming up just as soon as we speak in the universal language of pain... "The Bridge" tends to be at its strongest when it's also at its strangest, and "Sorrowsworm" feels like the creative team looked at the season's first two episodes and thought, "Yeah, not weird enough. We can do better." So we get the return of the show's quintessential oddball, Steven Linder — only he's reintroduced in a scene where he encounters a roadside salesman with an even more unsettling affect than Linder himself. As we follow Eleanor Nacht on her journey to dispose of Kyle's body, Heisenberg-style, we see that she takes great pleasure in inflicting pain on herself, and Joe from the DEA explains that she's a shunned Mennonite. Charlotte, Ray and Cesar also make their first appearances of the season, and while they don't tend to be on the...
- 7/24/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
The Bridge Season 2, Episode 2 “Ghost of a Flea”
Written by Elwood Reid (story), Damien Cave & Elwood Reid (teleplay)
Directed by Daniel Sackheim
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
I’m glad The Bridge appears to be getting right to the point in its second season; after a premiere that felt more scatter-brained than carefully orchestrated, “Ghost of a Flea” (mostly) pulls everything back into orbit for a morbid, if slightly over-exerting hour. It still feels like a very different show than the first season, both in plot construction and how it delivers its story to the audience. Is it a better show? Only time will tell: but at the very least, it feels like the show’s beginning to figure out it’s own identity.
And what is that identity exactly? With quasi-religious enforcers who dress “downright devout”, dead transvestite bar singers, and splatters of blood everywhere, The Bridge...
Written by Elwood Reid (story), Damien Cave & Elwood Reid (teleplay)
Directed by Daniel Sackheim
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
I’m glad The Bridge appears to be getting right to the point in its second season; after a premiere that felt more scatter-brained than carefully orchestrated, “Ghost of a Flea” (mostly) pulls everything back into orbit for a morbid, if slightly over-exerting hour. It still feels like a very different show than the first season, both in plot construction and how it delivers its story to the audience. Is it a better show? Only time will tell: but at the very least, it feels like the show’s beginning to figure out it’s own identity.
And what is that identity exactly? With quasi-religious enforcers who dress “downright devout”, dead transvestite bar singers, and splatters of blood everywhere, The Bridge...
- 7/18/2014
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
A quick review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming up just as soon as we're on the same bowling team... "Ghost of a Flea" turns into an elaborate game of Where's Eleanor?, as it seems that everyone of consequence is looking for the mysterious Ms. Nacht, all while she's hiding out with poor, doomed, stupid, horny Kyle. The DEA wants her because of their murdered undercover agent (and the murdered dog), Sonya wants her because it's a murder in her jurisdiction, Marco wants her because he owes Fausto Galvan a favor for the David Tate request(*), Galvan wants her because she's important to his operation (and also brought a lot of attention on said operation with this killing spree), Frye and Adriana don't even realize they're following a path that will likely lead to Eleanor, and dumb Kyle wants her because she is a woman promising sex — even though it's clear...
- 7/17/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
The Bridge Season 2, Episode 1 “Yankee”
Written by Elwood Reid
Directed by Keith Gordon
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
Unexplained pools of blood, assassins, break-ins, and sexcapades mark the opening of The Bridge‘s second season, an uncomfortably scattered hour that only seems to prove this show still hasn’t figured out what it wants to be. A jumbled mess of familiar and new faces dealing with both new and familiar problems, “Yankee” is an hour that ignores major plot threads from last season (if only for the time being) in order to introduce a plethora of new ideas, without giving the audience much sense of direction as to what this seemingly random collection of scenes actually means. Is it intriguing? Sure, there are parts of “Yankee” that suggest this season of The Bridge could head in some interesting directions: but surrounded by so many other plots and characters,...
Written by Elwood Reid
Directed by Keith Gordon
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Et on FX
Unexplained pools of blood, assassins, break-ins, and sexcapades mark the opening of The Bridge‘s second season, an uncomfortably scattered hour that only seems to prove this show still hasn’t figured out what it wants to be. A jumbled mess of familiar and new faces dealing with both new and familiar problems, “Yankee” is an hour that ignores major plot threads from last season (if only for the time being) in order to introduce a plethora of new ideas, without giving the audience much sense of direction as to what this seemingly random collection of scenes actually means. Is it intriguing? Sure, there are parts of “Yankee” that suggest this season of The Bridge could head in some interesting directions: but surrounded by so many other plots and characters,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Randy Dankievitch
- SoundOnSight
A review of "The Bridge" season 2 premiere coming up just as soon as I defend my Rush t-shirt... In my advance review of the season, I noted my relief that "The Bridge" had moved beyond the silly serial killer plot that consumed so much of season 1, while ultimately feeling like the series hadn't improved significantly overall. Through the five episodes I've seen, there are fewer lows, but also not quite as many highs. The new story arc, and the introduction of so many significant characters keeps things moving at a nice clip, but I found myself missing some of the lingering weirdness that season 1 seemed to have more time for. We do get some of that vintage strangeness at the open and close of "Yankee," though. The episode begins with everyone's favorite business card-wielding drug lawyer Monte P. Flagman showing up at a housing development in the desert that's the...
