There was a moment towards the end of “Old Friends,” where Marco screamed at David Tate, “All of this because she chose me? You killed all these people because your wife left you?”
And I thought to myself, “Right? The man has got a point.” David Tate’s maniacal grief is a bit much. The show went off the rails this week as, once again, Marco and Sonya search for a crazy man. If you took an early episode of the series and compared it to “Old Friends,” except for starring the same people, it would play like a completely different show. While I love that the show exposed who the killer is halfway through the season, I’m not loving what the show has chosen to do with this early reveal.
But amid all the insanity, there were some beautiful moments: Marco truly realizing what his casual infidelity has wrought. (Although his eldest daughter looks older than six to me, so I’m not sure how all this happened before he met Alma). Sonya’s tearful apology for not protecting Gus. Kitty kindly caring for Sonya. Sonya determined to continue the investigation despite great physical pain. This is The Bridge I’ve come to love.
And I was so happy to see Daniel and Adriana again. But it did seem that the show skipped a step. We never saw the moment when Daniel realized why he was targeted and his connection to David Tate. It definitely played like there were scenes that were cut for time in last week’s episode. But I certainly hope the Emmy voters are paying attention to Matthew Lillard’s nuanced performance. His confession of guilt to Adriana and his speech at the AA meeting were fantastic moments. There’s probably not a chance he’s still alive, but I’m clinging to the hope that he is because he’s a character the show should definitely have around in the second season.
I’m still not buying Charlotte’s sudden transformation from meek widow to cold-hearted killer. I loved the whole scene (Ray’s “I don’t even know what that means,” Tim evoking the time they all took an RV to prom), but Charlotte’s action were not believable. Would the fact that her husband basically left her nothing really cause her to act so irrationally—especially when she’s found the bug and now knows it is the ATF? She’s got to be able to think two steps ahead and realize that the ATF already knows about her and will come looking for Tampa Tim. Things are so very clearly not going to end well for her. But the bigger problem is I’m not emotionally invested enough in Charlotte to care.
The final moments show Gus in an enclosed container while water drips on him. The Bridge has set itself up as a show where Gus could die. But I really hope he doesn’t. And I’m pulling for Daniel Frye, who really is one of the best new TV characters of the year.