The combination of deflated ratings and insufficient buzz provided a virtually insurmountable hurdle for FX’s “The Bridge.”
Unable to rise above that hurdle and convince the cable network’s leadership of its value, “The Bridge” succumbed to cancellation.
With bubble dramas like “Tyrant” and “The Americans” returning alongside the network’s obvious dramatic pickups in “The Strain” and “Fargo,” desperation did not exist on the part of FX’s schedulers. And insofar as “The Bridge” seemed to be simultaneously losing creative direction and fan support, desperation is what would have been required for a third season order.
While “The Bridge” enjoyed a slight rebound at the end of season two, it also suffered through a stretch in which four consecutive episodes failed to top the 1 million viewer mark.
