The Bridge, a Scandinavian crime drama with a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is now available to stream on Prime Video in the UK. The series, originally titled Broen/Bron, is set on the border between Sweden and Denmark, where the discovery of a dead body on the bridge linking Malmö and Copenhagen sparks a joint investigation.
Swedish detective Saga Norén and her Danish counterpart Martin Rohde lead the probe, only to find the body is actually two halves of two separate women: a Swedish politician and a Danish prostitute. The case unfolds into a dark, complex investigation involving local authorities, the media, and an evasive killer who claims to be committing crimes to draw attention to social problems, all while the detectives manage their own colliding lives.
Critics and Fans Praise the Leads
Both main characters are focal points of positive fan reviews. One IMDb reviewer praised the acting, writing: "acting is first rate, especially that of the two leads, Kim Bodnia, who plays Martin Rohde and the utterly brilliant Sofia Helin, who plays the clever but quirky Saga Noren." They added: "Her performance is exceptional and you can't help but love her character."
Other viewers lauded Helin's portrayal of a character with autism spectrum disorder. One wrote: "Helin’s interpretation of a police officer with Autism spectrum disorder, Asperger type, was just excellent. Without a doubt, one of the best performances I've ever seen, made by a non-autistic actress/actor."
A Slow-Burn Classic Compared to The Killing
Online reviews frequently note similarities between The Bridge and The Killing (originally Forbrydelsen). Both Scandinavian crime dramas are benchmarks of their kind, adapted into English-language versions, and share a dark colour palette, heavy political and social themes, and a slow-burning pace. One fan wrote: "This one is a corker. It's right up there with 'The Killing' - and that's saying a lot."
The show originally aired on SVT1 and DR1 in 2011, then broadcast on BBC Four, with three more seasons following, moving to BBC Two by the final one.
Seven Adaptations and All Seasons Streaming
The Bridge's influence spans seven foreign adaptations, including The Tunnel (British and French), another The Bridge (between El Paso and Juárez, starring Diane Kruger), Most (Russia and Estonia), Malaysia and Singapore's The Bridge, Der Pass (Germany and Austria), and I Gefyra (Greece and Turkey). All four seasons are now available to watch on Prime Video.
