Courtesy of FX
After the visual heights of last week’s fetishization episode, The Bridge returns with arguably its most plot driven episode as we learn the true identity of the Bridge Butcher.
Let’s bitch it out…So now we know. Alma’s (Catalina Sandino Moreno) co-worker and new lover, Kenneth Hastings (Eric Lange) is actually disgraced FBI agent David Tate AKA the Bridge Butcher.
It’s far too easy to say that I’m not surprised by this reveal, though I will say that I spent a fair amount of time last week wondering why The Bridge dedicated so much time on Alma’s B-plot.
Perhaps instead of “surprised” I should say that I’m satisfied. In many ways, it’s a solid narrative choice because it ties together a few disparate storylines and reinforces why Marco (Demián Bichir) has factored so significantly into these crimes. If nothing else, we know now why Marco survived his encounter with the killer at the end of 1×04 ‘Maria Of The Desert’. It had nothing to do with his cartel connections as we suspected at the time. It’s because David Tate intends on making Marco suffer a great deal more…likely by killing his wife.
There is one significant aspect of this reveal that fails to satisfy and that’s the reason behind Tate’s decision to reveal himself. As Hank (Ted Levine) explains upon entering the crime scene at the library gala, Tate is no longer hiding. But why? For now this simply seems narratively convenient: the body of the real Hastings is uncovered beneath nutjob killer Childress’ (Chris Browning) cabin, prompting Sonya (Diane Kruger) to make the connection when she searches the police database. But Tate has no way of knowing this.
It’s not quite a plot hole because I think this is merely the next phase of the plan and we’ll learn more next episode, but for now it’s a little bit unsatisfactory.
Courtesy of FX
Other Observations:
- I totally would have loved to use the photo above as the lead, but holy spoilers Batman! This entire scene is pretty crazy: the violence seems to come out of nowhere considering we had no reason to expect this random character would be on the receiving end of a Colombian necktie. It isn’t until Marco realizes who the murdered man is and what his connection to Tate is that the ultraviolence makes sense
- I’m disappointed with how long it took me to realize that the opening flashback with Daniel (Matthew Lillard) letting his friend drive away drunk from the strip club is his connection to the origin of the Bridge Butcher. This is where the story began! So why did it take me until now to figure it out?! Ha ha
- Unfortunately the “killer centric” focus for the episode makes all of the other subplots feel even more out of place than usual. Chief among these is Linder’s (Thomas M. Wright) sex and death fueled dream about Eva and Fausto Galvan (Ramon Franco) and his subsequent workplace freak-out
- I’ll grant an exception to Adriana’s (Emily Dios) scenes with the cartel guy, even though they don’t really amount to much. Perhaps it’s just because I think that Adriana is a great character (my favourite after Marco), but I love how close she is to the action without ever realizing it
- Just in case we weren’t certain that Tampa loser Ray (Brian Van Holt) was marked for death before, Graciela (Alma Martinez) has discovered that the guns he brought through the tunnel have police transmitters. And now she’s got two crates full of ways to make him regret his ill-conceived gun-running venture. Wonder if Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) will get caught in the crossfire…
- Finally, the scene when Gus (Carlos Pratts) tries to connect with Sonya at the station is the closest The Bridge has come to verbally acknowledging that she has a specific condition. It’s interesting to hear Sonya try to explain it, though I do think Gus would be a bit more on the up-and-up that she’s not like other people
Best Lines:
- Sonya (when Marco insists he attended Tate’s funeral): “Was it open casket?” It’s played for laughs, but let’s face it, this is kind of a legitimate question
- Ray (inquiring if he Graciela wants him to orally service her): “Seal. The. Deal”
What’s your take on the killer reveal? Are you surprised at how involved Marco has become in the background for the crimes? Do you feel that Linder and Charlotte are being marginalized with their storylines? Did you realize the purpose of the flashback faster than me? Comment away below
The Bridge airs Wednesdays at 10pm EST on FX
I didn’t realize the purpose of the flashback until I read it here. Oh my, I’m slow.
I thought Sonya asked Marco if the funeral/wake was “open casket”.
I liked this episode and I’m anxious for next week. Are they just doing one season of this show or are they going to start a new case every season?
I believe you’re right about Sonya’s question – thanks for the catch!
Reading comments from the showrunner, there are plans for subsequent seasons, but having learned from previous season-long mysteries, the intention is to solve the case and reveal the murderer before the end. I know that the writers also talk about the case as a way to explore larger stories, so there may not always been a long running case (this may explain the slow exploration of Charlotte and Linder’s storylines)