The pilot episode that premiered on FX was 90 minutes long but I wish it was longer.
The show is called The Bridge because it takes place on the El Paso Texas and Mexican border. When the show begins, a mysterious figure in a car somehow manages to temporarily cut off all security systems at the border crossing, and when the cameras pop back on, a body is seen on the border line. One half on the American side and one half on the Mexican side. This is when two detectives from either country first meet. The Mexican detective is a rough-looking cowboy who has been around the block and the American detective is a pretty blonde who has no social skills and whose life seems to revolve around detective work. These two detectives argue about who gets the investigation and it is ultimately decided that the Americans will get the case because the dead girl is American and the suspected car that dropped her off had Texas plates. But when forensics experts attempt to move the body, they discover that it is cut in half at the waist, and upon further investigation, they realize that the top half and the bottom half belong to two separate women. One half from Mexico and the other half from America. So now the Mexican detective and American detective must work together to catch this serial killer operating on both sides of the border.
The most compelling conflict exists with the drug cartels on the Mexican side of the bridge. This murderer captures young, attractive girls for his kills but because the cartels also deal in human trafficking and prostitution, the detectives have to tread carefully. The good thing about this show is that when they eventually catch this serial killer, more conflicts can arise from that story.
With pilot episodes, I usually grade on a curve because everyone on the show is going in cold rather than being in a grove but this pilot was flat out good episode. Like Breaking Bad, I consider this show to be a modern western with gun-slinging cowboys on either side of the bridge. Diane Kruger plays the American detective and Demian Bichir plays the Mexican detective. It was great casting for both rolls and great acting by the two actors. I am more than hooked on this show and you will be to when everyone begins to rave about it.
The show airs on Wednesday’s at 10pm on FX. Watch it!