UNDER THE BRIDGE -- Nuanced True Crime Drama Actually Explores Its Themes

Review by Sean Boelman

Real-life murders often serve as an interesting basis for the crime genre, but all too often, the series they inspire lack substance. With a strong cast, gripping story, and unexpectedly rich themes, Under the Bridge is the next true crime saga that audiences will be waiting to see unfold week after week and will have them walking away feeling more intellectually challenged than they typically do by the genre.

Under the Bridge is adapted from the book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey, exploring the case of the murder of Reena Virk. Although the show juggles several moving pieces — Virk’s story leading up to her murder and the stories of her family, her peers, the investigators, and Godfrey herself — Quinn Shephard has managed to create a crime drama that’s consistently engaging and feels unexpectedly original. 

Unlike many true crime shows, Under the Bridge stands out thanks to its incredible empathy for its victim. Although it has elements of the journalistic drama and courtroom drama formulas this type of story is typically told through, the show is much more interested in exploring the nuances of this case than most entries in the genre. Although the primary theme is bullying, there are also some interesting themes about cycles of trauma and racial violence.
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The adult cast of the series brings a solid amount of A-list star power. Many will likely be drawn to the show as it is one of Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone’s first roles since her star-making turn in Killers of the Flower Moon. Perhaps disappointingly, she feels somewhat underused here, but this is primarily because her character doesn’t have much of an arc.

Riley Keough, who plays the journalist who authored the book upon which the series is based, fares much better in her role. She easily could have given an observational performance, serving as little more than the audience’s lens into the story, but she infuses the character with much complexity. It’s refreshing to see a piece of media that understands the nuance of journalistic integrity, and Keough dives into these darker, more uncharted aspects of her role with ease.

However, despite the star power in the adult cast, it is the young cast who consistently steals the show. Vritika Gupta plays Virk exceptionally well, even (and perhaps especially) when her character’s decisions veer on the frustrating side. The other big stand-out is Izzy G., who plays one of the main antagonists of the show — a friend-turned-bully of Gupta. Her performance is extremely chilling without ever feeling over-the-top or unnatural.

As far as true crime dramas go, Under the Bridge is technically adroit. The show’s directors do a great job of transporting the audience back to 1990s Vancouver while also establishing an effectively unsettling atmosphere. While many of the choices are straightforward, they accomplish the show’s goals.

Under the Bridge is a refreshingly deep true crime drama that manages to actually engage with its story's implications. The result feels genuinely meaningful — a rarity in a genre that has become so tarnished by bottom-of-the-barrel trash that discovering a legitimately challenging one like this is a pleasant surprise.

Under the Bridge is now streaming on Hulu with two episodes, with new episodes streaming subsequent Wednesdays. All eight episodes reviewed.

​Rating: 4/5