Top of the Lake

Jane Campion is a star director from New Zealand, and everyone is curious to see what her take on TV crime shows will be. Yet it is disappointing that Top of the Lake has no trace of the imagery of her great works, An Angel at My Table, Piano, The Portrait of a Lady or Bright Star. Yet it still works so well with that extraordinary New Zealand landscape... New Zealand is not just about The Lord of the Rings, Seeker, or Xena anymore. (29.01.2019)

I've known about this show for years. Lucy Lawless guest stars, which is indeed an event because she was probably the last New Zealand star who didn't work with Jane Campion. And everyone loves The Piano (that is also why Holly Hunter is in it). So what is Top of the Lake all about? A cold, slow and very cruel crime drama. Lucy's role is not important and Stephen Lovatt is equally irrelevant. However, if you're suffering from latent depression, the mood in Top of the Lake could be a bit of a catharsis. (29.01.2019)

If it weren't for Kidman, I wouldn't be coming back to the series. She may have matured and purposely chosen a rather interesting counter-role this time as a bisexual adoptive mother in an unusual mask, but someone like her doesn't need television - she's just lending her personality to a project that needs a kick to the backside after all these years. The extremely slow pace of the first series did not leave a good impression. The beautiful landscape of New Zealand was replaced by a more routine Australia and the detached crime drama could continue. While I'm glad that the basic story of the once-raped police officer Robin Griffin was finished, watching the drama with surrogate mothers and the manipulation of minors was again very challenging. Top of the Lake has once again left me with many questions about the modern family, motherhood, marriage, guilt, and forgiveness, but I sincerely hope that if there is ever another series, I won't be a part of it. The mentality on this side of the world is too different. (18.04.2019)