Didn't see a thread for this...

This is a NZ/Aussie mini-series co-written and co-directed by Jane Campion. It originally aired on the Sundance Channel and is now on Netflix.

It's a police procedural in the style of The Killing - but in all of the places where The Killing went wrong - The Top of the Lake gets amazingly right.

This is one of the best things I've seen on TV in years.

It stars Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss as an Australian detective called home to a remote NZ town to help with a missing girl case. It also stars David Wenham as her superior and Peter Mullen as the town's scary criminal kingpin and the father of the missing girl. Holly Hunter is also on board as the leader of a feminist-like support group that is both sad and quite funny.

It's seven episodes long, and the length is absolutely perfect. Long enough to delve deeply into the mythic qualities of this NZ town and culture and its characters, and short enough not to get impatient with how things unfold.

It's also one of the most unique TV shows I've seen - no characters are stock, no story lines are obvious, and the there is a cinematic quality that only a master like Campion can deliver.

In short, I thought it was perfect.

More people should def watch this. As you say only 7 episodes but well worth it.

Matt Mitcham is one of my favorite TV character of all time. In a show where every actor is exceptional, he stood out.

I wish this thread was around when it was airing so I could have seen some good speculation. My gf predicted the 'twist' in the final episode but I was oblivious to it until she went to his house.

Dean, the only problem I have with the show - and it's minor - is that I thought the final twist was telegraphed and fairly obvious about four shows in. However, I don't think the filmmakers cared that much about being shocking or having that twist, because even though it was fairly obvious, the way it played out made it no less shocking.

Elisabeth Moss is fast becoming one of the best actresses in her generation. She's phenomenal.

Very glad there's a thread for this. Keep getting told about it and finally got the eps. Looking very forward to this.

I posted about it when it first aired:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...postcount=1072

I think they aired the first two eps on the same night and I was absolutely hooked. It was the kind of thing I just wanted to blaze through all at once.

I also had minor problems with it, but overall it was really well done.

It was amazing. I too predicted the ending but was satisfied all the same.

This. Although for me it was not minor and affected my opinion of the show. The scene where


There were other clues as well along the way that ultimately left me underwhelmed with the ending. Wenham delivered as usual.
The ABC didn't think so (I'm from Oz). They committed to funding on the understanding that the lead actress for an ANZ crime story would come from ANZ. When Moss got the gig, the ABC pulled their funding, at which point the BBC stepped in.

Well, that's not because they didn't think she was a good actress. It's a union/actor's guild issue.

I watched this as it aired on TV. I thought it was good, very entertaining, yet not quite great. Maybe it was a little too dry / a little slow in spots... I can't quite figure out what it was about it that nags at me.

But I did love Elisabeth Moss in this. I don't watch Mad Men at all, but I've liked her ever since she was on the West Wing. Whenever she was on screen in Top of the Lake, she commanded full attention.

Police Chief was also great. Crime / Family Boss was also great too. (I'm not quite remembering the character names... been a little bit since I've seen it)

(Unrelated parting though: It still bothers me that Moss was married to Fred Armisen. Nice pull Armisen.)

Just finished the last episode. This series should get serious love -- the guy who played Matt Mitcham was amazing.

Because of this post I was watching the show coming up with crazy theories about the twist like Johnno being the baby daddy.

Thanks for the recommendation. Was definitely pretty good. Had some minor problems, but definitely enjoyable.

We had our first real snow dump of the season yesterday so I thought I'd share this photo I took this morning of the top of the lake:

Sounds good, will watch it

beautiful pic ^^

Well that was pretty harrowing. Was really well done, especially the genuine bogan feel to a lot of the locals. Even holy hunter got away with being a completely bizarre and out of place character. Scenery was stunning.

Dont think id watch it again, but glad I did.

Just finished, and WOW is pretty damn accurate.

I had a few ideas on how things were going to end, at least with who dunnit. I was correct'ish, but that didn't ruin my enjoyment again either. Up until the last 10-15 minutes, I wasn't 100%.

I didn't think much of Moss in TWW, which is my most watched show. She was fine, but never really had that much to do in it. She's is outstanding in this and MM.

This thread has got to be a giant level. Took me 5 days to watch 2 episodes (kept falling asleep) Not sure I'll watch the rest.. Bored to bits.

Keep going.

I'm glad I heard about it before I saw it because it did seem a little slow, but I still thought it was interesting. I would've kept up regardless, but hearing how good it was made me continue at a much faster pace.

It's your loss if you stop.

Why so we care if he keeps watching? If you don't like, son't watch it. <shrug>

I watched all of this, thought it was good, but not great. It really felt like a lesser Twin Peaks to me, honestly.

But it definitely needs to be said that Elisabeth Moss is incredible, as are Peter Mullen and Holly Hunter.

Just got round to watching this over the weekend. So good.

Would highly recommend it. Peter Mullan is the man.

interesting show.

lol

anyway i dunno, i enjoyed it for sure. it got better as it went on, early on a lot of the characters felt one-dimensional and wooden, and to be honest i felt like i was watching some ****ty uk drama show during decent chunks of it.

ultimately i think it was memorable and entertaining but by no means GREAT television.

finally, to state the obvious :

moss was great. mitcham was a great character. GJ was one of the worst television characters of all-time.

I loved it and thought it was near perfect. Really wish more shows were this slow. Every character felt very real and every action they took seemed natural which was quite refreshing after some of the melodramatic crap I've watched recently.

Watched the whole thing in 2 binges last night. Loved it. Thought the twists were fairly obvious and all rang true. Highly recommend.

There was some question in the tldr no content thread about it being anti-man, but I thought pretty much everyone had their crazy. The men directed it outward, the women inward, just like in real life.