Top of the Lake: Paradise Sold First Watch

March 7, 2016 9:31 AM - Season 1, Episode 1

DC Robin Griffin is back from Sydney to visit her sick mother in her New Zealand home town. She ends up assisting the local police when Tui, a 12-year-old girl, attempts suicide by walking into the freezing lake water. Meanwhile, Holly Hunter and her Odd Squad set up a commune by stacking shipping containers in an idyllic field. The local organized-crime patriarch is displeased.
posted by tel3path (5 comments total)

Robin comes across as a Clarice Starling type here. Singlemindedly focussed on saving a girl, clearheaded, surrounded by chauvinist guy cops.
posted by tel3path at 10:26 AM on March 7, 2016

I remember thinking Elizabeth Moss was really good in the leading role. Strong and vulnerable at the same time, which is a tricky combination to capture.

But I couldn't finish this miniseries - I literally had to go and read the recaps of the last two episodes in stead of watching them, because I found the atmosphere so intensely oppressing that it was triggering my anxiety. (It also didn't help that that same week I reached the Red Wedding in GoT; I actually swore off anything but light romcoms after that for a while).

This is a quality series, though, for those who can stand the discomfort...
posted by sively at 3:08 AM on March 10, 2016

As sively says, it does get quite oppressive, but it’s well written & acted. Plus, Holly Hunter is great as the leader of the womens’ retreat / collective.
posted by pharm at 2:34 PM on March 26, 2016

Way too many plot holes/unanswered questions/loose ends. I watched it all but it just felt... untethered. Some good performances though.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 6:46 PM on June 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

Way too many plot holes/unanswered questions/loose ends

You say that like it's a bad thing. This is a great show, but pretty heavy as mentioned above.
posted by each day we work at 2:05 PM on February 15, 2022