laketop johnno pyke kleiman bootie telefeature arkapaw sundancetv mullan tui mitcham campion dencik englert uktv surrogates glenorchy gyngell bondi surrogacy wenham kidman brothel queenstown puss pathma aacta foetus gwendoline taffel
where was top of the lake china girl filmed
Top of the Lake - Wikipedia Top of the Lake Jump to : navigation , search <Th_colspan="2"> Top of the Lake <Td_colspan="2"> Genre Drama Created by Jane Campion Gerard Lee Written by Jane Campion Gerard Lee Directed by Jane Campion Garth Davis Ariel Kleiman Starring Elisabeth Moss David Wenham Peter Mullan Thomas M. Wright Holly Hunter Gwendoline Christie David Dencik Ewen Leslie Alice Englert Nicole Kidman Composer ( s ) Mark Bradshaw Country of origin Australia United Kingdom New Zealand Original language ( s ) English No. of series No. of episodes 13 ( Sundance ) 12 ( BBC ) ( list of episodes ) <Th_colspan="2"> Production Executive producer ( s ) Emile Sherman Iain Canning Jane Campion Jamie Laurenson Producer ( s ) Philippa Campbell Libby Sharpe Location ( s ) Queenstown , New Zealand Sydney , Australia Cinematography Adam Arkapaw Germain McMicking Editor ( s ) Alexandre de Franceschi Scott Gray Camera setup Single - camera Running time 45 minutes ( Sundance ) 60 minutes ( BBC ) Production company ( s ) See - Saw Films Distributor BBC Two BBC UKTV SundanceTV <Th_colspan="2"> Release Original network Sundance Channel Picture format HDTV Audio format Surround First shown in United States Original release 18 March 2013 ( 2013 - 03 - 18 ) -- present ( present ) <Th_colspan="2"> External links <Td_colspan="2"> Website <Td_colspan="2"> Production website Top of the Lake is a mystery drama television series created and written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee , and directed by Campion and Garth Davis . It aired in 2013 , and the sequel , entitled Top of the Lake : China Girl , in 2017 . It marks Campion 's first work for television since An Angel at My Table in 1990 . Season 1 follows Detective Robin Griffin ( Elisabeth Moss ) and deals with her investigation of the disappearance of a pregnant 12 - year - old girl in New Zealand . Season 2 , China Girl , is set in Sydney four years later , as Detective Griffin investigates the death of an unidentified Asian girl found at Bondi Beach . Top of the Lake was co-produced for BBC Two in the UK , BBC UKTV in Australia and New Zealand , and Sundance Channel in the United States . It has been generally very well received . Contents ( hide ) 1 Cast 1.1 Top of the Lake 1.1. 1 Main 1.1. 2 Supporting 1.2 Top of the Lake : China Girl 1.2. 1 Main 1.2. 2 Supporting 2 Production 2.1 Top of the Lake 2.2 Top of the Lake : China Girl 3 Release 4 Episodes 4.1 Series 1 4.2 Series 2 : China Girl 5 Reception 5.1 Awards and nominations 5.1. 1 AACTA Awards 5.1. 2 British Academy Television Craft Awards 5.1. 3 Critics ' Choice Television Awards 5.1. 4 Emmy Awards 5.1. 5 Golden Globe Awards 5.1. 6 Golden Nymph Awards 5.1. 7 Screen Actors Guild Awards 5.1. 8 New Zealand Film Awards 5.1. 9 Screen Producers Australia Awards 5.1. 10 Equity Ensemble Awards 6 References 7 External links Cast ( edit ) Top of the Lake ( edit ) Main ( edit ) Elisabeth Moss as Robin Griffin , a Sydney detective specialising in sexual assault who is visiting her remote New Zealand hometown of Laketop , agrees to investigate the pregnancy and disappearance of a local 12 - year - old girl , Tui Mitcham . Her ability to empathise with Tui 's circumstances is based on a horrific event during her own teenage years . David Wenham as Al Parker , an old - school and well - liked detective sergeant , based in Queenstown , who also manages a café where young offenders are given a second chance . Peter Mullan as Matt Mitcham , a Scotsman and head of the Mitcham family . He is the informal leader of the town , feared by the townspeople , but with a complex inner life . Tom Wright as Johnno Mitcham , Matt 's estranged youngest son , and Robin 's teenage sweetheart . He recently returned to Laketop after serving eight years in Bangkwang , a Thai prison , for drug possession . Holly Hunter as GJ , an androgynous Swiss spiritual leader , arriving at Paradise with a group of troubled women , who hope GJ and Laketop will help them rediscover themselves . Supporting ( edit ) Kip Chapman and Jay Ryan as Luke and Mark Mitcham , Matt 's brute sons . Jacqueline Joe as Tui Angel Mitcham , Matt 's 12 - year - old daughter who disappears after it is discovered that she is five months pregnant . Robyn Nevin as Jude Griffin , Robin 's mother , who is suffering from cancer . Calvin Tuteao as Turangi , Jude 's caring Māori boyfriend , who has a violent temper . GJ 's Community Alison Bruce as Anne - Marie Georgi Kay as Melissa Lucy Lawless as Caroline Platt Genevieve Lemon as Bunny Robyn Malcolm as Anita Griz Pomirska as `` the Naked Lady '' Sarah Valentine as Prue Skye Wansey as Grishina Matt 's men Ben Barrington as Terry James Blake as Shotover Byron Coll as Penguin Cohen Holloway as Mike Oscar Redding as Sarge Edwin Wright as Scuzz Tui 's friends Luke Buchanan as Jamie Sam Dickson as Jase Connor Olivia Moore as Kayla Layne Opetaia as Daniel Alice Ward as Gemma The Southern Lakes Police Department Stephen Lovatt as Officer Pete Gavin Rutherford as Officer Joy Madeleine Sami as Zena the secretary Residents of Laketop Edward Campbell as Putty , the `` village idiot '' . Lauren Dawes as Mandy , Johnno 's girlfriend . Erica Englert as Narelle , Matt 's housekeeper . Mirrah Foulkes as Simone , Jamie 's mother . Dra McKay as Delia , Tui 's teacher . Top of the Lake : China Girl ( edit ) Main ( edit ) Elisabeth Moss as Robin Griffin , now returned to Sydney , investigates the death of an unidentified Asian girl whose body is found at Bondi Beach . Gwendoline Christie as Miranda Hilmarson , a 35 - year - old Constable in the Sydney Police Force , who becomes Robin 's partner . David Dencik as Alexander `` Puss '' Braun , a 42 - year - old charismatic German , who owns a building in Sydney he rents to a brothel . He is also Mary 's boyfriend . Puss 's grooming of Mary frightens Robin , Pyke and Julia . Ewen Leslie as Pyke Edwards , a successful lawyer and Mary 's adoptive father . Mary resents him for his passivity in his relationship with Julia . Alice Englert as Mary Edwards , Robin 's 17 - year - old daughter , whom she gave up for adoption at two days old . Suffering from anxiety and low self - esteem , Mary has begun to act out , due to the separation of her parents . Nicole Kidman as Julia Edwards , Mary 's overbearing adoptive mother . She has recently become estranged from her husband and daughter , due to having an affair with a female teacher from Mary 's school , with whom she now lives . Supporting ( edit ) Clayton Jacobson as Detective Sergeant Adrian Butler , Robin 's boss Kym Gyngell as Bootie , who owns the Silk 41 brothel in Sydney , in space rented from Puss Ling Cooper Tang as Dang , Bootie 's Thai - born wife and madam of the brothel Geoff Morrell as Ray , the police pathologist Liv Hewson as Michaela , Mary 's best friend at school Christiaan Van Vuuren as Stally , a police constable interested in Robin Lincoln Vickery , as Brett Iles , a young computer science student in love with a missing brothel worker , Cinnamon Mark Leonard Winter as Johnno , Robin 's childhood love and now ex-fiancé , whom she dumped on their wedding day Production ( edit ) Top of the Lake ( edit ) Actress Jennifer Ehle auditioned for the role of GJ , which went to Holly Hunter . Jane Campion originally offered the role of Robin to Anna Paquin , who had worked with her on The Piano ( 1993 ) . Paquin declined due to her pregnancy , and the role went to American Elisabeth Moss . The series was originally intended as a co-production with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . But after Moss was cast as Robin , the network pulled their funding before production began , citing a prior agreement to put an Australian actress in the lead . Australian - based channel UKTV , owned by BBC Worldwide , filled the funding gap left by the ABC . Philippa Campbell was the New Zealand - based producer . Filming took 18 weeks and was shot entirely on location in Queenstown and Glenorchy , in Otago , on the South Island of New Zealand . While Queenstown is referred to during the series , Glenorchy doubles as the fictitious town of Laketop . The scenes in the women 's commune were filmed at Moke Lake . Top of the Lake : China Girl ( edit ) In early 2013 , co-creator Jane Campion said that Top of the Lake comes to a distinct ending , and there would be no additional series . Despite this , it was announced in October 2014 that the series had been