The Bridge - Episode 1.05 - The Beast - Preview

     Following Marco's startling meeting with The Bridge Butcher, things aren't slowing down a bit for The Bridge on either side of the border. In the beginning of the episode, Marco is having a good dinner with his family when his partner shows up. She wants to get straight to the beheadings and kidnappings, but Marco isn't as "business 24/7" as Sonya is, so he invites her for dinner. As can be expected, Sonya's proclivity for taking things at face value gets her in to a lot of trouble, especially when she doesn't understand why other people aren't as logical and Spock-ish as she is.  Marco was able to hide his affair from his wife fairly comfortably, that is, until Sonya showed up. As a I predicted in the last episode, it comes right back to bite him in the ass... well more in the back. Let's just say that sleeping on the couch would be better for Marco that what he actually does.

     The next morning, Marco gets right to work (he doesn't have to go very far to get to the office today) and soon discovers that perhaps the FBI isn't as truthful as everyone would like to think. In one of the very core ideas behind the show, The Bridge shows that while there are major amounts of corruption in Mexico, corruption is not hindered in the slightest by the border. Corruption is very alive on the other side of the bridge as well. It's important to realize there is light and dark everywhere.

     Sonya mentions at one point that she desperately wishes that she could bug Daniel Frye's phone. He's still an uncooperative, selfish druggie. Sonya, however, being the bureaucrat that she is, would never attempt to do something illegal. I doubt she even jaywalks to be honest. Unfortunately for her, she was none too careful who she mentioned her secret illegal wish to, because Frye's phone magically appears by way of Marco. It's always enjoyable to see someone who is willing to break the law in order for justice and watch someone like Sonya complain about it. Luckily, Sonya has the sense to keep a hold of it for a while, just enough time to talk with The Butcher.

     While Marco and Sonya are doing the best they can with dealing with a suspected cover up, we are introduced to a new story line. A seemingly innocent teenage girl is arrested for shoplifting in El Paso only to be bailed out by her father. I can't say a whole lot about her story without spoiling it, but she crosses the show's namesake and gets into a serious amount of trouble that by the end of the episode intertwines her story with the bigger picture.

    Back over to The Bridge's resident weirdo, Steven Linder is awfully busy these days. Linder's parts of the episode were, however, by far the best. Everyone suspects that Linder is the Bridge Butcher. Marco seems to be sure of it and no one is ready to rule him out, but this episode would seem to sway people away from this thought. While ironing clothes in his underwear (not exactly a pretty site), the man that was searching for him in the last few episodes is able to find him. His response to the attack can only be described as bumbling. He's not cunning, quick, and if the few scenes he's got so far are any indication, he's not even all that smart. Linder's scenes are done fantastically well. He doesn't get enough screen time to eliminate him as the killer, but he's given few enough scenes to make him seem mysterious. While Linder isn't a "neat monster" like Dexter, I think it's safe to say that he isn't exactly Sheriff Andy Griffith either.

     Overall, I thought this episode was the best so far, and I'm not just saying that. I've given each of these first 5 episodes good reviews, but I think this episode just has something that the other's didn't. I can't quite put my finger on it, but this episode didn't just feel like good TV. This episode felt like it could be real life. The danger felt real and so did the characters. When a TV show can do that it, it isn't just good TV, it's superb. 

Rating: 9.9/10


Tune in to The Bridge on Wednesday @ 10/9c on FX Network. Be sure to come back here to SpoilerTV to let everyone else know what you thought of the episode.

Check out my previous previews of The Bridge.

 Episode 1.01
 Episode 1.02 
 Episode 1.03 
 Episode 1.04

Also give Pascal Buijnsters' quote teasers a read and see if you can guess who the quotes came from.