The second season of The Bridge featuring an all-star cast from Southeast Asia has started its run on Viu and HBO Asia on June 15. The 10-episode second season of Endemol Shine Group’s The Bridge, produced by Viu and in association with HBO Asia Originals, made its big premiere last week reuniting Singapore’s Rebecca Lim and Malaysia’s Bront Palarae who reprise their lead roles.
The new season also includes a star-studded cast from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Speaking to director TJ Lee, he opines the positive reception of The Bridge can be associated to its previous success. “It was a format that had already done very well in other markets, from Europe to America. Being the first Asian remake, we were thrilled to see it succeed on our home ground as well,” he explains.
“As for Season 2, (executive producer) Min Lim and (head writer) Chi-Ren Choong already pitched it to me when we wrapped Season 1. This is a show with huge potential and legs for an Asian market — as long as it continues to engage our viewers, we’re perfectly happy to keep on making it!”
Bront who plays Megat, one of the leads in the series admits he wasn’t surprised with the positive reaction the show received in season one. “I truly believed that we had interesting materials in hand at that time. But I was surprised to see how Min Lim and her team managed to gather all the cast for this Season 2.”
Adapted from the original Endemol Shine series and injected with local flavour, the story picks up a year after season one. A yacht registered in Singapore drifts ashore in Johor with a deceased Indonesian family on board. Investigating the slew of serial killings that follow, the characters become mired in a web of treachery, deceit and personal tragedy.
TJ reveals that the cross-border element will always be part of the show’s format. “In Season 2, we were able to work the Indonesian element in a way that resonates with the story and the characters. We would be open to exploring other countries in the region that would give us the opportunity to do the same” he adds.
According to the synopsis provided, the second season of The Bridge is decisively darker and more twisted than before, this new season plays with themes of corruption, redemption and revenge and is set against a distinctly Asian underworld backdrop. For the returning characters, that may reveal deeper layers to their development.
Bront reveals that for Megat, the character has totally changed from the person we see in the previous season. “The story is set a year after where we left off in Season 1 and I would say the biggest evolution for Megat is that he has lost his moral compass, “ he adds. “As an actor, I find that dynamic very interesting.”
In Season 2, the cast has been expanded to include talent from the region. Indonesia’s Ario Bayu plays a law enforcement officer with a hidden agenda. Rounding out the impressive regional cast are Wan Hanafi Su, Fikry Ibrahim and Chew Kin Wah from Malaysia, Lukman Sardi, Amanda Manopo and Miller Khan from Indonesia, Adrian Pang from Singapore and Joseph Marco from the Philippines. Directorial duties are shared between TJ, Jason Chong and Zahir Omar.
The second season of The Bridge airs on Viu in all its markets starting June 15, as well as on HBO Asia’s network of channels and services, including HBO GO, HBO and HBO ON DEMAND, across 24 territories. The series airs each Monday at 9pm in Singapore and Malaysia and 8pm in Western Indonesia and Thailand.
