Under The Bridges Hulu Success Makes It A Great Replacement For Amy Adams 6-Year-Old HBO Show With 92% On RT
Based on some key similarities in the central premise of both shows, Under the Bridge serves as a perfect replacement for a 2018 HBO miniseries starring Amy Adams. Created by Quinn Shepherd, Under the Bridge is based on the true story of the murder of Reena Virk, a 14-year-old girl who was killed by her peers in 1997. Shepherd adapted Under the Bridge from the 2005 book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey, who is portrayed in the eight-episode true crime miniseries by Riley Keough.
Since the first episode premiered on Hulu on April 17, 2024, the reviews for Under the Bridge have been overwhelmingly positive, with many critics praising the series’ sensitive approach to the delicate, gut-wrenching details of the real-life case. Under the Bridge currently holds an 85% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes accompanied by an 81% audience score. Given its success and similar premise, Under the Bridge can fill the six-year void left by one of HBO’s best miniseries to date.
In some key respects, Under the Bridge is very similar to the 2018 HBO miniseries Sharp Objects starring Amy Adams. Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2006 debut novel of the same name, Sharp Objects follows Camilla Preaker (Adams), an alcoholic, emotionally troubled reporter who is haunted by her past when she returns to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to cover the murder of two local girls shortly after leaving a psychiatric hospital. Sharp Objects was a huge hit with critics and audiences alike and earned several major award nominations, including three Emmys and three Golden Globes.
The present-day, frame narrative in Under the Bridge is very similar to Sharp Objects: the fictionalized version of Rebecca Godfrey in Under the Bridge returns to the island of Victoria where she grew up with the intention of writing about the misunderstood local girls, but ends up delving into Reena Virk’s murder case instead. Upon her arrival, Rebecca is forced to confront parts of her past, just like Camille. In real life, Rebecca didn’t return to Victoria until after Reena was murdered, making the true story behind Under the Bridge even more similar to the fictional Sharp Objects.
While the initial intention behind the characters’ hometown returns is different, the similarities between Sharp Objects and Under the Bridge are undeniable. Both Camille and Rebecca lost a sibling when they were young, too, and they both become romantically involved with the law enforcement officer leading the murder investigation. Camille’s dynamic with her much younger half-sister Amma is not unlike Rebecca’s with accused killer Josephine Bell, either. Of course, Rebecca Godfrey was a real person while Camille Preaker is a fictional character, but all-in-all, Under the Bridge serves as an ideal replacement for fans of Sharp Objects.
Based on the success of Sharp Objects,another HBO miniseries may be exactly what Amy Adams needs to get her out of the slump she’s been in ever since the show aired in 2018. Adams hasn’t starred in a hit movie since Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released in 2021. Prior to that, the last somewhat well-received movie Adams starred in was Adam McKay’s Dick Cheney biopic, Vice, which was released only four months after the Sharp Objects finale aired in 2018.
Adams’ most recent film was back in 2022 when she reprised her role as the princess Giselle in Disenchanted, the sequel to her 2007 fantasy rom-com Enchanted. Released exclusively on Disney+, Disenchanted bombed with critics and was received only marginally better by audiences. Despite making a huge impression on the small screen, Adams hasn’t starred in a TV show since Sharp Objects. Her next project is leading the film adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s book Nightbitch, but it might be time to consider going back down the HBO miniseries route if she really wants to get back on track.
Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Rotten Tomatoes
