Linder is back and he is in love! How sweet. Seriously, could things get any better for him? He is on the way to making Eva his bride, looking spiffy, and just loving life in general. But wait...his happy facade is shattered when he finds that Eva has left the ranch (tough break, bud), setting this entire episode and potentially the next season into motion. If you haven’t heard the news, FX has green lighted a second season of The Bridge. It appears that the show is going in the cop drama direction, with its focus returning to the corruption and missing girls of Juarez. After dealing with the psycho Tate and his crazy antics for the past couple of episodes, I’m happy to see the focus changing.
While Linder has goo-goo eyes for Eva, Det. Sonya Cross is dealing with her own problems. At the start of the episode she is talking to a mechanic about her totaled car. We come to learn it was her sister’s car. Diane Kruger plays the part wonderfully, brining some emotional depth to her character. Of course Hank is there to help Det. Cross through this. Det. Cross says goodbye to her car and we learn that it has been one month since the events on the bridge took place. We also learn that Det. Cross and Det. Ruiz have not been in contact.
When we do see Det. Ruiz he is a complete mess. Det. Cross visits home at home (extending an olive branch, if you will) and he looks scruffy and has been drinking a lot. We saw Det. Cross’s emotional growth last week and it is only expanded upon this week. Throughout the entire episode she tries valiantly to get through to Det. Ruiz. However, she is met with rejection at first.
That is, until Linder waltzes into the police station wanting help finding Eva. How sweet. Linder even says, “My bride is missing.” Yeah...that’s not creepy at all, but I think his intentions are good. For some reason, Det. Cross is super interested in this case and she wants to get Det. Ruiz in on it. This is where her emotional growth really shines (however, it seems like a lot for such a short period of time)
Anyway, Det. Cross goes to Juarez, finds a wasted Det. Ruiz in the bar, and takes him home. They have a drunken chat. Det. Cross stays and cooks him breakfast. They talk some more and now Det. Ruiz is ready to go back to work (that was quick). Of course Det. Cross goes with him to try to find out more about Eva. What do you know, there is no info. We are also privy to the knowledge that Eva was taken to the Juarz police station.
While this entire story is happening, we learn that Frye is alive (breathe a sigh of relief) and Adriana is still friendly with him. There is a great scene with Frye at Adriana’s family home. Adriana’s mom is giving her a hard time about being a lesbian. It is very interesting to watch but I don’t see the relevance. Maybe this is foreshadowing about something happening to her sister?
There is also a small Charlotte story happening. She meets with Galvan at circus practice. That is just a strange location; maybe it's a pope in the pool type situation? (That’s something I learned in a screen writing class. If the characters are just talking put them in a cool location; for example, the pope in a swimming pool.) However, I think their conversation is pretty interesting. We also get some set up that will hopefully lead into next season. Charlotte finally grows some balls and wants to make a deal with Galvan. Of course he gets all creepy and feels up her leg. I like the two of them working together, but where is Ray?
Meanwhile poor Eva - the next time we see her she is all drugged up in a slutty dress. The camera work is sloppy (intentionally) so we know just how out of it she is. We do see that she is near a bunch of corrupt cops. Remember Celia? She works at the Juarez po po station. She seeks out Ruiz and tells him she saw Eva there. Okay, so here’s the new plot, but with only one episode left, how will this all play out? Will there be a huge cliff hanger at the end? I hate to be a pessimist, but will this case be enough to drive the next season?
Overall, this is a good episode. We finally go back to the missing girls in Juarez and the corruption. It is not full of action like the previous episodes. No one gets shot, decapitated, or even mildly injured. I feel that some of the character development happens a little too quickly. Instead of focusing on Tate for the past couple episodes they should throw in some character development moments. It just feels rushed. I do however, like the direction the show is going in and the set up being created for next season. I just hope these changes are enough.
WRAP UP:
Best Det. Sonya Cross Quote: “Bye car.” It is just kind of sweet and child like.
Bad Ass of the Episode: Well, no one really does anything incredibly cool. I’ll give it to Galvan. He does threaten Charlotte, after all.
-- Eva is taken into a car with Texas plates, so does that mean the corruption extends beyond the border?
-- Why would Eva get into a strange car? She knows better!
-- Det. Cross’s emotional growth is crazy, will she revert? How will her and Det. Ruiz’s relationship grow?
-- What’s happing with Frye and Adriana? Will they come back into the major story line?
-- Great scene when Linder is looking for Eva in Juarez and he posts a picture of her on the wall. We see just how many girls are missing in Juarez.
-- Will Alma and the girls come back?