- 7/10/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
For most of its first season, FX's "The Bridge" seemed as caught between two worlds as its two heroes, who worked opposite sides of the El Paso/Juarez border. In one world, the show was stuck adapting the serial killer story from the original Scandinavian "Bron," and not providing a particularly inspired take on an overdone subject. In the other world, "The Bridge" was having a lot of fun looking at the weird culture along that border, and in establishing the bond between Texas cop Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) and her Mexican counterpart Marco Ruiz (Demián Bichir). The second show was much more interesting than the first, but the first show kept swallowing the second one whole. Then two promising things happened. First, the season wrapped up the serial killer arc with two episodes to spare, and devoted those concluding chapters to all the things the show had done well,...
- 7/8/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
“The Crazy Place,” the first season finale of The Bridge, acted very much as a preview of the second season. Right off the bat Sonya inquires about Hank’s impending retirement, which he admits to willingly putting off, and announces she intends to work the Dead Girls of Juarez with Marco who, while back to work, is still clearly harboring significant anger at the losses he’s recently suffered. The two detectives’ relationship was successfully salvaged in the previous episode, and now they have a mission statement. While Sonya and Marco are set to dig deeper into the corruption of Juarez police, and Daniel and Adriana get their own mysterious MacGuffin to track down, Charlotte is busy having her new role as the CEO of her own illegal tunnel corporation established, though I can’t decide if it’s a position I totally buy. “Place,” as...
“The Crazy Place,” the first season finale of The Bridge, acted very much as a preview of the second season. Right off the bat Sonya inquires about Hank’s impending retirement, which he admits to willingly putting off, and announces she intends to work the Dead Girls of Juarez with Marco who, while back to work, is still clearly harboring significant anger at the losses he’s recently suffered. The two detectives’ relationship was successfully salvaged in the previous episode, and now they have a mission statement. While Sonya and Marco are set to dig deeper into the corruption of Juarez police, and Daniel and Adriana get their own mysterious MacGuffin to track down, Charlotte is busy having her new role as the CEO of her own illegal tunnel corporation established, though I can’t decide if it’s a position I totally buy. “Place,” as...
- 10/4/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
The Bridge Season 1, Episode 13: “The Crazy Place”
Written by Elwood Reid & Dario Scardapane
Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton
Returns for season 2 in 2014 on FX
Randy Dankievitch: And with a crazy stare from Marco Ruiz, the tumultuous first season of The Bridge comes to a close. At times it was enthralling – and at many other times, frustrating: but always intriguing, even when the show was in the midst of its David Tate nosedive (which unfortunately still exists… but we’ll get to that). ‘The Crazy Place’ is all of that wrapped into one neat 43-minute episode, a series of promising and not-so-promising new directions for the second season. If anything, the season finale reinforced the strongest pair of characters at the heart of the show: and pointed out the one or two dynamics that still need serious work heading into next season.
The Bridge has done one thing very, very well:...
Written by Elwood Reid & Dario Scardapane
Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton
Returns for season 2 in 2014 on FX
Randy Dankievitch: And with a crazy stare from Marco Ruiz, the tumultuous first season of The Bridge comes to a close. At times it was enthralling – and at many other times, frustrating: but always intriguing, even when the show was in the midst of its David Tate nosedive (which unfortunately still exists… but we’ll get to that). ‘The Crazy Place’ is all of that wrapped into one neat 43-minute episode, a series of promising and not-so-promising new directions for the second season. If anything, the season finale reinforced the strongest pair of characters at the heart of the show: and pointed out the one or two dynamics that still need serious work heading into next season.
The Bridge has done one thing very, very well:...
- 10/4/2013
- by Randy
- SoundOnSight
The Bridge ended its first season in confidence. The main storyline was wrapped up two weeks ago and we’ve spent the last couple episodes stirring up new storylines for next season. And all of this was done before Season 2 was announced! It was as if no one had ever even considered the idea there wouldn’t be another season after this one. Luckily there will be more of The Bridge and we have plenty to look forward to next year.
Let’s get down to business: “The Crazy Place” is a subdued hour of television, much like last week’s episode. This is a side effect of simply existing in the world The Bridge has created. There’s no single mystery to encapsulate these characters; instead it feels more like several disconnected storylines happening simultaneously. Marco and Sonya are investigating the missing girls of Juarez, a plot point that...
