Watch Top Of The Lake

Top of the Lake is a crime drama television series that initially premiered on Sundance Channel in 2013. The series was written and created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee. The story is set in a remote New Zealand town called Laketop, where a 12-year-old girl named Tui Mitcham tries to drown herself but disappears immediately. Detective Robin Griffin, played by Elisabeth Moss, leads the investigation into Tui's disappearance.

The show is a slow-burning character study that explores themes of trauma, abuse, misogyny, and the rugged beauty of the New Zealand terrain. In the first season, Robin Griffin is called back to Laketop by her former boss to help investigate the case of Tui Mitcham's disappearance. As she delves deeper into the case, she discovers heavy familial and community secrets, including Tui's father, Matt Mitcham, played by Peter Mullan, who is a local criminal and the apparent leader of the community.

Throughout the first season, Top of the Lake delves into the very intense and unsettling world of patriarchal culture, exposing the actualities of the brutal depths that go unnoticed. The series features a remarkable ensemble cast that supports and bolsters each other, including David Wenham, Gwendoline Christie, Holly Hunter, Alice Englert, and Nicole Kidman. Holly Hunter, in particular, stands out for her role as GJ, the leader of a group of homeless women.

The second season of Top of the Lake begins four years after the events of the first season. Robin Griffin is now back in her hometown of Sydney, where her mother is dying. However, things take a drastic turn when Detective Robin Griffin is called in to investigate a new case involving the mysterious death of a migrant worker from China. The case leads to wider-reaching political and personal ramifications as she is forced to confront her father and sister's dark past.

Moreover, the second season explores the themes of motherhood, nationalism, and surrogacy, particularly regarding the Chinese migrant worker character, Cinnamon played by Wu, who decides to raise her child without a father. The season, unlike the first season, is set in Sydney, Australia, and features an entirely new cast. Robin's provenance provides the string that links Tui and Cinnamon's cases, dragging her into a more profound, potentially more ominous world than the insularity of Laketop.

Top of the Lake has received critical acclaim for its cinematography, direction, writing, and performances, making it one of the most incredible shows on television. It is a dark, intense, and relentlessly engaging series that offers a unique perspective in a genre often dominated by men. The themes explored in Top of the Lake are vast, multifaceted, deep, and real, and the series is a must-watch for fans of crime drama, particularly slower-paced ones that lead to world-building within character study.

Top of the Lake is a thought-provoking, slow-burning mystery that offers profound insights into some of the most touched upon societal issues. Through its characters' complex portraits, the show dissects the dark and unrelenting tonalities of crimes of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and cyclical pain with empathy and artistry that make it a phenomenal watch. The series is available for stream on Sundance Channel, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

Top Of The Lake is a series that is currently running and has 2 seasons (21 episodes). The series first aired on February 25, 2013.