Top of the Lake is a mystery drama television series created and written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, and directed by Campion and Garth Davis. It aired in 2013, and the sequel, entitled Top of the Lake: China Girl, in 2017. It marks Campion's first work for television since An Angel at My Table in 1990.
Series 1 follows Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) and deals with her investigation of the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl in New Zealand. Series 2, China Girl, is set in Sydney five years later, as Detective Griffin investigates the death of an unidentified Asian girl found at Bondi Beach.
Top of the Lake was co-produced for BBC Two in the UK, BBC UKTV in Australia and New Zealand, and Sundance Channel in the United States. It has been generally very well received.
Cast and characters[]
- Elisabeth Moss - Robin Griffin
Series 1 (Top of the Lake)[]
- David Wenham - Al Parker
- Peter Mullan - Matt Mitcham
- Thomas M. Wright - Johnno Mitcham
- Holly Hunter - GJ
- Kip Chapman - Luke Mitcham
- Jay Ryan - Mark Mitcham
- Jacqueline Joe - Tui Angel Mitcham
- Robyn Nevin - Jude Griffin
- Calvin Tuteao - Turangi
- Alison Bruce - Anne-Marie
- Georgi Kay - Melissa
- Lucy Lawless - Caroline Platt
- Genevieve Lemon - Bunny
- Robyn Malcolm - Anita
- Griz Pomirska - "the Naked Lady"
- Sarah Valentine - Prue
- Skye Wansey - Grishina
- Ben Barrington - Terry
- James Blake - Shotover
- Byron Coll - Penguin
- Cohen Holloway - Mike
- Oscar Redding - Sarge
- Edwin Wright - Scuzz
- Luke Buchanan - Jamie
- Sam Dickson - Jase
- Connor Olivia Moore - Kayla
- Layne Opetaia - Daniel
- Alice Ward - Gemma
- Sydney Telfer - Teegan
- Stephen Lovatt - Officer Pete
- Gavin Rutherford - Officer Joy
- Madeleine Sami - Zena
- Edward Campbell - Putty
- Lauren Dawes - Mandy
- Erica Englert - Narelle
- Mirrah Foulkes - Simone
- Dra McKay - Delia
Series 2 (Top of the Lake: China Girl)[]
- Gwendoline Christie - Miranda Hilmarson
- David Dencik - Alexander "Puss" Braun
- Ewen Leslie - Pyke Edwards
- Alice Englert - Mary Edwards
- Nicole Kidman - Julia Edwards
- Clayton Jacobson - Detective Sergeant Adrian Butler
- Kym Gyngell - Bootie
- Ling Cooper Tang - Dang
- Geoff Morrell - Ray
- Liv Hewson - Michaela
- Christiaan Van Vuuren - Stally
- Lincoln Vickery - Brett Iles
International broadcast[]
| Country | Network | Local title |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | BBC UKTV, BBC First, ABC iview | Top of the Lake |
| Belgium | Canvas | |
| Canada (English) | CBC Television | |
| France | Arte | |
| Germany | Arte | |
| Greece | Cosmote Cinema | |
| India | Zee Café | |
| Netherlands | NPO 2 (VPRO, NTR) | |
| New Zealand | BBC UKTV, TVNZ OnDemand | |
| Spain | RTVE Play | |
| United Kingdom | BBC Two, UKTV Play | |
| United States | Sundance TV, Hulu | |
| Canada (French) | Ici ARTV, TOU.TV | Au bout du lac |
| Israel | HOT VOD | קצה האגם |
| Italy | Sky Atlantic, LaEffe | Top of the Lake - Il mistero del lago |
| Poland | Ale Kino+ | Tajemnice Laketop |
| Serbia | Nova | Врх језера |