Let’s get down to business: “The Crazy Place” is a subdued hour of television, much like last week’s episode. This is a side effect of simply existing in the world The Bridge has created. There’s no single mystery to encapsulate these characters; instead it feels more like several disconnected storylines happening simultaneously. Marco and Sonya are investigating the missing girls of Juarez, a plot point that...
- 10/3/2013
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
Two weeks ago, "The Bridge" wrapped up Season 1's main storyline, bringing the hunt for The Beast with an episode that felt a lot like a season finale. Only the show had two episodes to go.
For the last two weeks, the rookie FX drama dealt with the aftermath of Gus' death at the hand of David Tate, while pulling back to spread focus on the whole world the show had introduced throughout the season. At the close of Wednesday's (Oct. 2) season finale, the lion's share of the characters were left in rather precarious positions.
Picking up with the most pressing, Marco (the remarkable Demian Bichir) and Sonya (Diane Kruger) found the evidence they were looking for that Eva had been at the police station in Juarez after disappearing. They track down the cop who had her and, after Marco beat him within an each of his life (signaling a...
For the last two weeks, the rookie FX drama dealt with the aftermath of Gus' death at the hand of David Tate, while pulling back to spread focus on the whole world the show had introduced throughout the season. At the close of Wednesday's (Oct. 2) season finale, the lion's share of the characters were left in rather precarious positions.
Picking up with the most pressing, Marco (the remarkable Demian Bichir) and Sonya (Diane Kruger) found the evidence they were looking for that Eva had been at the police station in Juarez after disappearing. They track down the cop who had her and, after Marco beat him within an each of his life (signaling a...
- 10/3/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
With David Tate in custody, Sonya shifted her focus to finding Eva and the missing girls of Juarez in "The Crazy Place."
The season finale felt less like a conclusion to the first season and more like a transitional hour to set up the mysteries for season 2. While several stories were disconnected from the main case involving David Tate during the initial season, those threads now have strengthened with raised stakes going forward.
Sonya was determined to find not only Eva, but to look into the other girls that have gone missing throughout the years. Hank originally tried to discourage her though she was able to convince him that there was a American connection. This investigation provided a reason for her to continue to work with Marco.
Marco continued to suffer after Gus' death and had a rage within him that he couldn't control. His attack on the fellow cop was brutal yet effective.
The season finale felt less like a conclusion to the first season and more like a transitional hour to set up the mysteries for season 2. While several stories were disconnected from the main case involving David Tate during the initial season, those threads now have strengthened with raised stakes going forward.
Sonya was determined to find not only Eva, but to look into the other girls that have gone missing throughout the years. Hank originally tried to discourage her though she was able to convince him that there was a American connection. This investigation provided a reason for her to continue to work with Marco.
Marco continued to suffer after Gus' death and had a rage within him that he couldn't control. His attack on the fellow cop was brutal yet effective.
- 10/3/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
The Bridge wrapped up its first season Wednesday, ending with an ominous vow of revenge on the part of Marco (Demian Bichir). Though the David Tate (Eric Lange) case is closed, Marco and Sonya (Diane Kruger) find themselves embroiled more than ever in the mystery of the missing girls of Juarez.
TVGuide.com spoke with executive producer Elwood Reid to get his thoughts on the finale, as well as a preview of...
Read More >...
TVGuide.com spoke with executive producer Elwood Reid to get his thoughts on the finale, as well as a preview of...
Read More >...
- 10/3/2013
- by Liz Raftery
- TVGuide - Breaking News
“All About Eva” is an episode of The Bridge that feels like a deflated balloon. We spent much of this season watching the balloon be filled with gripping suspense and strong characters and then last week’s climactic episode let some of the air loose. No longer are we left wondering what David Tate’s next move is. Instead, The Bridge is going for something akin to a soft reset for its penultimate episode. I stand by when I said this was a bold and risky move and I expected this episode to feel like something of a let down compared to the ramping intensity of the last few weeks. The funny thing is if I weren’t comparing “All About Eva” to any of the proceeding episodes, I would have nothing but positive things to say about its contents. The rich world of The Bridge is still holding up...
- 9/29/2013
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
After the bulk of the plot of the first major seasonal arc was wrapped up in the previous episode, I was very curious to see how the remaining two episodes of the season would achieve what it needed to provide resolution to the remaining plots and reconcile Sonya and Marco, especially now that The Bridge has been renewed for a second thirteen episode season. “All About Eva” was in fact about much more than that as the end of the all consuming David Tate plot allowed the show to open back up and return to the plots of Steven Linder and Charlotte Millwright in addition to our lead detectives. This episode, after what I felt was a slightly disappointing ending to the Bridge Butcher plot, was all about returning the show to its core strengths. It more than succeeded by not only resurrecting the looming significance...
