The Bridge/Broen/Bron
Posted by: Kevin-W on 06 January 2014
So, is anyone watching it? And what do you think?
Just watched the first two eps, after missing it on Saturday.
I have to say it is utterly magnificent.
The first two episodes were faultless. First of all, there are the two leads, Saga and Martin, from opposite sides of the Øresund Bridge, and opposite sides of the emotional spectrum. But their relationship is deeply touching, and very real. Kim Bodnia and Sofia Helin are just brilliant. And Saga's constant looks of puzzlement are wonderful.
Then there's the way it looks - magnificently gloomy, with gorgeous muted photography and some wonderful compositions (many involving the bridge itself).
There's also humour, mostly involving Saga's emotional coldness and social ineptitude, and her blundering efforts to be "normal" (the forced laughs, immersing herself in textbooks on relationships). I loved the scene where, just after being introduced to some new colleagues, she blithely sniffs her armpits, strolls over to her desk, strips off to her bra and replaces her top with an identical one.
And of course there's the plotting, which is full of tension and will doubtless contain more twists and turns than an Alpine roadway: there are are lot of herrings in the Baltic, and round the Øresund Bridge, most of them are going to be red. You just know that the aptly-named eco-terrorist Mads isn't going to be the real villain, and will probably meet a grisly end by episode five. You just can't second-guess this series. Great score as well.
And finally, there's super Saga, who has to be one of the great fictional characters of the past 20 years.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, TV is where it's at. Cinema, regretfully, is now an infantile medium largely dying on its arse, thanks to a surfeit of elves, superheroes and CGI trickery, and the pre-eminence of hack directors like Jackson and Cameron. But The Bridge, and Borgen and Madmen... Welles, Dreyer, Renoir and Michael Powell would be proud...
I for one cannot wait for next Saturday.
Nice new avatar Kevin!
it was classic on Saturday.
The two lead characters are just great.
Saturday nights are sorted again for a while. :0)
Thanks Chris - once The Bridge is over, I understand that the fifth series of French cop drama Spiral will be on... 
Here's A A Gill's Review in the Sunday Times Magazine:
Another modern emotionally dysfunctionai detective coupiling has returned too,
with The Bridge. he's a messy avuncular Danish detective,she's a cold Swedish one stuck up some autistic spectrum.Each is a cartoon of their national character as drawn by the other.
And That's a funny idea.The first series was marvellous,the first episode of the second series couldn't
have been more disappointing. It wasn't just dull - it was depressing and dull ,as if it had decided to make a TV show based on the cartoonish stereotypes that the rest of Europe has about Scandinavia.
Never has a second series been so comprehensively hoist by it's own conceit.
Here's A A Gill's Review in the Sunday Times Magazine:
Another modern emotionally dysfunctionai detective coupiling has returned too,
with The Bridge. he's a messy avuncular Danish detective,she's a cold Swedish one stuck up some autistic spectrum.Each is a cartoon of their national character as drawn by the other.
And That's a funny idea.The first series was marvellous,the first episode of the second series couldn't
have been more disappointing. It wasn't just dull - it was depressing and dull ,as if it had decided to make a TV show based on the cartoonish stereotypes that the rest of Europe has about Scandinavia.
Never has a second series been so comprehensively hoist by it's own conceit.
Gill's contrarian schtick, which was fitfully amusing back in the 1990s, is now just tiresome.
My Danish friend Maria Christina tells me that Scandies love The Bridge because the two leads are in fact archetypes of how the two countries see each other: Martin the Dane is chaotic, over-emotional, contemptuous of rules and thinks too much, Saga the Swede is cold, steely, socially awkward and does everything by the book.
Here's A A Gill's Review in the Sunday Times Magazine:
Another modern emotionally dysfunctionai detective coupiling has returned too,
with The Bridge. he's a messy avuncular Danish detective,she's a cold Swedish one stuck up some autistic spectrum.Each is a cartoon of their national character as drawn by the other.