renewed for a second season . China Girl began shooting on location in Sydney , Australia in December 2015 . Campion returned as co-writer and co-director . Gerard Lee returned as co-writer . The original co-director , Garth Davis , was replaced by Ariel Kleiman due to scheduling conflicts . Philippa Campbell returned as producer . Actress Nicole Kidman joined the cast for China Girl , which is the second time she has worked with Campion . Kidman `` plays an Australian mother , Julia , whose story dovetails with that of Detective Robin Griffin '' , played by Elisabeth Moss . Christie , a fan of Campion 's The Piano , joined the cast after sending a letter through a mutual friend . Release ( edit ) Top of the Lake screened in its entirety at the January 2013 Sundance Film Festival , in a single seven - hour session with one intermission and a break for lunch . This was the first such screening in the history of the festival . Top of the Lake was additionally shown at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival . The US premiere was on the Sundance Channel on 18 March 2013 , in Australia on BBC UKTV on 24 March 2013 , and in New Zealand on 25 March , also on BBC UKTV . China Girl was screened in its entirety at the May 2017 Cannes Film Festival . In the UK , it premiered on BBC Two on 27 July 2017 , and the entire series was released on the BBC iPlayer immediately afterwards . In the US , it premiered in September 2017 , on Sundance TV , and each episode will be available on Hulu the day after its screening on SundanceTV . In Canada , China Girl premiered on October 25 , 2017 , on CBC Television . Episodes ( edit ) Series 1 ( edit ) This article needs an improved plot summary . ( November 2017 ) Sundance episodes No . overall No. in season Title Directed by Written by Original air date `` Episode 1 '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 18 March 2013 ( 2013 - 03 - 18 ) <Td_colspan="6"> In the small town of Laketop , New Zealand , a young girl named Tui Mitcham is discovered standing chest - deep in the icy , glacial waters of the titular lake . Afterwards , a school nurse notices that the girl is pregnant . Robin Griffin , who grew up in the area , is now a police inspector in Sydney who specializes in cases involving children . While home visiting her sick mother , she agrees to interview Tui at the local police station . `` Episode 2 '' Garth Davis with Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 18 March 2013 ( 2013 - 03 - 18 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Robin encounters two women from Paradise . They tell her Tui was with them the day before she disappeared but was gone in the morning . Robin organizes the local authorities to search for Tui . During the search , Robin walks into the lake and has a vision of Tui doing the same , the latter clenching her fists in the water . `` Episode 3 '' Garth Davis Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 25 March 2013 ( 2013 - 03 - 25 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Matt Mitcham goes to Paradise and sits in on a session with GJ , the enigmatic leader of the camp . In a mocking tone , Matt asks the group about the human mind . GJ tells Matt that the human mind schemes . Later , Al meets Matt in the middle of the lake for a secret meeting . `` Episode 4 '' Garth Davis with Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 1 April 2013 ( 2013 - 04 - 01 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Robin has dinner at Al 's ultramodern , immaculate , lakeside house . Robin tells Al she thinks Tui 's note , that said `` No One '' , meant there were multiple rapists . Al counsels Robin she is getting too involved in Tui 's case , likely because of Robin 's own history of having been gang raped , at age 15 . 5 5 `` Episode 5 '' Jane Campion with Garth Davis Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 8 April 2013 ( 2013 - 04 - 08 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Robin asks Johnno what he wanted to tell her about the night she was raped . Johnno describes how he heard Robin screaming and he peed himself . He says he found a latch to get out of the dog cage in the back of the truck but was too afraid to persist in trying to stop the men from raping her . 