After the bulk of the plot of the first major seasonal arc was wrapped up in the previous episode, I was very curious to see how the remaining two episodes of the season would achieve what it needed to provide resolution to the remaining plots and reconcile Sonya and Marco, especially now that The Bridge has been renewed for a second thirteen episode season. “All About Eva” was in fact about much more than that as the end of the all consuming David Tate plot allowed the show to open back up and return to the plots of Steven Linder and Charlotte Millwright in addition to our lead detectives. This episode, after what I felt was a slightly disappointing ending to the Bridge Butcher plot, was all about returning the show to its core strengths. It more than succeeded by not only resurrecting the looming significance...
- 9/27/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
With David Tate behind bars and Gus dead, the partnership between Sonya and Marco was over.
Marco grieved by drinking too much, sleeping in Gus' bed and pushing Sonya away. He had nothing left and no one to support him since Alma left with the girls. What brought him back to life? It was "All About Eva."
Sonya's initial approach to pull Marco out of his stupor was unsuccessful, but after meeting with Linder she had something that could give Marco's life purpose again. Eva's disappearance brought the story full circle to where it began -- the search for missing Juarez girls.
Even though Linder was a person of interest in the Bridge killing, he didn't hesitate to go to Sonya when he needed help finding Eva. That decision could be the difference between him finding her alive, dead, or never. He cares deeply for Eva and continued his own search as well.
Marco grieved by drinking too much, sleeping in Gus' bed and pushing Sonya away. He had nothing left and no one to support him since Alma left with the girls. What brought him back to life? It was "All About Eva."
Sonya's initial approach to pull Marco out of his stupor was unsuccessful, but after meeting with Linder she had something that could give Marco's life purpose again. Eva's disappearance brought the story full circle to where it began -- the search for missing Juarez girls.
Even though Linder was a person of interest in the Bridge killing, he didn't hesitate to go to Sonya when he needed help finding Eva. That decision could be the difference between him finding her alive, dead, or never. He cares deeply for Eva and continued his own search as well.
- 9/26/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
A quick review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming up just as soon as I empty the ocean with a shot glass... Much as David Tate held Marco's family hostage, it felt like he had taken "The Bridge" as a whole hostage over the last several episodes. The serial killer case had never been the show's strongest suit, but this aspect of it simply didn't translate at all from the Scandinavian original. So I felt a palpable sense of relief when — save for a brief, smug cameo by Tate outside the courthouse — "All About Eva" focused entirely on the parts...
- 9/26/2013
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
During the first half or so of “Take the Ride, Pay the Toll” the biggest “R” I was feeling would have to be regret; regret that maybe the series I had felt the greatest anticipation for at the beginning of the year met its end at the hands of a revenge-killin’, cliched piece of genre trope like David Tate. Actually, I thought that despite my disappointment in what I felt was a lack of synthesis between Tate’s motivations of those of the politically minded Bridge Butcher, the character was portrayed by both Eric Lange and the writers and directors quite well, but Elle’s line just felt so right to parody there. Anyway, throughout the beginning of the episode I grew increasingly mournful over what steadily resembled a very well produced series that looked more and more like a weaker version of Se7en. But...
During the first half or so of “Take the Ride, Pay the Toll” the biggest “R” I was feeling would have to be regret; regret that maybe the series I had felt the greatest anticipation for at the beginning of the year met its end at the hands of a revenge-killin’, cliched piece of genre trope like David Tate. Actually, I thought that despite my disappointment in what I felt was a lack of synthesis between Tate’s motivations of those of the politically minded Bridge Butcher, the character was portrayed by both Eric Lange and the writers and directors quite well, but Elle’s line just felt so right to parody there. Anyway, throughout the beginning of the episode I grew increasingly mournful over what steadily resembled a very well produced series that looked more and more like a weaker version of Se7en. But...
- 9/19/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
By the standards of The Bridge, a show that regularly juggles multiple story lines, crimes, and border crossings, the latest episode was notable for its narrative focus. The writers zeroed in on a single story line and technically, only a few things happened. But those things were major.A crazy man, David Tate, strapped on a bomb and threatened to blow up a bridge. Sonya Cross prevented Marco Ruiz from shooting that crazy man. And Gustavo Ruiz, Marco Ruiz’s only son, died far too soon, in a most heartbreaking, haunting fashion. That death — which, up until the last third of the episode called “Take the Ride, Pay the Toll,” seemed like it might be prevented — was upsetting, but not really surprising. This is a show that marinades in the melancholy. For Sonya’s sudden realization that Gus was trapped in a water-filled barrel nestled behind the walls of the...
- 9/19/2013
- by Jen Chaney
- Vulture
David Tate's meticulously orchestrated plan finally came to its climax in "Take the Ride, Pay the Toll" - with devastating results.
He spent years after his wife and son's death planning his revenge against those that he held responsible. With a scheme in place, the police were no match for him. He succeeded in tormenting Marco in the worst possible way.
