One detective’s search for truth exposes the darkness of an entire town.
Top of the Lake, created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, is a haunting crime drama set against the rugged beauty of New Zealand’s South Island. The story begins when Robin Griffin, a detective portrayed by Elisabeth Moss, returns to her hometown and becomes embroiled in the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl named Tui Mitcham. As Robin investigates, she discovers that the community’s serene façade hides dark undercurrents of corruption, violence, and secrecy.
Robin’s quest for answers is complicated not only by the powerful Mitcham family, who control much of the town, but also by her own troubled past. As she delves deeper into the mystery, the line between professional duty and personal trauma begins to blur, forcing her to confront painful truths about herself while exposing the community’s hidden sins.
The series is as much a psychological exploration as it is a crime investigation. Themes of power, gender dynamics, and systemic abuse are woven into the narrative, making the story both gripping and thought-provoking. The raw wilderness of the New Zealand landscape serves as a character in itself—majestic yet unforgiving, mirroring the isolation and danger surrounding the investigation.
Elisabeth Moss delivers a deeply nuanced performance, bringing both vulnerability and resilience to her role as Robin. With Campion’s direction, Top of the Lake becomes more than a detective story; it is an atmospheric and unsettling portrait of a community where truth is buried beneath generations of silence and fear.
