‘The Bridge: The Complete Season Three’ DVD Review
With my main experience of The Bridge coming from one of its remakes, The Tunnel, I did wonder if it would be a mistake jumping straight in with The Bridge: The Complete Season Three. Thankfully I found that it was a very good move to make…
When a woman is found murdered and placed in an elaborately constructed family scene, Saga (Sofia Helin) is once again tasked with working with a new Danish colleague to work on the case. When the first choice is killed while on duty though, her new colleague Henrik (Thure Lindhardt) is a better fit.
While I should have watched the first two seasons of The Bridge to get acclimatised to this one I’m glad to say that season three is easy to jump into. This is very much a show centred around Saga and Sofia Helin’s excellent performance as the unique detective. The teaming up with Henrik makes for an interesting change, especially when they are both haunted by their pasts.
This duo will fast become one of your favourite detective teams though of course Saga is the one that will suck you in. Her robotic like persona is interesting because it isn’t that she is emotionless, but the opposite. Helin plays the character in a way that the emotions can be seen, but they are as if they are all hidden behind the eyes of the actress. She panics a lot; she fears many things but does her best to not show anything outwardly. This leads to her almost robotic persona, but also makes her surprisingly easy to relate to and care about.
The character of Henrik – played by Thure Lindhardt – is different because his “issue” is very much of his own design, but brought on by his haunted past. Still searching for his family after their disappearance years before, his use of narcotics to control his sleeping patterns creates yet another interesting character. This dark and emotional character coupled with Saga’s extreme logic that she uses as a shield, they are a very interesting mix.
With these two characters going up against each other in their partnership roles you can sometimes be forgiven that there is a series of murders to solve. This is a typical Nordic Noir dark story that is full of twists. Each time it appears to be solved, it is just yet another step along a carefully planned path to the conclusion of the story. I will admit that I did work out who it was before it ended, but this didn’t ruin my enjoyment of The Bridge. The truth is the main story sits slightly in the shadows of the story of Saga and Henrik.
There are many “Bridges” in the third season of The Bridge but the main theme that connects them is family. Whether it is Henrik’s search for his family, the family connections in the new case or Saga’s family history which comes to play in this season it is all about building bridges and destroying them. In the end Saga’s is the most devastating and menacing, with the appearance of her mother, and the reminders of her past. A past that has devastating effects on Saga’s life.
The Bridge: The Complete Season Three is a very good release, not just for fans of Nordic Noir or The Bridge, but fans of good television. Engrossing, emotionally driven, and very well written, The Bridge proves just why Nordic Noir has the reputation does. Quite simply this is a must see, especially if you need something to watch over Christmas.
***** 5/5
The Bridge: The Complete Season Three is available on Blu-ray and DVD now.