And That's a funny idea.The first series was marvellous,the first episode of the second series couldn't
have been more disappointing. It wasn't just dull - it was depressing and dull ,as if it had decided to make a TV show based on the cartoonish stereotypes that the rest of Europe has about Scandinavia.
Never has a second series been so comprehensively hoist by it's own conceit.
Gill's contrarian schtick, which was fitfully amusing back in the 1990s, is now just tiresome.
My Danish friend Maria Christina tells me that Scandies love The Bridge because the two leads are in fact archetypes of how the two countries see each other: Martin the Dane is chaotic, over-emotional, contemptuous of rules and thinks too much, Saga the Swede is cold, steely, socially awkward and does everything by the book.
Your Danish friend and the Sunday Times seem to be in total agreement concerning their description of the main characters, they just have differing opinions regarding the merit of these characters.
Strange we British haven't produced something similar but with English and Scotch characters. What's not to like about the archetypal Scotsman. 
Your Danish friend and the Sunday Times seem to be in total agreement concerning their description of the main characters, they just have differing opinions regarding the merit of these characters.
Strange we British haven't produced something similar but with English and Scotch characters. What's not to like about the archetypal Scotsman.
Indeed FC - what's not to like?
Indeed FC - what's not to like?
LOL
That's a Scotsman idea of a Scotsman. Hence a frying pan not a milk pan.
The Bridge really isn't half bad and as much as I enjoyed both seasons I just couldn't come to terms with Saga. I just could't believe in the character. Martin however is very good 
For me the very best crime drama to be produced in the last years has to be another Danish series: Forbrytelsen. Sarah Lund is just sensational - and so are all three seasons!
The Bridge really isn't half bad and as much as I enjoyed both seasons I just couldn't come to terms with Saga. I just could't believe in the character. Martin however is very good For me the very best crime drama to be produced in the last years has to be another Danish series: Forbrytelsen. Sarah Lund is just sensational - and so are all three seasons!
How can you say that Saga is not believable? Most of my girlfriends have been like her! 
I really, really liked The Killing/Forbrydelsen but I have to say that it is blown out of the water by both The Bridge AND Borgen, although the latter is not a crime series; unless, of course, you regard Danish coalition politics as criminal activity...
The Bridge really isn't half bad and as much as I enjoyed both seasons I just couldn't come to terms with Saga. I just could't believe in the character. Martin however is very good For me the very best crime drama to be produced in the last years has to be another Danish series: Forbrytelsen. Sarah Lund is just sensational - and so are all three seasons!
How can you say that Saga is not believable? Most of my girlfriends have been like her!
Haha
I really, really liked The Killing/Forbrydelsen but I have to say that it is blown out of the water by both The Bridge AND Borgen, although the latter is not a crime series; unless, of course, you regard Danish coalition politics as criminal activity...
I can actually understand why some may prefer Broen; it's more action, and the episodes evolves in a more hectic way - from crisis to crisis. Forbrydelsen however, is so much more clever; the plot, the political context which is so well laid out - almost a drama in itself. The actors are also on another level - at least it's easily observed if one are familiar with the Danish language.
I have yet to watch Borgen though But I am looking forward to it!
The Bridge really isn't half bad and as much as I enjoyed both seasons I just couldn't come to terms with Saga. I just could't believe in the character. Martin however is very good For me the very best crime drama to be produced in the last years has to be another Danish series: Forbrytelsen. Sarah Lund is just sensational - and so are all three seasons!
+1 fra mig ogsaa ! ATB Peter
None of them a patch on 'Taggart' though.........
G
I can actually understand why some may prefer Broen; it's more action, and the episodes evolves in a more hectic way - from crisis to crisis. Forbrydelsen however, is so much more clever; the plot, the political context which is so well laid out - almost a drama in itself. The actors are also on another level - at least it's easily observed if one are familiar with the Danish language.
I have yet to watch Borgen though But I am looking forward to it!
The thing about Broen (at least the second series, which is airing here at the moment) is that for me it's all about the relationship between Saga and Martin. I'm not really sure that anyone watches it for the "action"...