MovieChat Forums > The Bridge (2010) Discussion > Thoughts on first episode (no spoilers)

Thoughts on first episode (no spoilers)


Liked it a lot. Aaron Douglas rocks. Only complaint: WAAAAAY too much happened in the first episode. Hopefully that's not going to be the way every episode goes. Probably just over-establishing to start out. Overall, I liked it and I'll keep watching.



Don't sweat the petty things.....and don't pet the sweaty things.

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I must agree, and I also thought it was one big cliche.

B-movies fear me, I am Canadian

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Yeah I agree. I love Douglas but I gotta admit some parts were just too confusing. Too much was happening. I guess it's the pilot/first ep syndrome. They wanna hook people in so they put in everything they can to appeal to the audience.

White noise at maximum decibels,a powerful continuous hiss to drown out everything strange.

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It's a pilot that sets up the series.

It was also a double episode.


My only complaint was Aaron Douglas's whole screaming crap. He needs to find a way to sound aggressive without just screaming the whole time, or else it'll turn into Jack Bauer/Batman crap.

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At first it seemed too much like a Shield wannabe. But then it grew on me.

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As I'm not a fan of CSI's 'Let's write this so a retarded gerbil can understand it' approach, I actually enjoyed the mutiple plot threads written into the pilot of The Bridge. It doesn't insult the viewers intelligence.

And as someone said, it's a double episode. Each hour can be aired seperately in syndication or reruns and still make sense.

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The 'lesbian' cop - Likely a bisexual cop who is currently in a lesbian relationship.

The lead's affair with the lawyer - I'll give you that one. That one is a tv cliche.

The 'WE OWN THIS CITY!' line? Showmanship for the benefit of the troops by the new union head. Quite possibly, contextually, the most realistic line in the pilot.

As you said, different sensibilities. Me, I couldn't stand The Wire, or at least the two episodes I watched.

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Second episode was great, just wondering the Billy(Theresa Joy) get taken off the streets and put into a detective role?

B-movies fear me, I am Canadian

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I agree, loved the second ep. Billy is part of the 'hold up squad' (did my homework) The 'hold up squad' is an actual division of the Toronto police force, it is apparently one of the most dangerous 'street' divisions investigating 'events involving firearms or offensive weapons violent in nature' .. so basically they are like the hard core, on the streets, out of the office division. nice!

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Wow. Wowowowowowowowow. Defending this and you couldn't stand The Wire which is easily one of the top 10 shows of all time? Wow.

Don't steal. The government hates the competition.

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The series just doesn't know what it wants to be. The scope is just enormous and it does not have the foundations to carry any of it. There are some arcs but they're buried under episodic elements that completely undermine plot-lines that have the potential to grab me for an entire season. Someone mentioned The Wire and perhaps I did too hope that this would stand up to something that incredible but it just isn't happening. Aside from The Bridge's reliance on cliche in lieu of character, The Wire's genius as opposed to this is that everything had consequence and the characters actually learned rather than have their hand held through the plot. Kenard is a beautiful example of this. Judging from this second episode we'll be lucky if we ever see a third of the new characters ever again and it's a shame.

Now, I really liked the first episode. It showed me The Bridge has an incredible potential to convey a dynamic between the newly-appointed Union leader, a ridiculously corrupt department [it's like Serpico's wet dream] and Frank's beloved brothers in blue. Where did all that go? Despite Frank's moan about being over his head, the show is just damn well comfortable with him walking through walls and getting everything accomplished with ease. His cops are murdering psychopaths? Oh well, what the hell. Yes, an innocent man died tragically and meaninglessly, but ten minutes later it's like "who cares?" None of the characters seem to, anyways.

That being said, I will watch the third episode. I am intrigued by what Mike has up his sleeve [though I do not care about the doomed cop he's allegedly protecting], Billy as the fall-girl is sure to result in some kookiness and I like Aaron Douglas to a fault. Tyrol just has that effect on people I guess.

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Many people have drawn (the inevitable) comparisons between "The Bridge" and shows like "The Shield" and even "The Wire" (?!?!?!?!?). But that is really unfair because while "The Shield" and "The Wire" are, at least for me, television masterpieces, and two of the best shows I have ever seen, "The Bridge" is a second hand, ersatz piece of feces...

I won't even dignify talking about "The Bridge" and "The Wire" in this posting! As for being similar to "The Shield"...well the only way "The Bridge" would be comparable is if it had an ounce of the originality, creativity and intensity of that aforementioned show...but since it lacks all of them, then the point is moot!

I feel sorry for Aaron Douglas because he tries really hard to make up for all those deficiencies, but he has nothing and no one to work with!

"Today is the tomorrow I was so worried about yesterday"--Anthony Hopkins

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it's very interesting with people tastes/opinions. it's so diversified.

I watched the Wire and not like it. watched the Shield and think it is okie (but not as good as The Unit, actually not even able to compare. The Unit is in a class of its own)

The Bridge for me is good. better than the other 2 shows. maybe because I do not dig in too deep. I just watch it for entertainment. and this show delivers in a big way.

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I just finished watching the pilot episode . Life rarely happens one thing at a time so why should TV life be any different. Aaron Douglas is great not your tyical square-jawed heroic lead , a regular guy who rose to the battle . The other cast members are allwonderful as well and react much as I believe real people would.

Paul Popvich of Catwalk fame is perfect as his low-key partner who knows the price of being the tallest giant and making noise. He tries to warn Leo, but like most stubborn heroes , he believes it can and must be done. Overall this and Flashpoint are quickly becoming my new favorite shows. While some here feel that its simple and been there, done that its the undercurrents that make me want to see more. First DeGrassi then Flashpoint and now The Bridge. Please keep it up its a change from the weapons, drugs and shootout heavy cookie cutter plots of U.S. TV. Yeah the pilot is a little basic but it is a pilot -gotta start from somewhere.

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