Network: CTV Television Network
Broadcast Run: 2010 to 2011
Broadcast Medium: Television
In November 2008 CTV announced that the network had ordered eleven episodes of a new police action adventure series to be called The Bridge.
Bama-Alper Productions, an Entertainment One Company, and Jonsworth Productions produced a two-hour pilot in association with CTV in the summer of 2008, and CTV was sufficiently impressed with the pilot to commit to series.
In Spring 2009, CBS picked up the series for US broadcast.
The Executive Producer of the series was Craig Bromell, of 990 Multi-Media Entertainment Co. Bromell, a former police officer, was President of the Toronto Police Association from 1997 to 2003. Aaron Douglas starred in the series, and the writer and Executive Producer was Alan Di Fiore.
The story line: after the rank and file unanimously voted tough and dedicated street cop Frank Leo (Aaron Douglas) into office as the police union’s dynamic leader, he began his quest to put street cops first and clean up the force from the ground up. But the old boys’ network running the police force and the city’s self-serving politicians were not about to sit idly by while a former street cop made up his own rules. Frank walked the thin blue line as he battled criminals on the streets, corruption in the ranks and the politically motivated department brass, letting nothing stop him from fulfilling his unwavering vow that when cops were in trouble, he would be there to protect the protectors.
The Bridge also starred Paul Popowich, Inga Cadranel, Frank Cassini, Theresa Joy, Ona Grauer, Michael Murphy and Stuart Margolin.
The Bridge made its debut on CTV on Friday, March 5th 2010 at 9 p.m. with a special two-hour series premiere, before moving to its regular Friday time period at 10 p.m. beginning March 12. On June 3rd, CTV announced that The Bridge would return for a second season in the fall of 2010.
After a brief late spring break, The Bridge returned to the CTV schedule with encore presentations beginning on July 10th 2010. CBS also began running repeat episodes in July, but pulled the series from its schedule after only three telecasts.
On January 14th 2011, CTV announced that the Network had had mutually agreed with Craig Bromell and Entertainment One (eOne) not to proceed with a second season of The Bridge. The Network however stated its intention to move forward on the development of new projects with Craig Bromell, actor Aaron Douglas and eOne.
Written by Pip Wedge – November, 2008