I wondered after "Old Friends" if Tate wanted Marco to have his gun in order to kill Daniel Frye. That ended up being the case, though it was much more complicated than that. It all goes back to the bridge and the death of his family.
Tate was serious about getting his revenge, yet had no intention of surviving. The bomb vest wasn't there to protect his life as much as it was to make sure he wasn't killed before his plan was completed. He wanted to see...
He spent years after his wife and son's death planning his revenge against those that he held responsible. With a scheme in place, the police were no match for him. He succeeded in tormenting Marco in the worst possible way.
I wondered after "Old Friends" if Tate wanted Marco to have his gun in order to kill Daniel Frye. That ended up being the case, though it was much more complicated than that. It all goes back to the bridge and the death of his family.
Tate was serious about getting his revenge, yet had no intention of surviving. The bomb vest wasn't there to protect his life as much as it was to make sure he wasn't killed before his plan was completed. He wanted to see...
- 9/19/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
A quick review of tonight's "The Bridge" coming right up... I said last week that I might be skipping over the next few episodes of this first season because of the rush of new shows debuting, but as I've been cooped up in the hospital recovering from my appendectomy, I got a chance to watch "Take the Ride, Pay the Toll" and figured I'd at least provide an outlet for people to discuss the resolution of the David Tate story. With two episodes left to go in the season, Gus dies, Daniel Frye is very badly injured and Sonya prevents Marco...
- 9/19/2013
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
A weekly feature in which we spotlight shining stars
The Performer | Matthew Lillard
The Show | The Bridge
The Airdate | Sept. 11, 2013
The Performance | Shaggy’s no joke anymore. Matthew Lillard, best known for playing Scooby-Doo’s attitude-adjusted pal, has turned his coke-addled, alcoholic Daniel Frye into the most sympathetic character on The Bridge. In a show led by the phenomenal Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir, Lillard stands out for his ability to make his man-child journalist at once relatable, contemptible and pitiable.
Lillard’s two scenes this week were the gin-soaked cherry on top of a terrific season of work. In the first,...
The Performer | Matthew Lillard
The Show | The Bridge
The Airdate | Sept. 11, 2013
The Performance | Shaggy’s no joke anymore. Matthew Lillard, best known for playing Scooby-Doo’s attitude-adjusted pal, has turned his coke-addled, alcoholic Daniel Frye into the most sympathetic character on The Bridge. In a show led by the phenomenal Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir, Lillard stands out for his ability to make his man-child journalist at once relatable, contemptible and pitiable.
Lillard’s two scenes this week were the gin-soaked cherry on top of a terrific season of work. In the first,...
- 9/14/2013
- by Team TVLine
- TVLine.com
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
“Old Friends” was by no means a bad episode. Frankly the creative forces behind this show are clearly far too skilled to produce anything thoroughly sub-par. But the primary plot of “Old Friends,” David Tate’s abduction of Marco’s son, Gus, and his subsequent exchanges with Marco, while done as well as these things can be done I suppose, felt like the most mediocre thing the series has done all season. Meanwhile, the episode’s strongest beats came from its secondary plots of Daniel Frye’s continued struggle with sobriety and Charlotte Millwright’s continued descent into criminality and moral transgression. Every actor on the show knocks it out of the park, the writers provide them with top-notch material, and the director conveys the story with pitch-perfect style, but it terms of long-term plot structure I can’t help but be disappointed in where the...
“Old Friends” was by no means a bad episode. Frankly the creative forces behind this show are clearly far too skilled to produce anything thoroughly sub-par. But the primary plot of “Old Friends,” David Tate’s abduction of Marco’s son, Gus, and his subsequent exchanges with Marco, while done as well as these things can be done I suppose, felt like the most mediocre thing the series has done all season. Meanwhile, the episode’s strongest beats came from its secondary plots of Daniel Frye’s continued struggle with sobriety and Charlotte Millwright’s continued descent into criminality and moral transgression. Every actor on the show knocks it out of the park, the writers provide them with top-notch material, and the director conveys the story with pitch-perfect style, but it terms of long-term plot structure I can’t help but be disappointed in where the...
- 9/13/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
Demian Bichir, Diane Kruger
The Bridge, Season 1, Episode 10: “Old Friends”
Written by Patrick Somerville
Directed by Alex Zakrzewski
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
The reveal of ex-fbi agent David Tate as the mastermind behind the rash of cross-border crimes on this season of The Bridge brought the motivations behind the crimes into focus. What it didn’t bring into focus, however, was the machinations of Tate’s plan, nor did it bring Sonya and Marco any closer to capturing him. The effects of Tate’s actions on the police begin to show this week, as Marco and Sonya react differently to the strain Tate put on them, in a solid episode that manages to keep the tension high despite very little in the way of resolution.
