The Bridge Introduces A Bad-Ass Hiding In Plain Sight/Dowdy Clothes

I think if we're all being honest with ourselves, we can agree that the way Season 1 of The Bridge wound up was kind of a bummer. I don't mean the actual subject matter at hand, although it was a serial-killer drama, so...obviously. I mean how seriously it took the actually pretty ridiculous David Tate/Kenneth Hastings revenge plot, plus the threat that Season 2 was just going to be another revenge story, this time with Marco as the hunter and Tate/Hastings his prey, like, break the cycle and tell another story, show, damn. Fortunately, it looks like it's going to, and our first glimpse at a potential new Big Bad(-Ass) is pretty promising.

It's clear from the first moment we meet her that Eleanor Nacht is some kind of crime boss based on the fact that she's sketchy about entering the U.S. from Mexico, and because she's clearly boss at least to Yovani, the taciturn, unenlightened driver who's not cool with the Prius she's provided because he thinks it's going to make him look like a "pillow-biter." But what's with her dowdy, Duggar-esque high-collared blouse, and that long, unflattering skirt? Her haircut still has some edge, so is this just the churchy camouflage she's wearing so that she can pass? But then again, when Yovani's hand grazes her shoulder, she shrinks away and quietly asks him not to touch her, so maybe the outfit was chosen to shield her modesty from indecent American eyes. Just because her criminal operation -- the details of which are still unclear -- is undoubtedly the cause of dozens if not hundreds of murders, that doesn't mean that her personal appearance has to reflect the depravity she directs!

When Eleanor and Jovani enter Rayburn National Bank, it should be clear to the eager (not to say sycophantic) Timmy from their icy calm that whatever they're up to is, if not definitely shady, at least not improved by his cornfed ass-kissing, but as impeccable as Timmy's manners are, he could brush up on his room-reading skills. Granted, he's not in the room to see Jovani menace his boss, Mr. DeLarge (and his boss's signed Mickey Mantle baseball); unfortunately for Timmy, he's fetching Eleanor, as requested, tea with honey and cream.

This is unfortunate for a couple of reasons. First, it would have been better for everyone if hot tea hadn't been a refreshment option for Eleanor at all; then Timmy wouldn't have been able to make it. Failing that, if he had witnessed the terror that Eleanor inspires in Mr. DeLarge as he tries -- and, let's be honest: fails -- to assure her of his competence despite the seizure of a LOT of her cash from the home of an old lady who had a freak stroke, then maybe when Timmy had brought this Rayburn National Bank client and stakeholder her cup of extremely hot tea, he would have been significantly more careful about not spilling it on her.

But Timmy does spill scalding-hot tea on Eleanor. And Eleanor does react the way someone would who travels with hired muscle: she lets Yovani smash Timmy's face into Mr. DeLarge's couch...

...and instructs Yovani to relieve Timmy of an ear for his clumsiness.

To some, this may not seem like a proportional response. But how do we know Timmy hasn't already gotten lots of warnings about his butterfingers and/or how much Eleanor liked that outfit before he stained it? He underestimated her capacity for forgiveness just because she looked like she might walk out of the bank and straight out to a mission in Kenya; now he's going to assume every twinkling grandmother could be a stealth bad-ass using her Vera Bradley knitting bag to carry an actual Medieval mace.

Timmy might not appreciate Eleanor's help now, but in the weeks and months to come, he will probably think back often to this moment and appreciate how she helped him to be a better bank toady.