There’s a big pile of money over there, and all you have to do is walk over to it–the twist is that there are 300 meters of water between you and the money, and you have to walk. That’s the premise of The Bridge, the new reality show heading for HBO Max next week, as explained in the first trailer.
Narrated by James McAvoy (Split, X-Men: First Class), The Bridge is described as a “social experiment bringing together 12 strangers from all over the United Kingdom.” There’s a prize of €100.000 waiting on an island 300 meters away. Competitors will receive a few basic tools and some supplies, but otherwise are on their own and must reach the island within 21 days. The contestants have to work together, but only one contestant can walk away with the money.
The show is based off a Spanish show called El Puente–literally “The Bridge”–which ran for two seasons in Spain. We’ve seen countless reality shows come and go, but there’s a case for absurd reality shows from other countries doing well here in the west. Survivor began life in the late ’90s in Sweden as Expedition Robinson before heading over here and turning into a monstrous success. The Masked Singer made its way from South Korea to find big ratings in the United States, too. The Bridge isn’t quite American, with McAvoy narrating and UK contestants competing, but if it hits the right audience, you can bet we’ll see The Bridge: America before too long.
Survivor has been off the air since its 40th season ended in May 2020; fans of people arguing in the woods are likely hungry for new reality shows to chew on. All six episodes of The Bridge premiere on HBO Max on Thursday, February 11.
