'The Bridge': Portrayals of Autism Worth Watching

'The Bridge' is great television.

It's a complex thriller with true human emotion and interesting cross cultural perspectives, but that's not why it's great television.

The show is unique because it deals so successfully with Asperger's syndrome.

Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) is a lot of things. She's the quintessential attractive American on the show--slim with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. Men are clearly attracted to her, as is evidenced by the man who hits on her during the second episode's bar scene. She's very intelligent...a lead homicide detective who is passionate about her work.

She's also socially inept, but unlike shows such as 'The Big Bang Theory', where the character Sheldon Cooper's (purported) autism leaves him constantly clueless about social conventions, and seemingly caring little about the reaction he's provoking, Sonya's reactions seem more accurate.

According to psychology research studies, individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorders often have high levels of depression because they are aware of the awkwardness their behavior causes, but don't know how to interact with people in a more "socially acceptable" way. Sonya falls into this category, she repeatedly apologizes for her behavior after the fact, despite the fact that it is clear that she doesn't understanding why what she did wasn't socially acceptable.


Her captain clearly knows that Sonya has difficulty interacting with people; in the pilot episode he reminds her to make eye contact with the victim's family, and in both the first and second episode he manages to calm her by shoulder checking her lightly instead of giving her real physical contact.

Why do I think that Sonya has Asperger's?

*First of all, the showrunners have been open about the fact that she does. 'The Bridge' is based on the Scandinavian show 'Bron' and the lead the detective in that show also has Asperger's.

*She is confused by the emotional reaction of the first victim's husband but realizes that she has done something wrong when he asks her to leave. She apologizes for her potential lack of empathy.

*Her captain reminds her to make eye contact when she interviews.

*When a stranger hits on her at a bar she refuses his offer of a drink, then when he walks away she follows and asks him why he left. Then she propositions him for sex.

How does the show portray Asperger's so accurately? For one thing, instead of relying on tropes, the showrunners asked Autism Speaks to provide guidance.

Despite all of this, 'The Bridge' showrunners, much like those of 'The Big Bang Theory', made a purposeful decision not to name their characters' condition. In a way I find this disappointing, not because I think that autism is the key defining feature of Sonya as a person, but rather because I think it is so accurately portrayed that viewers who watch the show could benefit from knowing that she has Asperger's so that they could potentially gain a better understanding of the condition and the emotional upheaval that can accompany it.

Diane Kruger as Sonya Cross