
In her solitude and uniqueness, Mickey represents a well-known character archetype: the noble female police lead of high-end crime dramas. Similar to the complex female cops at the heart of shows like “Mare of Easttown,” “True Detective: Night Country,” “Under the Bridge,” and numerous others, she straddles the line between insider and outsider – closely connected to the community due to her roots, yet distanced because they perceive her as fundamentally different. Like her predecessors, Mickey’s professional life will merge with her personal life, becoming indistinguishable. And just like them, she will grapple with corruption within the very system that employs her. “Long Bright River,” streaming its eight-episode season on March 13, doesn’t break new ground or fall short in this genre. However, in its familiarity, it highlights the constraints of the popular belief that a single extraordinary woman can fix the deeply ingrained flaws of a damaged patriarchal institution.