TV Review: The Bridge 1.8, "Vendetta"

rating: 4

I'm glad "Vendetta" didn't waste any time in attempting to persuade the audience that Jack Childress is The Bridge Butcher. Not only that, but the actual identity of the Butcher was revealed. David Tate, an unstable ex-federal agent who lost his wife and and child in a car crash involving a playboy and old party friend of Daniel Frye's (yay for him surviving his seizure!), faked his suicide and adopted the name of an old rival of Childress' under which he's not only been working with and slowly (yet successfully) wooing Marco's wife (Ruiz had been the man with whom Tate's wife was having an affair), but also preparing to pull off one of the most elaborate and homicidal political statements ever orchestrated. Tate's a good fit for the role of the major antagonist. His past in the F.B.I. explains his insider knowledge. His former sister-in-law characterized him as having "lost it" after the deaths of his wife and son. And his connection to Marco working on a Juarez related task force can explain his exposure to that cities' atrocities, not to mention the fact that Marco sleeping with Tate's wife explains his motivation for not killing Marco when he had the chance, instead pursuing his own affair with Alma. It's this last revelation that I find the hardest to swallow. It seems especially convenient, if not too far-fetched, that Tate's incredibly long con to bed Alma not only has paid off, seemingly having been contingent on Marco cheating again and Alma discovering the truth, but that it would also line up so well with the other machinations of The Butcher. Regardless, I had written off Kenneth Hastings as a mild mannered beta-male whom served only as a minor supporting player in the characterization of Marco's home life, so not only does this character fit well, but I didn't see it coming. Even if Sonya hadn't just discovered David Tate's connection to all the recent murders, by very purposefully displaying his bloody hand-print at the scene of his wife's killer's murder, Tate has revealed himself and subsequently upped the ante in his grand scheme. This makes the episode's final shot of him and Alma driving off into the night that much more sinister. This reveal also works in a broader, more conceptual sense. Though both the authorities and the audience have gotten to know the killer in the sense of being familiar with his goals and style, he has until now loomed over the show as a shadowy boogeyman, much like "El Beasto" looms over the safety of the girls of Juarez. His general motivation to illuminate the corruption in Juarez has been clear, but the specific reasons why he has this ambition, distinct from other, non-homicidal humanitarian workers, hasn't been specified; I believe this will soon change. Knowing the specifics of these motivations will help to further define The Bridge Butcher as a character, which can only enhance the efficacy of the story. Stories that follow the pursuit of serial killers or terrorists (I'm not sure which is the more suitable label for this series' antagonist) which keep that antagonist's identity at a distance until the last minute tend to be much weaker than those which allow the Big Bad to be known and fleshed out long before his or her eventual defeat. These former stories rely on gimmicky twists as oppose to the latter which utilize the strength of the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist. The weaker stories are the essence of valuing plot over characterization, which will always be inferior to the reverse formula. The subplots of "Vendetta" were not nearly as monumental as the reveal of Kenneth Hastings as David Tate. They moved their respective players' stories only slightly further, with the exception of Frye and Adrianna's case which didn't really move at all. Other than seeing that Daniel is not dead and is sticking to his new clean and sober lifestyle, despite how much he hates it, the journalists' investigation was not developed. However, I very much appreciate how Frye's connection to Tate's family's killer potentially reveals why the Butcher has targeted him as his primary media connection. Charlotte is unhappy that Ray is using the tunnel to conduct illegal activities (I don't know what she expected from the guy and found her indignation to be ridiculous) as is Marciella since she discovered Ray's merchandise was littered with tracking devices, courtesy of Ray's A.T.F. informant friend, Tampa Tim. I don't think Ray will be sealing any more deals ever again. My favorite subplot of the episode was definitely Steven Linder's. The courageous and quirky coyote apparently once again escaped the clutches of Fausto Galvan, but is plagued by fear of the man as well as a longing for relief, potentially from a woman. I love that although we've seen that Steven is an unusually upstanding moral person through his work delivering Juarez prostitutes to a safe haven (I could see someone debating the upstanding moral quality of a man who kidnaps women, occasionally against their will, and drops them at a Christian farm, but regardless, Steven clearly believes he's doing good), Thomas M. Wright's exceptional performance allows the character to subtly harbor a clearly deep and profound sense of darkness. His notification (not request mind you) to his day job's supervisor that he will not be "of service" for the next few days is charged with a violent desire for release which is entirely unpredictable in the best possible ways. Revealing David Tate as The Bridge Butcher is a definite victory for The Bridge not only in the who aspect, but even more so in the when aspect. With five more episodes left in the season, there's plenty of time to better get to know Tate as a human being as opposed to merely a diabolical monster and it's this opportunity to explore the character as an actual person that will enhance the story of his pursuit. What we do know of the man's past thus far has already illustrated the multilayered connections his actions have brought to light and the subsequent episodes of this season will only further illustrate the show's excellence in knowing just how and when to let these developments unfold. It's unusual in the majority of crime dramas and procedurals to reveal the identity of their killer this early, but it's the mark of better, smarter, more ambitious series to do just that, and I have no doubt The Bridge will be revealed as among these higher echelon series.