Top of the Lake

[Lucky]

Know there has been some talk about this elsewhere, but maybe the thread will encourage others to check it out. Sundance's first foray into the rapidly crowding quality television market is a standout entry. Like House of Cards, this is a firmly planted first step in establishing a name for the network. The pilot alone has secured my interest in the upcoming "Rectify" to see if Sundance is on to something here. Will post more as I continue.

From what I understand, this is also on Netflix instant Watch. Only 7 episodes, the time commitment isn't much.

[ledfloyd]

Mad Men and Breaking Bad have some serious competition for best TV show of the year.

[Lucky]

So I wasn't expecting this show to be my Saturday, but I'm on Ep 5 with no intention of stopping. It's bare, no bells and whistles, and completely engrossing. I imagine that this is the show the producers of The Killing had in mind, but they fell woefully short. If Sundance can maintain this feel with all of its programming, it will successfully mine a niche of television that will separate it from the styles of AMC/FX/HBO/Showtime. I'm sure I'll finish this either tonight or tomorrow morning.

[[ETM]]

Oh, shut up already, people! I'm trying to catch up on my Arrow/Veronica Mars/Mad Men, and you're making it so difficult!

[Lucky]

Episode 6. That was harrowing.

[Mara]

I mainlined this over the last two days. Yikes.

Although I found it very absorbing, atmospheric, and beautiful, I have a couple of quibbles:

It takes the detectives forever to figure out what is going on. I had Al pegged as the bad guy from, like, the third episode, and figured out that Johnno and Robin were probably siblings around the same time.

Robin couldn't figure out that Al roofied her? Give me a break.

Also, having them find out that Matt was not Johnno's (?) father was a cop-out.

Still, those are minor issues with some stellar television. The young actress they got for Tui was a standout, but the whole cast was great. Moss embodied the character perfectly, although even I could tell her accent faded in and out. (Agnes' accent was even wackier.)

I'm going to be processing this for awhile.

[Winston*]

Watching this as it airs, so I've still got 2 more hours to go.

[ledfloyd]

Watching this as it airs, so I've still got 2 more hours to go.
It started airing earlier here than there then? That's strange.

[Winston*]

It started airing earlier here than there then? That's strange.

It's also airing on UK TV. It's an American-British coproduction. I don't think there's any New Zealand money in this thing (because there is no New Zealand money).

[Lucky]

I found parts of the ending clumsy and obvious as well, Mara. I ended up enjoying the atmosphere and inhabitants more than the actual narrative. I was disappointed to find out CJ never wove into the narrative in a substantial way. Looking back, the character is pretty silly but fits in with the religious undertones of the series. Tui was a standout since the pilot--the girl exhibits a world-weary look that is unsettling to see from a child actor.

[Mara]

Another small quibble. I know that I'm sounding negative, but I figure plenty of praise will be heaped on this.

WHAT was with Robin suddenly having a brother part of the way through? She's like, "Eh, hey brother," and he's like, "Hey," and I can't figure out why this character has never been mentioned before. I get that he's not her mother's child, but wouldn't he at least come to the funeral to support his sister? And wouldn't she visit him while she's in the country? He just showed up when she needed a computer scanned and then disappeared. That was so random.

[slqrick]

You guys have convinced me. Checking it out for the Moss, although her accent is funny. I've been wanting to check out a detective/mystery show, and this seems like just the one. 10 minutes in and already more compelling than The Killing.

[ledfloyd]

Another small quibble. I know that I'm sounding negative, but I figure plenty of praise will be heaped on this.

WHAT was with Robin suddenly having a brother part of the way through? She's like, "Eh, hey brother," and he's like, "Hey," and I can't figure out why this character has never been mentioned before. I get that he's not her mother's child, but wouldn't he at least come to the funeral to support his sister? And wouldn't she visit him while she's in the country? He just showed up when she needed a computer scanned and then disappeared. That was so random.

Maybe they just weren't close at all.

[Mara]

Maybe they just weren't close at all.

They seem really affectionate, though.

I don't know-- I guess I just didn't see the point of it. He could have just been an old friend and it would have been less weird.

The more I think about it, the more unusual and fascinating of a character Matt is. He has such a strange relationship to women, and his mother, and his children. His little mental vacation with Agnes was kind of fascinating (and the end of it, at the fence, was brutal and upsetting.)

[Lucky]

From what I understood, I thought those were her brother's two friends. I didn't think we actually saw her brother onscreen.

[slqrick]

Well I've spent the majority of the day riveted by this. Already starting episode 4, Moss is really terrific in this. A lot of nuanced work.

[ledfloyd]

Well I've spent the majority of the day riveted by this. Already starting episode 4, Moss is really terrific in this. A lot of nuanced work.
Moss's work in episode 4 is what completely sold me on the show. Riveting stuff.

[slqrick]

Episode 6. That was harrowing.

Holy shit, this episode.

"Tui" falling down the slope was the most gut wrenching thing I've seen on TV in quite some time.

I thought the finale shoehorned some crap in a bit too handily, and some of the narrative stuff was obvious.

Al must be totally chill guy, Peggy. There's no reason at all for him to keep bringing up the fact that hey, he did NOT rape you at his house. Repeat, he did NOT rape you, just in case you were wondering.

[slqrick]

Good article (http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9207587/top-lake-rectify-evolution-sundance-channel) about Top of the Lake and the Sundance Channel in general, which never anywhere near my radar for quality shows before this past week.

[EyesWideOpen]

From what I understood, I thought those were her brother's two friends. I didn't think we actually saw her brother onscreen.

I just watched it and yes that is the case.

Goddamn what a fantastic show.

[megladon8]

We watched the first two episodes tonight. Really good stuff.

Is there a single positive male character in this entire show?

[EyesWideOpen]

Yes

[Mara]

Yes
But they are admittedly thin on the ground.

[Qrazy]

I couldn't take this show seriously, thought it was pretty lame overall.

[megladon8]

I am liking, though, that it isn't just a blanket "all women are victims of men's assholery" message. That would just feel like a silly, extremist feminist manifesto.

Similar to "The Wire", the show shows how these issues are deeply rooted culturally and inherent in the system. Many of the men are assholes, yes, and many of the women are victims of them...but the show actually wants to ask why that is.

[megladon8]

Jeez - episode 3 had me crying like 4 times.