6 6 `` Episode 6 '' Garth Davis with Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 15 April 2013 ( 2013 - 04 - 15 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Robin reveals to Johnno that she plans to make a case against Matt Mitcham , in hopes of encouraging Tui to come home . Robin shares that she caught Jamie attempting to take Tui with rohypnol , a `` date rape '' drug that Robin suspects Matt manufactures . Johnno warns Robin against bringing a case against Matt , as Matt 's drug business provides much of the town with a livelihood . 7 7 `` Episode 7 '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 15 April 2013 ( 2013 - 04 - 15 ) <Td_colspan="6"> Robin goes to work at the police station the next day and tells Al that Matt said he was her father . Matt , certain that Tui could not be pregnant , searches for and finds her with her newborn baby . As he is about to kill the baby , Tui appears and kills Matt . Robin discovers that Al has been pimping young boys and girls from the barista training , including Tui , to other men for sex . BBC episodes No . overall No. in season Title Directed by Written by UK air date UK viewers ( millions ) `` Paradise Sold '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 13 July 2013 ( 2013 - 07 - 13 ) 2.70 <Td_colspan="7"> Tui 's pregnancy is discovered , and the Paradise community moves in . `` Searchers Search '' Garth Davis Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 20 July 2013 ( 2013 - 07 - 20 ) 1.92 <Td_colspan="7"> Robin 's search for Tui begins . `` The Edge of the Universe '' Garth Davis Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 27 July 2013 ( 2013 - 07 - 27 ) 1.57 <Td_colspan="7"> Robin makes a breakthrough . Over dinner at Al 's place he warns her about her past being known . `` A Rainbow Above Us '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 3 August 2013 ( 2013 - 08 - 03 ) 1.32 <Td_colspan="7"> Al dismisses Robin from the case . Her passionate affair with Johnno intensifies . 5 5 `` The Dark Creator '' Garth Davis Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 10 August 2013 ( 2013 - 08 - 10 ) 1.50 <Td_colspan="7"> Robin is back on the case . Matt gathers troops to hunt Tui down . Tui 's friends celebrate her birthday in the mountains . 6 6 `` No Goodbyes , Thanks '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 17 August 2013 ( 2013 - 08 - 17 ) 1.72 <Td_colspan="7"> Matt reveals his secret about Robin , and the investigation concludes . Series 2 : China Girl ( edit ) This article 's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed . Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise . ( November 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) No . overall No. in season Title Directed by Written by UK air date UK viewers ( millions ) 7 `` China Girl '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 27 July 2017 ( 2017 - 07 - 27 ) 3.39 <Td_colspan="7"> In Sydney , brothel owners Bootie and Dang throw a heavy suitcase off a cliff into the ocean . Four years after the events with Tui , Robin tries to adjust back to life in Sydney while dealing with residual PTSD from shooting Al Parker . Parker turned witness in the case of the paedophile ring in exchange for immunity , but has now filed a civil suit against Robin , claiming the shooting was personally motivated . Robin 's daughter , Mary , is now nearly 18 and exhibiting signs of mental instability that her adoptive parents worry is more than teen angst . Unbeknownst to her parents , Mary is dating a 42 - year - old German , Alexander , nicknamed `` Puss '' , who lives above a brothel , Silk 41 . Mary is enamoured with Puss , who claims to be `` empowering '' the young Asian prostitutes by teaching them English and other life lessons . Mary is aggressively rebelling and openly hostile against her adoptive parents , Pyke and Julia , who are getting a divorce after Julia came out as a lesbian . Pyke and Julia are appalled after meeting Puss , who informs them he plans to marry Mary . Robin 's new boss , Detective Sergeant Adrian Butler , brings a large stuffed panda to a young Asian woman . Brett , a socially awkward university student who frequents brothels , worries because he ca n't find a prostitute named Cinnamon , whom he believes is his girlfriend . Meanwhile , the suitcase washes up on Bondi Beach and it contains the decomposing body of a woman . Robin and a rookie constable , the awkward Miranda , are assigned to the case . 