Daniel’s road to sobriety and addiction recovery continues to be a fascinating aspect of the show. While most of the...
The Bridge, Season 1, Episode 10: “Old Friends”
Written by Patrick Somerville
Directed by Alex Zakrzewski
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
The reveal of ex-fbi agent David Tate as the mastermind behind the rash of cross-border crimes on this season of The Bridge brought the motivations behind the crimes into focus. What it didn’t bring into focus, however, was the machinations of Tate’s plan, nor did it bring Sonya and Marco any closer to capturing him. The effects of Tate’s actions on the police begin to show this week, as Marco and Sonya react differently to the strain Tate put on them, in a solid episode that manages to keep the tension high despite very little in the way of resolution.
Daniel’s road to sobriety and addiction recovery continues to be a fascinating aspect of the show. While most of the...
- 9/13/2013
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
“I am a man, a father. This is not a game!” An emotional Marco Ruiz shouted those words in this week’s exceptional episode of The Bridge as he rifled through newly packed dirt, fearing that his only son, Gus, was buried beneath it. Within the context of the story, he was simply responding to Sonya Cross, who insisted that no body would be found in that seemingly fresh grave because manipulative serial killer David Tate — the same egocentric sicko who kidnapped Gus — was “just playing” with Marco. But Marco’s choked-out exclamation also serves as a pretty apt summary of where The Bridge has finally placed us emotionally.At certain points during its first season, we’ve approached The Bridge the same way we process any TV crime story that focuses on a series of murders. We’ve treated it like an elaborate, occasionally grisly puzzle. We’ve played...
- 9/12/2013
- by Jen Chaney
- Vulture
There wasn't much new information revealed in "Old Friends," but several leads and connections were confirmed.
The hunt for David Tate was in full force after Gus' abduction with Sonya forgoing surgery to help Marco track down his son. They are on the killer's trail, but Tate has proved to be formidable. He's planned his revenge in meticulous detail with them finding only the clues he's purposefully left behind.
Marco's life is in ruins. His estranged wife wasn't willing to stand by him even after he saved her life or with Gus missing. She's lost all faith in him as a husband. She's pushed him away, which has left him with nothing but his son. That put Marco in an emotionally vulnerable situation that allowed him to put aside reason and take off on his own to meet with Tate.
Tate set up the situation for Alma and the girls to be rescued,...
The hunt for David Tate was in full force after Gus' abduction with Sonya forgoing surgery to help Marco track down his son. They are on the killer's trail, but Tate has proved to be formidable. He's planned his revenge in meticulous detail with them finding only the clues he's purposefully left behind.
Marco's life is in ruins. His estranged wife wasn't willing to stand by him even after he saved her life or with Gus missing. She's lost all faith in him as a husband. She's pushed him away, which has left him with nothing but his son. That put Marco in an emotionally vulnerable situation that allowed him to put aside reason and take off on his own to meet with Tate.
Tate set up the situation for Alma and the girls to be rescued,...
- 9/12/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
So let’s do a quick recap: The Beast is David Tate who is Kenneth Hastings; Marco was friends with Hastings and had an affair with his wife, who died in a car crash – along with her and Hasting’s son – whilst crossing the Bridge of the Americas to be with Marco; and now Hastings is having an affair with Alma, Marco’s wife, with as yet unknown intentions. Everybody caught up? Good, because if you don’t know this stuff than the opening scene of “The Beetle” won’t have nearly the same emotional weight. Having had his identity revealed in the previous episode, we now spend a good portion of the hour with Hastings, which is quite the interesting ride. The first scene takes us back to the accident that killed his wife and son. Everything is muted and slowed down – a terrific effect to really take is...
- 9/6/2013
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Because of episodes like “The Beetle” I’ve found The Bridge to sometimes be a difficult show to critique. This episode was one the direction of which I feel somewhat detracts from one of the series’ strongest aspects, the dynamic sociopolitical atmosphere comprised of the juxtaposition of the economic and cultural disparity between the U.S. and Mexico, and their close physical proximity. However, that being said, even when an episode detours from this motif to explore a more specific element, in this case the recently revealed identity of The Bridge Butcher, David Tate, it does so with such deft momentum and balance among other plots that I can hardly hold it against the series, especially with so much of the season left to unfold. “The Beetle” may have diverged from the grander scope of the show to take a closer look at its specific plot,...
Because of episodes like “The Beetle” I’ve found The Bridge to sometimes be a difficult show to critique. This episode was one the direction of which I feel somewhat detracts from one of the series’ strongest aspects, the dynamic sociopolitical atmosphere comprised of the juxtaposition of the economic and cultural disparity between the U.S. and Mexico, and their close physical proximity. However, that being said, even when an episode detours from this motif to explore a more specific element, in this case the recently revealed identity of The Bridge Butcher, David Tate, it does so with such deft momentum and balance among other plots that I can hardly hold it against the series, especially with so much of the season left to unfold. “The Beetle” may have diverged from the grander scope of the show to take a closer look at its specific plot,...
