Under the Bridge

What is Under the Bridge About?

Reena Virk is 14 years old when she attends a party. She never returns home. Now, as a local police officer seeks to find out what happened to Reena, who they suspect has been murdered, the questions that remain are – who did it and will they be sentenced to life imprisonment?

Under the Bridge is an unnerving adaptation of the Under the Bridge book by Rebecca Godfrey, who is characterised in the series and plays herself. The book tells the real-life story of the 1997 disappearance of Reena Virk. Stream Under the Bridge to find out more.

Our Honest Under the Bridge Review

There’s nothing more engaging than a murder mystery that keeps us guessing, is there? But perhaps one of the elements that makes us keep our eyes peeled is the human cost and sense of tragedy. That is what Under the Bridge (2024) has.

We instantly thought of Under the Banner of Heaven when we watched this TV show, with the character of Reena Virk calling to mind the victim Brenda Lafferty. The tension and scenes of psychological abuse in the series are also present in many episodes, which reminds us of Allen’s recollection that Ammon once killed the family dog as a punishment for failing to do the chores.

What Do the Critics Think of Under the Bridge?

Under the Bridge is a hauntingly devastating, wake-up call of a series. The critics have this to say about it:

• “Under the Bridge offers an unblinking look at the ways we fail each other and, perhaps more importantly, ourselves. This is a tale of how sins can haunt the living, long after the dead have gone cold.” – Roger Ebert

• “Under the Bridge captures the echo-chamber world of teen angst and turns up the tension. A writer coming home to Victoria Island mines the drama that’s unfolding as teens twist in the web of their own making.” – Joly Herman

• “Obviously, getting the casting of Rebecca Godfrey right is very important, but then again, all characters are important to get right. Just one weak performance and it starts falling apart. Fortunately, this Hulu series is full of wonderful casting all around.” – Karina Adelgaard

What Awards and Nominations did Under the Bridge Receive?

As stated by TV Time, in the US, Under the Bridge was the ninth most streamed series for TV across all platforms. It has also received plenty of critical acclaim such as a score of 70 out of 100 through Metacritic.

• The miniseries also became the 2025 winner of the Gracie Ellen Series Director Award.
  
  
• Its cast member, Lily Gladstone, was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. 
  
  
• The series won the 2024 Reframe Stamp TV award.

Stream the Under the Bridge true crime series to see the reason it has earned these nominations and awards.

Cast & Crew of Under the Bridge

A range of talented crew members and acting professionals worked together to create this series. Learn more about the cast of Under the Bridge TV series below​.

Fun Facts About Under the Bridge

• The casting team auditioned more than 700 girls in the US before they selected Gupta to play the role of Reena Virk.

• Riley Keough, who plays the role of Rebecca Godfrey (a novelist who aims to write a book about troubled teenage girls), performed with footage of the real Rebecca Godfrey in mind as guidance and insights into her character.

• The testimonies of the court seen in the series were derived from the real-life interrogations and testimonies of the attackers.

• Production for Under the Bridge paused for four months when Riley Keough’s mother, Lisa Presley, passed away suddenly.

• Rebecca Godfrey passed away in 2022, before filming started, but she had worked for three years with Quinn Shephard on the show beforehand.

Themes of Under the Bridge

Adolescence and bullying are two of the key themes in Under the Bridge, as are social exclusion and peer pressure. We see this in scenes where Reena Virk plots to get her revenge on Josephine by stealing her phone book and intending to spread rumours about her.

The series also presents themes of family dysfunction and abusive family dynamics, which is picked up on in the scene where Reena Virk’s family question Josephine’s upbringing, bringing an abrupt end to the dinner and the discussion. Watch Under the Bridge to see how these themes are portrayed on screen.

How Does Under the Bridge Compare to Quinn Shephard’s Other Work?

Quinn Shephard, creator and director of Under the Bridge, is not the only director to have worked on the series, but she plays a significant role in bringing the Under the Bridge true story to the screen. Her work is similar to Not Okay, which brings us motifs of pressure at work (similar to the peer pressure in Under the Bridge, yet more lighthearted).

It is also similar to Blame (2017), a crime drama that takes place in a school setting presenting rising tension and aggression between female characters. Both Under the Bridge and Blame show these tense moments through a combination of quick camera work and over-the-shoulder shots.

Iconic Scenes from Under the Bridge

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

After bingeing Under the Bridge through a streaming platform, we did a little digging and found some interesting trivia facts about the series:

• Both Quinn Shephard and Samir Mehta (the producer of Under the Bridge) worked with Reena Virk’s father to develop the show. They also looked closely at his memoir to fill in all the smaller details and finalise the plot.

• Riley Keough felt trusted to play Rebecca by the real Rebecca Godfrey. She also felt a connection to the script and plot because of the empathy between her character and the teenagers in the series.

• Chloe Guidry (who plays Josephine) was eager to get involved in the project as it dived deep into the characters and revealed more about why the characters did what they did. She felt the story was beautiful and learned a lot about herself, including that kindness and empathy are essential.

What’s the Soundtrack Like for Under the Bridge?

Under the Bridge’s score features plenty of 90s hip-hop tracks, such as Representin, by Dirty Science Crew – a track with a pulsing beat and complex rhyme schemes.

It also includes Who Got Da Mic? by The Conscious Daughters, a track that features smooth flow, lyrical genius, and paints a vivid picture of the 90s era in which Under the Bridge was set.

Best Quotes from Under the Bridge

• “You take whatever you want from people, say whatever you want, and we’re sick of it.” – Reena standing up to Josephine and expecting Dusty to support her.

• “Honestly, I’m kind of impressed. I didn’t think she had the balls.” – Josephine reacting to the news that Reena planned to spread rumours about her.

• “We were all a part of this.” – Dusty telling the court that all of the group was responsible for the incident.

• “It’s not like I have anywhere else to go.” – Josephine telling Cam that she won’t testify against one of the suspects and doesn’t care if she spends more time in juvie.

• “I know you took my sh*t.” – Josephine telling Reena that she knows she stole her phone book.

• “My niece Reena called us from the bus stop by Shoreline and said she was coming home on Friday—and then nothing.” – Reena’s uncle telling the police she is missing.

• “I was just calling to see if she picked up.” Dusty admitting that she had been calling the Virk family after the incident.

• “It’s just odd that the mom comes down here to ID the body. What kind of man lets his wife do that?” – Cam suspecting that the Virk family themselves are responsible for Reena’s disappearance.

• “My sister used to take care of me but I did some stupid stuff and she kicked me out.” – Dusty explaining how she ended up at the Seven Oaks foster home.

• “If you’re really that miserable, I do know a way you can get out there. You’re going to have to be a gangster.” – Josephine convincing Reena to act to escape her family home and be admitted to the Seven Oaks foster home.

What People Are Asking About Under the Bridge