All four seasons of the acclaimed Swedish-Danish crime series The Bridge are now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. The show, which has inspired seven international remakes, is being hailed by fans as essential viewing for devotees of crime dramas like The Killing.
Premise and plot
Originally known as Broen/Bron, the series straddles the border between Sweden and Denmark, with the discovery of a corpse on the bridge connecting Malmö and Copenhagen triggering a joint investigation between Swedish detective Saga Norén and her Danish counterpart Martin Rohde.
The "body" is subsequently revealed to comprise two halves belonging to two different women - one a Swedish politician, the other a Danish prostitute. What unfolds is a dark and intricate investigation drawing in local authorities, the media, and an elusive killer who claims to be carrying out crimes to highlight various social issues - all while the two lead detectives navigate their own intertwining personal lives.
Critical acclaim and performances
Both central characters feature prominently in glowing online reviews of The Bridge. Their respective performers, Sofia Helin and Kim Bodnia, are singled out for praise 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 added: "Her performance is exceptional and you can't help but love her character." Other fans praised Helin's "excellent" depiction of a character on the autism spectrum, with one commenting: "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 to The Killing
While varied, online critiques of The Bridge largely share one common thread: viewers note parallels between the 2011 series and The Killing (originally titled Forbrydelsen). Both Scandinavian crime dramas represent gold standards within their genre and have spawned English-language remakes, though the similarities extend beyond that.
The two programmes also employ a dark visual aesthetic and mood that complement the subject matter explored, incorporate substantial political and social themes into the murder-mystery narrative, and progress at a deliberately measured tempo rather than adopting a frenetic killer-pursuit format. One fan said about The Bridge: "This one is a corker. It's right up there with 'The Killing' - and that's saying a lot."
Broadcast history and adaptations
The Bridge's run in Britain proved highly successful. Following its initial broadcast on SVT1 and DR1 in 2011, it quickly arrived on BBC Four, with three additional series following, having transferred to BBC Two by the final instalment.
The show has inspired numerous adaptations, including The Tunnel (a British and French version set in the tunnel between the two countries), another The Bridge (this time spanning El Paso, USA, and Juárez, Mexico, featuring Diane Kruger), Most (set between Russia and Estonia), Malaysia and Singapore's The Bridge, Der Pass (between Germany and Austria), and I Gefyra (connecting Greece and Turkey). All four seasons of The Bridge are currently available to stream on Prime Video.