- 9/6/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
The Bridge, Season 1, Episode 9: “The Beetle”
Written by Elwood Reid
Directed by Keith Gordon
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
After last week’s reveal of David Tate/Kenneth Hastings as the mastermind behind most of the killings in Sonya and Marco’s main investigation, it is only fitting that “The Beetle” focuses most of its attention on Kenneth Hastings and his plan. As David Tate, he was a brilliant FBI agent who wanted to investigate the innumerable murders and pink crosses in Juarez but was blocked by bureaucracy. This is the cause that he has been highlighting in his murders so far, but “The Beetle” would have us see those killings and their accompanying social and political statements as mere distractions from his real plan: torture Marco Ruiz for the death of Tate’s wife and son. And this is the true disappointment of The Bridge. The...
Written by Elwood Reid
Directed by Keith Gordon
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
After last week’s reveal of David Tate/Kenneth Hastings as the mastermind behind most of the killings in Sonya and Marco’s main investigation, it is only fitting that “The Beetle” focuses most of its attention on Kenneth Hastings and his plan. As David Tate, he was a brilliant FBI agent who wanted to investigate the innumerable murders and pink crosses in Juarez but was blocked by bureaucracy. This is the cause that he has been highlighting in his murders so far, but “The Beetle” would have us see those killings and their accompanying social and political statements as mere distractions from his real plan: torture Marco Ruiz for the death of Tate’s wife and son. And this is the true disappointment of The Bridge. The...
- 9/5/2013
- by Katherine Springer
- SoundOnSight
David Tate is a disturbed, vengeful, murderous bastard. We knew this as of last week’s episode of The Bridge, when we realized Tate is the Bridge Butcher, as well as a man pretending to be Kenneth Hasting, and a vengeful widower who lost his wife and son in a terrible car accident, and someone who has it in for Marco Ruiz, who was sleeping with that wife just before she died. This week’s episode further confirmed all of that information. But it also introduced this notion: that plenty of other relatively decent people in El Paso can just as easily be driven to kill. Cesar put a bullet in Graciela Rivera’s henchman without giving it much more than a millisecond of thought. Charlotte Millwright then followed up by shoving a pitchfork directly into Graciela’s torso, ensuring that she’ll never bump off another defenseless horse or...
- 9/5/2013
- by Jen Chaney
- Vulture
What is David Tate's plan?
The opening scene of his wife's death was heartbreaking to watch. It was easy to feel for him in that moment, but that quickly went away due to his more recent actions. He's killed plenty of people, including some that were close to him. He's tortured others, like Daniel Frye and Marco. But ... what is his endgame?
With his love affair with Alma, he was taking Marco's wife away from him. I thought he might try to replace his family by winning Alma's heart, but that wasn't to be. Tate just used Alma to torture Marco with no regard for her at all.
Or did he? In "The Beetle," he may have put a grenade in her hands, but he willingly gave Marco the information necessary to save her and the girls. He didn't want to kill her. Her abduction was just the appetizer.
The opening scene of his wife's death was heartbreaking to watch. It was easy to feel for him in that moment, but that quickly went away due to his more recent actions. He's killed plenty of people, including some that were close to him. He's tortured others, like Daniel Frye and Marco. But ... what is his endgame?
With his love affair with Alma, he was taking Marco's wife away from him. I thought he might try to replace his family by winning Alma's heart, but that wasn't to be. Tate just used Alma to torture Marco with no regard for her at all.
Or did he? In "The Beetle," he may have put a grenade in her hands, but he willingly gave Marco the information necessary to save her and the girls. He didn't want to kill her. Her abduction was just the appetizer.
- 9/5/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
After last week's big reveal on FX's The Bridge -- in which viewers learned the killer was none other than "Kenneth Hastings" (a.k.a. David Tate), the co-worker who's been romancing the wife of Det. Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir) -- one looming question remains: What is Tate's endgame? Is he motivated merely by a personal vendetta against Marco (who was having an affair with Tate's wife when she was killed in a car crash years prior), or is there a larger political agenda to his actions?
Both, according to Eric Lange, who plays the murderer. "The personal is political," Lange tells TVGuide.com.
Read More >...
Both, according to Eric Lange, who plays the murderer. "The personal is political," Lange tells TVGuide.com.
Read More >...
- 9/4/2013
- by Liz Raftery
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Last week, I touched a little on how The Bridge could end its central mystery and the show could continue on without much stumbling about because the characters and the world they live in are so rich. That idea is being strongly tested now that “Vendetta” has bit the bullet and revealed, once and for all, who The Beast is. There are no take backs this time, no more red herrings. Childress was never our guy – that much we could guess from the clues left in last week’s episode – but where do we go from here now that we know whom the real killer is? The mystery of The Beast isn’t quite over yet and there are still cracks to be filled in regards to other on going storylines. The question now is: can The Bridge tie it all together?