8 `` The Loved One '' Ariel Kleiman Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 3 August 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 03 ) 2.38 <Td_colspan="7"> A flashback reveals that four weeks earlier , Johnno was arrested on their wedding day after his pot farm was raided , and Robin left him after discovering he had cheated on her as well . Meanwhile , Tui is now raising her son at the women 's commune . In the present , Robin , who had three miscarriages while with Johnno , has nightmares about babies . Robin is obsessed with the case of the Asian Jane Doe found in the suitcase , dubbed `` China Girl , '' whose cause of death was possibly strangulation . With no matching reports from missing persons , they suspect she was working as a prostitute , possibly entering the country with a false passport . Robin and Miranda observe the autopsy , where the coroner learns that China Girl was about 17 weeks pregnant . An emotional Miranda leaves the autopsy when she sees the tiny foetus , and she later reveals she is 18 weeks pregnant . Robin is irritated by Miranda , but Adrian insists they work together , because nobody else will work with either of them . They visit brothels , which are legal in Sydney . Robin notices a large stuffed panda at one , Silk 41 , and asks Adrian what happened to the one he had in his office . He claims he gave it to his son . Brett goes to Silk 41 to find Cinnamon , and is eventually told she went to Canberra . He refuses to believe she would without telling him . Robin finally works up the courage to contact Mary , leaving a letter at the Edwards ' home . She first meets with Pyke and Julia at his office , and Julia angrily informs her that Mary 's behavioural problems began four years earlier , after she never received a reply to the letter she sent Robin . She chastises her for not having the decency to respond , and that Mary agonised over whether she had said something wrong in the letter . Julia storms off , but Pyke is more patient and listen as Robin explains she was just 16 years old when Mary was born . Robin is able to meet Mary , who behaves oddly and exhibits very low self - esteem . Mary reveals she assumed that she was the product of rape , which Robin confirms . Mary volunteers to murder her mother 's rapist , and Robin confesses that she never knew who the father was , being a victim of a gang rape . A DNA test on the male foetus reveals China Girl was not his biological mother , mystifying the pathologist . Robin , though , realises the dead girl was acting as a surrogate mother , changing the course of the investigation . 9 `` Surrogate '' Ariel Kleiman Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 10 August 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 10 ) 1.97 <Td_colspan="7"> Robin believes that China Girl was acting as an illegal surrogate , as the law states surrogates must be over 25 and have already had a child of their own , and thus the biological parents were working outside the normal system . She and Miranda visit a fertility clinic , where a doctor tells Robin that although many parents may be desperate enough to try illegal surrogacy , that would bring great risk as the law would side with the surrogate mother , who could decide to keep the child . Robin comes out to see Miranda arguing with the receptionist . Robin gets a lead after potentially finding the biological parents for whom China Girl was a surrogate , after a mentally unstable woman is wandering in traffic , crying about her missing baby . Robin visits the woman , Felicity , and her husband , Mike , in the psychiatric ward . Mike , who has a criminal record for cocaine possession , eventually agrees to take a DNA test . Robin is irritated by Miranda , who smokes and drinks despite her pregnancy , and who is now sleeping with Robin 's brother on top of having an affair with the married Adrian . Another detective , Stally , continues to make unwanted advances on Robin . After some investigating , Pyke and Julia confront Puss with the fact that he is already married , causing him to have a bizarre outburst in a restaurant and a further rift between them and Mary . Puss locks himself in his apartment and refuses to see Mary or any of the prostitutes in to see him . After being called by Pyke , Robin takes Mary to her apartment , where Mary breaks down because of Puss refusing to see her . Robin 's mediation with Al , now confined to a wheelchair , does not go as planned when he tries to kill her before it begins . 