In The Bridge S3:E1, narrative elements are used to position audiences and create audience pleasure, identification and responses. The use of the main enigma is the best example of this. The main enigma for this episode and season is who the killer is. They paint multiple suspects so that the audience cant assume and predict who the killer is from the get-go, leading them on and keeping audience pleasure high as a crime drama fans mainly focus on the mystery as their way of staying intrigued. The show's structure positions the audience along for the journey, starting with the body discovery, leading to the suspects being painted and the investigation taking place, using small subplots throughout to keep the audience from getting stale from the crime. The main plot of the show focuses on the murder of a woman who was attempting to rid of the traditional nuclear family in Denmark, a country traditionally more conservative and traditional: against the idea of families that have foundations from gay parents.
In The Bridge S3:E1, genre codes are used to position audiences and create audience pleasure, identification and responses. The show uses traditional procedural elements to create audience pleasure and responses. It doesn't stray too far away from the traditional crime drama aspect, with a murder being committed and the body just being found, keeping not only the characters in the show but the audience also intrigued and interested in the goal of trying to find out who committed the crime. The show plays off character stereotypes in an attempt to create some form of identification with the audience. The main stereotype played on in this episode is the idea that people from Denmark are very traditional, with people from Sweden seen as being hipster and modern. An example of this is how the main character refers to the character (who's gender they don't know) as "hen"- a way to keep both gender options open in the air, with the Denmark associate chuckling- almost disrespected that the main character didn't refer to the mystery killer as he or she.
In The Bridge S3:E1, technical codes are used to position audiences and create audience pleasure, identification and responses. The use of binary opposites in terms of lighting being predominantly artificial or dark and bleak is key as it shows the dark and almost dismal atmosphere of the world the show tries to convey, creating responses from the audience to react from this. The shows seems to be mainly on a constant mid-shot, focusing on 2-3 people in a frame so the scene doesn't become oversaturated. The mis-en-scene of this episode is a key way of creating audience pleasure. They place one of the murder suspects in a dark room, feeding reptiles in a slow pace sadistic manner, following it up with a direct realisation he could be a suspect by having him put a woman's necklace on. Audio codes, specifically music, is used to create the perfect atmosphere to position the audience in. When the explosion occurs, the music hits a stop and turns into a eerie buzz almost, making the severity of the crime become more clear and taken on seriously, especially after the close up of the blown off leg is shown.
In The Bridge S3:E1, representation of the character is used to position audiences and create audience pleasure, identification and responses.
