The acclaimed Scandinavian crime drama The Bridge (originally titled Broen/Bron) is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. The series, which has inspired seven international adaptations, follows a joint investigation between Swedish police detective Saga Norén and her Danish counterpart Martin Rohde after a corpse is discovered on the bridge connecting Malmö and Copenhagen.
The body is found to consist of two halves of two separate women — one a Swedish politician and the other a Danish prostitute. What follows is a dark, intricate investigation involving local authorities, the media and an elusive killer who claims to be committing crimes in order to highlight various social issues — all while the lead detectives contend with their own intertwining personal lives.
Critical Acclaim for the Lead Actors
Both principal characters are the focus of numerous glowing online reviews of The Bridge. Their respective actors, Sofia Helin and Kim Bodnia, are singled out as standouts by one IMDb reviewer, who wrote: "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 continued about the latter, saying: "Her performance is exceptional and you can't help but love her character." Other fans praised Helin's "excellent" portrayal of a character with autism spectrum disorder, with one writing: "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."
Comparisons with The Killing
While varied, online reviews of The Bridge largely share one common thread: many draw comparisons between the 2011 series and The Killing (originally titled Forbrydelsen). Both Scandinavian crime dramas are cornerstones of the genre and have been adapted into English-language versions, yet the parallels don't end there. The two also share a dark colour palette and brooding atmosphere that complement their themes, weave weighty political and social issues into the murder mystery narrative, and unfold at a slow-burning pace rather than adopting the frantic style of killer-chase thrillers.
One fan wrote about The Bridge: "This one is a corker. It's right up there with 'The Killing' - and that's saying a lot."
UK Broadcast and Adaptations
The show enjoyed considerable success in the UK. Following its original broadcast on SVT1 and DR1 in 2011, it was swiftly picked up by BBC Four, with three further series to follow, having transferred to BBC Two by the final instalment.
If, after binge-watching The Bridge, you still find yourself craving more, the good news is there is plenty left to enjoy. Adaptations of the show include The Tunnel (a British and French version set in the tunnel between the two countries), a further rendition of The Bridge (this time spanning El Paso, USA, and Juárez, Mexico, starring Diane Kruger), Most (set across Russia and Estonia), Malaysia and Singapore's own version of The Bridge, Der Pass (set across Germany and Austria), and I Gefyra (spanning Greece and Turkey). All four seasons of The Bridge are now available to watch on Prime Video.
