Under the Bridge Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Beautiful British Columbia

Under the Bridge makes an unconventional decision to revisit the love story of Reena’s parents amid an otherwise tense episode. Under the Bridge Season 1 Episode 4, “Beautiful British Columbia,” takes viewers back to the 1970s when Suman and Manjit meet.

Bally Gill and Illahi Rayani as younger versions of the characters make for a sweet couple, who fight the odds of religious differences to fall in love. But while it’s a nice story on its own the episode still comes off as filler for a limited series.

It’s like an episode of This is Us snuck into the middle of the season. Except you’re not watching a network drama, you’re watching a crime miniseries with a fate worse than a malfunctioning crockpot. 

A short 35-minute run time doesn’t help beat the impression that the episode is just a way to pump up the episode count of the season. 

The storyline also suffers from the fact that it seems more interested in Manjit than it does Suman, who could probably use the deeper characterization given her stoicism in the present day. Her path from slightly rebellious to completely pious feels more abrupt than Manjit who still carries his sparkle into old age. 

The flashbacks do at least explain how and why her family joined Jehovah’s Witnesses, as a way to find community in a neighborhood otherwise unwelcoming to Indian immigrants. 

Suman and Manjit, despite their strict parenting, are already sympathetic characters to the audience. They lost their daughter and had been losing her long before she was murdered.

They don’t need extra humanizing through flashbacks or meet-cutes.  

The 1997 scenes interspersed throughout the episode are more in line with the show’s usual vibe, for better or worse. If Under the Bridge proves anything, it’s that teenage girls can terrify with just a look. 

If Izzy G. didn’t already give you the heebie-jeebies as Kelly she will on the episode with her menacing smile that eggs on Jo during their visit to Reena’s home. The Virks don’t stand a chance with those two plotting, and even Manjit’s hurtful, misguided attempt at sympathy for them doesn’t warrant their degenerate behavior.

The fact that Suman’s family heirloom earrings are stolen hurts even more when you realize she will never have the chance to pass them on to Reena either way. And animal cruelty? That’s just socipath 101 that makes me wonder how true that aspect of the retelling is because it’s so dead on. 

Kelly is an especially confounding character since it’s established in the show she has parents and comes from a “good” home. As far as we know, she has no underlying trauma motivating her misbehavior. 

Is it possible for a teen girl to just be “evil?” I expect the show will continue to explore her character to answer that question. 

Then again, there’s no good explanation for Reena’s betrayal at the end of the episode. Falsely accusing her father of molestation just to get away from her parents is an unimaginable betrayal, even for an angsty teenage girl, that explains more of the present-day tension with Reena before her death. 

Under the Bridge asks you to find understanding for teenagers who do unspeakable things. The difference between Kelly and Reena though is Reena will never have the chance to grow into an adult capable of change, which adds all the more to the tragedy. 

What did you think of this episode of Under the Bridge? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Under the Bridge airs Wednesdays on Hulu.

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