Let’s talk about the reveal that Alma’s new lover,...
Let’s talk about the reveal that Alma’s new lover,...
- 8/30/2013
- by Brody Gibson
- Boomtron
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I’m glad “Vendetta” didn’t waste any time in attempting to persuade the audience that Jack Childress is The Bridge Butcher. Not only that, but the actual identity of the Butcher was revealed. David Tate, an unstable ex-federal agent who lost his wife and and child in a car crash involving a playboy and old party friend of Daniel Frye’s (yay for him surviving his seizure!), faked his suicide and adopted the name of an old rival of Childress’ under which he’s not only been working with and slowly (yet successfully) wooing Marco’s wife (Ruiz had been the man with whom Tate’s wife was having an affair), but also preparing to pull off one of the most elaborate and homicidal political statements ever orchestrated.
Tate’s a good fit for the role of the major antagonist. His past in the F.
I’m glad “Vendetta” didn’t waste any time in attempting to persuade the audience that Jack Childress is The Bridge Butcher. Not only that, but the actual identity of the Butcher was revealed. David Tate, an unstable ex-federal agent who lost his wife and and child in a car crash involving a playboy and old party friend of Daniel Frye’s (yay for him surviving his seizure!), faked his suicide and adopted the name of an old rival of Childress’ under which he’s not only been working with and slowly (yet successfully) wooing Marco’s wife (Ruiz had been the man with whom Tate’s wife was having an affair), but also preparing to pull off one of the most elaborate and homicidal political statements ever orchestrated.
Tate’s a good fit for the role of the major antagonist. His past in the F.
- 8/30/2013
- by Joseph Kratzer
- Obsessed with Film
The Bridge, Season 1, Episode 8: “Vendetta”
Written by Fernanda Coppel
Directed by Norberto Barba
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
More than halfway through its debut season, The Bridge has finally revealed its long-teased baddie and his dark intentions. Except that, after a substantial buildup of intriguing socio-political motivations, it seems that was all a smokescreen to lure Marco Ruiz north of the border so our villain could set into motion his far more personal, and far less interesting, revenge-fueled plan. With the various criminal factions at work so far this season, one could easily be forgiven for being confused after this reveal. There’s the immigrant- and now gun-smuggling group, who seem to have some connection one generation back with Marco, there’s the Beast, the nameless man or men slaughtering young women in Jaurez, there’s Jack Childress, who kidnapped Maria and tied her up in the desert (potentially?...
Written by Fernanda Coppel
Directed by Norberto Barba
Airs Wednesdays at 10pm Est on FX
More than halfway through its debut season, The Bridge has finally revealed its long-teased baddie and his dark intentions. Except that, after a substantial buildup of intriguing socio-political motivations, it seems that was all a smokescreen to lure Marco Ruiz north of the border so our villain could set into motion his far more personal, and far less interesting, revenge-fueled plan. With the various criminal factions at work so far this season, one could easily be forgiven for being confused after this reveal. There’s the immigrant- and now gun-smuggling group, who seem to have some connection one generation back with Marco, there’s the Beast, the nameless man or men slaughtering young women in Jaurez, there’s Jack Childress, who kidnapped Maria and tied her up in the desert (potentially?...
- 8/29/2013
- by Kate Kulzick
- SoundOnSight
It took some time, but all the seemingly unrelated threads on The Bridge have come together to create a nice and neat bow.
Okay, it might not be nice or neat, but the killer now has name thanks to Sonya's diligence. And the viewers were let in on the reason behind his "Vendetta" and his chosen targets. There's still much to be figured out, but this hour was a positive turn for the series.
The Bridge took a slow route to get to the reveal of David Tate as the killer, but it was well worth the wait. When the season is over, it would be interesting to go back from the beginning to watch the mystery unfold all over again.
While Childress is a killer, he's not the one that Sonya and Marco were chasing. Instead, he was the key to unlocking the real Man on the Phone. If...
Okay, it might not be nice or neat, but the killer now has name thanks to Sonya's diligence. And the viewers were let in on the reason behind his "Vendetta" and his chosen targets. There's still much to be figured out, but this hour was a positive turn for the series.
The Bridge took a slow route to get to the reveal of David Tate as the killer, but it was well worth the wait. When the season is over, it would be interesting to go back from the beginning to watch the mystery unfold all over again.
While Childress is a killer, he's not the one that Sonya and Marco were chasing. Instead, he was the key to unlocking the real Man on the Phone. If...
- 8/29/2013
- by carla@tvfanatic.com (Carla Day)
- TVfanatic
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