The Bridge (2013)

FX may have struck dramatic gold again. This series is mesmerizing. It sucks you in like a good book and has you yearning for more.

Cross The Bridge at your own peril. You just might get stranded in the summer’s best mystery.

Overall, The Bridge is a taut thriller mystery that is compelling and thought-provoking, much as Broen was.

The Bridge doesn't overwhelm with information--as too many cable shows do--but it does shock with revelations that fit nicely into the gameplan. Kruger and Bechir are fine leads, too.

One has to be both in the know, as well as acclimated to the gory violence and corpses that frequently appear on camera in order to follow along. As long as Cross and Ruiz's renewed partnership seems necessary, season one fans should welcome the return of The Bridge.

That broader scope may prove to be an improvement in terms of how much deeper The Bridge can go in its cross-cultural storytelling. But the first two episodes of Season 2 are a bit all over the map.

Although there are elements here that merit continued attention, most notably Demian Bichir as a dedicated Mexican cop, there are too many missteps to ensure safe passage.