Murder mysteries and true crime stories usually focus on the puzzle of "whodunit", often downplaying the human toll of these crimes. The upcoming Hulu series "Under the Bridge", premiering on April 17th, aims to shift this perspective. Based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book of the same name, the series attempts to capture the profound tragedy of murder as it tells the story of 14-year-old Reena Virk and her last days in Victoria, British Columbia.
"Under the Bridge" places Reena at its heart, presenting her not as a nameless victim but as a relatable and sympathetic teenager navigating her way through her own life. It explores the choices she made and the world she lived in - her family, her music, her friendships, and more through a series of flashbacks.
While the narrative does feature her association with a brutal peer group, "Under the Bridge" firmly asserts that the events leading up to her tragic end were a result of systems that far too often abandon teenagers. The ripple effects of this tragedy stretch out, affecting numerous other characters within the series, and reflecting on real societies.
Featuring performances from Riley Keough as the curious journalist Rebecca Godfrey and Lily Gladstone as a local cop, both characters come to see reflections of their teenage selves and personal losses in Reena's story. This mutual identification creates a palpable sense of shared tragedy and guilt throughout the series.
"Under the Bridge" doesn’t just provide an exploration of the personal tolls of crime - it also presents a stark commentary on how societal factors like gender, race, and privilege can manipulate the consequences faced by individuals. It highlights how these unjust systems exacerbate the issues at hand and fails to protect the youth from the very systems that treat them as disposable.
Although there are elements of healing within the narrative, the series primarily highlights the lasting sting of the pain experienced and leaves a powerful call for the need to better protect young people from the societal structures that fail them.
