The Bridge Season 3 DVD/BluRay Region 2

Sweden/Denmark / BBC-4 / 2015 / 10 Episodes / 600 Minutes

Writer: Hans Rosenfeldt

Producers: Gunnar Carlsson, Bo Ehrhardt, Anders Landström

Starring: Sofia Helin, Thure Lindhardt, Dag Malmberg, Sarah Boberg, Maria Kulle, Nicolas Bro

The third season of the Scandinavian crime drama The Bridge receives a deluxe dual dvd/bluray release.

Building on the successes of the first two series, this release further establishes the show as top of the tree when it comes to noirish detective drama. The tightly scripted story – set 13 months after the events of season 2 – continues to draw out the dark excesses of human fears and obsessions.

We join the story as Saga Noren (Helin) is assigned to investigate the murder of Helle Anker, an LGBT campaigner and media celebrity. Once again the crime (the first of many) circumnavigates both Malmo and Copenhagen and as such Saga is required to work alongside a Danish colleague. Having lost her previous partner – and best friend – Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) to the events of the conclusion of S2, she is assigned Danish policewoman Hanne (Kirsten Olesen) to work on the case.

Without wishing to spoil too much, she doesn’t make it past the first episode unharmed and Season 3 co-main protagonist Henrik Sabroe (Thure Lindhardt) is brought in to assist. It soon becomes clear, that much like Saga, he has his own fair share of troubles and distinctive character features. These include a healthy appetite for pill-popping and sex with strangers.

And it is in the uncovering of his and Saga’s secrets and growing friendship that Season 3 eclipses even the first two. The superb plot points and grisly highly stylised murders are actually less important than the characterisation and personal back stories of the two leads. The social awkwardness and often bizarre – and occasionally touching – interaction between the two is a joy to watch.

Follow with pleasure and cross all fingers for a Season 4!

Robert W Monk