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China Girl – Top of the Lake

Play trailer Poster for China Girl – Top of the Lake 2017 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 61 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Set in a remote mountain town in New Zealand, "Top of the Lake" centers on the disappearance of 12-year-old Tui, who is five months pregnant. She is last seen standing chest deep in a freezing lake, and now all attention is focused on inexperienced detective Robin Griffin, who leads the investigation in the same town where she endured traumatic events years earlier. Not only must she find Tui, but Robin also embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Her limits are tested amid clashes with Matt, the missing girl's father and local drug lord, and GJ, a guru at a local women's camp.
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Top of the Lake — China Girl

Top of the Lake — China Girl

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Critics Consensus

Top of the Lake remains impressively idiosyncratic and ambitious in its second season, even if the plot of this six-episode arc isn't quite as tightly wound as its predecessor's.

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Critics Reviews

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Riese Bernard Autostraddle It's understated and frustrating and twisty and full of great performances.... [but] every woman of color with a speaking role in "China Girl" is woefully undeveloped. Oct 5, 2021 Full Review Doreen St. Felix The New Yorker Top of the Lake: China Girl floundered... May 9, 2020 Full Review Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) The emotions of the standard crime procedural are revenge, regret and obligation, but China Girl operates a deeper, primal level, and it is the psychological stakes that drive these incomplete people forward. Rated: 3/5 Oct 22, 2019 Full Review Keith Watson Metro Newspaper (UK) Moss does simmering misery brilliantly and Christie injects the only recognizable humanity as rookie cop Miranda. But it's not enough to stop Top Of The Lake drowning in its own puddle of cliché and self-importance. Rated: 2/5 May 20, 2019 Full Review James Walton The Spectator The plot strands are slowly coming together, Campion is as committed as ever to making every shot perfect, and Moss is once again proving why she's in such demand. Sep 6, 2018 Full Review Christopher Stevens Daily Mail (UK) It's unlikely, depressing, bitter and instantly addictive. Rated: 4/5 Jul 20, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Haidee S Season 1 was excellent, this was not. Example (spoiler) the Chief of Police is having an affair with a police woman and makes the detective work with her, no discretion, no mention of normal office ethics, he makes out with her in the office and bears no resemblance to a character that heads up a policy unit. And he's organised an illegal surrogacy with his lover. Just WHY? And they have no chemistry and the whole plot is outlandish and stupid. And that's the least of the stupidity. A lot of the characters are unlikeable. I thought it would somehow come together but it only got more stupid. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/09/25 Full Review Ilya B Season 2 was a waste of time. The writing was terrible and didn’t make sense. The acting was even worse. Kidman, who you expect to be spectacular wasn’t even worth putting on screen, along with Gwendolyn Christie. At least they got a paycheck. The writers were in a hurry to end the season catastrophe because you didn’t get an ending. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/04/24 Full Review The Quaint G I loved the first season, it keep you guessing even if you thought you already knew. The actors in it were great. Season 2 however, was dumb and only due to Nicole Kidman. She ruined the entire season and was the downfall of the show. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/24 Full Review Gareth v There is a good story to be told here, but it gets lost amongst the implausible screenplay. Disappointing Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/24/23 Full Review ann c Well I made it through the first two episodes, feel asleep out of boredom and irritation, and have no interest in continuing to the end. I just didn't like many of the characters this season. Nicole Kidmans character and daughter bit was so whiny I just wanted to throw something at the TV. Critics got this one wrong, I think they gave it a good rating just because it was "gritty". Gritty can still be annoying. Not worth the time. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review william f I may have to give up on this series after three episode - everyone is just too nasty particularly the male characters. What's the male of misogynist? Misandrogist? Anyway, that. From the chief cop to Mary's freakish boyfriend, to the shot cop from the previous series (an unbelievable cad, to use an old word), to the porn-loving students. The boyfriend Johnno from the previous series, a likeable character if ever there was (who Robin was going to marry) is now disdainfully swatted away like a fly. The writers/directors seem to really have it in for men. And there's a female(?) cop who's weird to the point of surreal, and doesn't seem consistent: at first adoring of Robin (the lead), then not. And Robin herself, though impressive, always seems poised on the point of breakdown - not surprising, perhaps, given what's made to happen to her in this series. A very bleak view of human nature. No Australian beach paradise, this. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Top of the Lake — China Girl

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jul 27, 2017 China Girl Despite being haunted by the baby she placed for adoption, detective Robin Griffin takes a new case when a body washes up on Bondi beach. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 3, 2017 The Loved One Robin puts together some theories about the pregnancy and murder; the meeting with Mary is put in jeopardy. Details Episode 3 Aired Aug 10, 2017 Surrogate Robin ignores the threat of a case against her and relishes in her new relationship with Mary. Details Episode 4 Aired Aug 17, 2017 Birthday Robin ignores the threat of Al Parker's case against her. Details Episode 5 Aired Aug 24, 2017 Who's Your Daddy? Miranda drops a bombshell that brings her closer to the dead girl. Details Episode 6 Aired Aug 31, 2017 The Battle of the Mothers Robin is faced with the kidnapping of Mary. Details
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Season Info

Director
Jane Campion
Executive Producer
Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Jane Campion
Screenwriter
Jane Campion, Gerard Lee
Network
SundanceTV
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jul 27, 2017