The Bridge

It looks like one of the better original offerings on any of the broadcast networks this summer.

People who like their stories wrapped up neatly in 44 minutes or so (yes, I'm looking at you, CBS viewers) may find this one a Bridge too far, but for anyone who likes their cops complicated and their plots twisted, there are worse ways to spend a Saturday night.

The Bridge is pure melodrama, its villainous commanders and politicians practically twirling their mustaches as they plot their evil deeds. But if The Bridge won't expand your knowledge of urban-management science, it will keep you glued to the set.

By no means a great show, The Bridge is at least a little bit different from most police procedurals.

The series is in the "NYPD Blue" and "Southland" vein, trying for realism. It isn't in those shows' league, but it's a welcome change from the glossy triviality of other summer filler like "Rookie Blue" or "The Good Guys."

While the execution isn't perfect and the first episode feels a little cluttered, it has at least two ideas that create interesting drama and could even stimulate a little thought.

Another Canuck cop drama imported by CBS, The Bridge is (meager-praise alert!) better than Flashpoint. There's a nifty, Wire-esque exploration of police bureaucracy.