The Bridge is a 2011 Swedish and Danish co-production about two police detectives leading an investigation involving two countries. After two halves of two different bodies are found on the Oresund Bridge, which divides Sweden and Denmark, Saga Noren and Martin Rohde must crack the case together, despite being from different countries.
Over four seasons, the show took a close look at social issues in modern society. The Bridge had an American remake that ran on FX in 2013. Here are 10 things you might not remember about the characters.
Saga Has Autism-Like Behaviors
As a police detective, Saga has cultivated a personality of being forthright, honest, and upfront in all she does. However, at the same time, she has a hard time relating to people and empathizing, as well as showing her own emotions.
Saga also doesn't have very good social skills. All of these behaviors could be seen as similar to autism, which would fit with The Bridge's themes of shining light on social issues.
Martin Goes to Prison
In season two, Martin begins visiting Jens in prison, hoping to help get through to him and help him feel remorse for his crimes. At the same time, Martin is trying to get back together with his estranged wife Mette.
When Mette refuses him, Martin, upset, blames Jens. However, when Jens dies, Saga suspects that Martin poisoned him. Season two ends with Martin being arrested on suspicion of Jens' murder.
Henrik Must Find His Missing Daughters
In seasons three and four, Saga's new partner, Henrik, must search for his two missing daughters. His wife's body was found six years after she disappeared, but there is no sign of their daughters, Astrid and Anna. Henrik resigns from the police to search and asks Saga to join him. Season three ends with the two of them poring over case files.
In season four, Saga happens upon Christoffer, whose father was a minor figure in the investigation. From him, she manages to find Astrid, who tells her and Henrik that Anna has died of untreated illness.
Saga Blames Herself for Her Sister's Death
Saga's sister committed suicide before the series began. In the third season, Saga's mother begins making trouble by suggesting that it wasn't her own mental illness of Munchausen's by proxy that drove Jennifer to suicide, but Saga's inability to connect with her younger sister emotionally.
Despite this not being true, Jennifer's death still haunts Saga years later.
Martin Has a Nervous Breakdown Following Season One
At the beginning of the series, Martin lives with his second wife, Mette, and his teenage son from his first marriage, August. Martin and Mette have three other children as well.
August commits suicide towards the end of season one, causing Martin to slip into a nervous breakdown during the second season.
Saga is Under Suspicion of Murdering Her Mother
After suggesting that Saga drove her sister to suicide, Marie-Louise, their mother, dies by suicide. However, after a while, her death is suspected to be murder with Saga as the prime suspect.
This investigation puts pressure on Saga personally, causing her to make errors in other areas of her life.
Henrik is Saga's Third Partner in the Show
After Martin goes to prison, Saga goes through two different partners: Hanne and Henrik. After Hanne is wounded by a booby trap, Henrik is brought in to work with Saga.
After being in a purely sexual relationship for a while, Saga and Henrik start a real relationship as they work on the investigation to find Henrik's two missing daughters.
Martin Has Been Married Twice, Saga Not at All
At the beginning of the series, Martin is living with his teenage son from his first marriage, as well as his second wife and his other three children.
Martin's large family serves as a good contrast to Saga, who has a very small personal life and is constantly shown doing things alone, such as reading a book by herself early in the series. Consequently, Saga often references things from books and reads in an attempt to understand emotions better.
Saga Takes a While to Start a Relationship
Due to Saga's autism-like behaviors, she has a hard time committing herself to a relationship, which is a complete contrast to her first partner, Martin, who is married with four children.
Saga usually has one night stands. However, she meets Henrik and starts a relationship with him, though it takes a while to fully become healthy and not beset by problems.
Hanne Distrusts Saga
Early in season three, Saga works with a new partner, Hanne Thomsen, due to Martin's incarceration. However, Hanne distrusts Saga due to her involvement in that case.
When Hanne is wounded and subsequently taken from Saga as a partner, it's a chance for Saga to start fresh with another police officer, which she does through her new relationship with Henrik.