Parents' Guide to

The Bridge

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gritty drama takes its time with a dark, complicated crime.

TV FX Drama 2013
The Bridge Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

viper_wings
viper_wings Adult
April 18, 2015
age 15+

A absolute No No --- Watch original instead

Every good script from Europe is rewritten for the USA Stop that The original is by all means ,also in this case , superior . Also it is very very good for USA viewers to watch European series . The world is much bigger than the USA
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When a disturbed serial killer places the lifeless body of a Texas judge dead center on THE BRIDGE that connects the cities of El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico -- formally known as the Bridge of the Americas -- a pair of detectives with vastly different styles must work together to solve the crime. But American Det. Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger), a rigid rule-follower with Asperger syndrome, has trouble meshing with Mexican Det. Marco Ruiz (Demián Bichir), whose comparatively fluid approach puts her out of her comfort zone.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Americans love a good crime drama, and The Bridge -- adapted from a Danish/Swedish series of the same name -- is definitely good enough to hook them. (In fact, the first big plot twist is so unbelievably twisted that we can't give it away here in good conscience, except to say that it takes the concept of 50-50 to a whole new level.) That said, Diane Kruger's Sonya Cross could be a tougher sell, not just because of her autistic quirks but also because her inconsistent accent takes away from her character's credibility.

The show's slow-moving story could be a turnoff for some viewers who prefer faster pacing, and The Bridge probably won't attract too many teens. But thanks to deft work from Homeland writer Meredith Stiehm, there's plenty of payoff if you stick with it to see how the seemingly unconnected story lines shake out in the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about autism spectrum disorders like Asperger syndrome and how they're portrayed in the media. How does Sonya compare to other autistic characters you've seen in movies, television, books, etc.? Do you know anyone with autism? How accurately does The Bridge reflect the realities of living with the condition?

  • In terms of violent content, how do the visuals here compare to other crimes shows you've seen? How realistic is it to think that crimes like those seen on The Bridge could occur in real life? What's the show's overall take on crime and the effectiveness of law enforcement?

  • The Bridge was inspired by the Danish/Swedish television series Bron. Using the internet to learn more about the original series, compare it to the U.S. version to see which details were changed to suit American audiences and which details stayed the same. Why might the producers of the American series have decided to make the changes they did? How do those changes affect the final product?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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