The Bridge is one of the most popular of the Nordic Noir crime dramas that were made in Scandinavia and broadcast globally, with a large British audience. The setting is the bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden and it often features as a setting as well as a metaphor or iconic object.
Saga Norén is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Danish/Swedish TV series The Bridge. Saga is introduced as a member of the Malmö County Police Department in the first episode of the series. Suggested, but never stated, to have Asperger's syndrome, she is portrayed as completely oblivious to social norms, but a brilliant and devoted police investigator. Her poor social skills, her difficulty in empathizing and her inability to channel her emotions make her appear cold, insensitive and blunt but she is completely honest and forthright in all aspects.
In the first two series, she develops an unlikely friendship with Danish cop Martin Rohde, who is in many ways her complete opposite. In the third series she has another Danish detective, Henrik Sabroe, as her partner, who understands her complex nature and accepts her for who she is. Lindhardt says that: "Henrik is a man who has lost everything and he needs somebody like her who does not judge him."
Little is known about Saga's background at first, although in the second series, Martin looks into her family history, discovering that her sister Jennifer committed suicide. In the third series, her mother appears at her apartment, telling her that her father is on his deathbed, and wishes to see her. Saga refuses, but Marie-Louise persists in trying to rebuild their relationship.
When she is first introduced, Saga has almost no personal life; her spare time is shown to be largely spent alone; she is seen reading a book in her apartment in the second episode, and several other episodes have her making references to things that she has read. It is shown that she partially uses books to try and better understand social conventions, often unsuccessfully.
Due to Saga's devotion to police work, she does not have many out-of-work relationships, preferring one-night stands such as Anton from the first series and initially Henrik in series three. It is revealed later in the first series that she has always lived alone, except for a period when she lived with her younger sister.
Series 1
When a body, apparently cut in half at the waist, is discovered in the middle of the Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen with Malmö, placed precisely on the border between the two countries, the investigation falls under the jurisdiction of both the Danish and Swedish police agencies. It is not one corpse but two halves of two separate women: the upper-half being that of a female Swedish politician, the lower-half being that of a Danish prostitute.
Saga Norén from Sweden and Martin Rohde from Denmark lead the murder investigations. Martin has had a vasectomy. August, the nineteen-year-old son from his first marriage is now living with Martin and Mette, his current wife, with whom Martin has three children. Mette discovers that she is expecting another set of twins.
The investigation quickly escalates as a journalist, Daniel Ferbé, whose car was used in the crime, begins receiving phone calls. The caller, who becomes known as the "Truth Terrorist", claims to be committing crimes in order to draw attention to various social problems. A social worker, Stefan Lindberg is an early suspect; his estranged sister Sonja is a poisoning victim.
Working together, the Danish and Swedish police conclude that the killer must have a connection with them. After the killer has murdered several people, his true motivation begins to seem personal. They discover that he has been planning his campaign over a period of several years.
In the midst of the investigation, Martin has an affair with one of the victims of the Truth Terrorist during a home visit. This affair reaches Mette, who ousts Martin from the Rhode residence.
The ties between all the Truth Terrorist's targets are pinpointed to an ex Danish police officer, Jens Nielsen, who has supposedly killed himself. This spirals into the fact that Jens is still alive, masquerading as Mette's colleague under false pretences along with using plastic surgery. Jens has meticulously crafted a plan of revenge for Martin, after Martin cheated on his wife several years prior. The subsequent death of Jens's wife and children on the bridge in an accident leads Jens to believe that Martin is the one to blame.
As the investigation is seemingly wrapped up, Jens kidnaps Mette and Martin's children (sans August), forcing Martin to save them. Back in Denmark, Saga uncovers that the real target is August, who Jens catfishes to gain access to information about the case and his location. Jens kidnaps August and traps him in a coffin.
A standoff occurs between Martin and Jens on the bridge, with Jens planning to blow himself up. As Saga arrives, Martin demands Saga to state if August is alive. However, August has been killed. Upon hearing this, Martin attempts to kill Jens, but Saga wounds the both of them. The series ends as Martin grieves in the hospital and Saga drives back to Sweden.
No comments:
Post a Comment