10 `` Birthday '' Ariel Kleiman Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 17 August 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 17 ) 1.92 <Td_colspan="7"> Puss manipulates Mary to start working as a prostitute when she turns 18 , mocking her for her privileged upbringing and implying she thinks she is better than her friends at the brothel . Pyke and Mary attend her school 's Daddy / Daughter dance , which he has been looking forward to . Mary at first stops to check on Puss , who talks his way into attending , claiming he is her `` Daddy . '' At the dance , he interrupts Pyke and Mary 's waltz and causes outrage when he begins dancing sexually with Mary , and is thrown out . Brett , who has seen the news about the Asian Jane Doe , contacts the police and gives them a photo of Cinnamon . Upset that the police consider him a suspect , Brett tells them about the creepy guy at the brothel . As he describes him , Robin fears he is talking about Mary 's boyfriend . Mary takes some of the prostitutes ( whom she claims are students ) to the beach with her , Pyke and Robin , to teach them how to swim . Puss comes along and , after noticing Robin 's air of hostility towards him , he brings up her rape , makes sexually suggestive remarks and then violently attacks her , biting her on the nose . Mary , screaming and hitting herself in the head , convinces Robin not to press charges . The DNA test reveals that Felicity and Mike are not the biological parents , but Robin is shocked to find out they have three young Asian women as surrogate mothers . Mary asks Dang to start working there , and Dang refuses . On Mary 's 18th birthday , Puss takes Mary to a hookers ' strip . She says she is afraid and he hits her in the face . He tells her that is worse than what any John will do to her , and now she does n't have to be afraid , and then leaves her there . Unable to complete the act , she is thrown out of a car by a John , and phones Robin for help . In Robin 's car , Mary sees the photo of Cinnamon , whom she recognises . Robin hints that Mary is in great danger . At Robin 's apartment , Mary breaks down crying , saying she does n't know how to leave him . 11 5 `` Who 's Your Daddy '' Jane Campion Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 24 August 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 24 ) 1.69 <Td_colspan="7"> Mary leaves the safety of Robin 's home to reconnect with Puss , who learns from her that Robin is looking into the murder of Cinnamon . Robin tells Pyke about picking Mary up from under the overpass . Pyke wants to kill Puss , and Robin says even she arrests him , she knows he wo n't be held long . Brett becomes further unhinged after identifying her Cinnamon 's body and begins suffering from hallucinations . Miranda has another crying spell at work and admits she fears her baby has died . They return to the same fertility clinic where Miranda shows the receptionist the photo of Cinnamon , and demands to know if she recognises her . Miranda informs her that the girl in the photo was not a student , but a sex worker , and then starts screaming that she wants an ultrasound . Robin takes her out to the beach to calm down , where Miranda reveals she is not actually pregnant and that her pregnancy is being done via surrogacy because of her own fertility issues . Miranda says their surrogate is pregnant with a daughter but has gone missing , and she fears it is because of a miscarriage . Miranda still insists that their surrogate was a student , but Robin asks if Adrian gave her a stuffed panda , because she saw one at Silk 41 . A doctor at the fertility clinic , unaware that the girls were sex workers , connects Robin with a couple who identify Cinnamon as their surrogate mother , whose real name was Pathma . With the assistance of Mary 's schoolfriend Michaela , Puss directs make some sort of `` art film '' with the prostitutes and Caucasian babies , set in a Thai village . Mary becomes worried when Caramel , another pregnant girl from Silk 41 , is taken away by Puss and Dang . Connected by concern over Mary and Puss , Robin and Pyke grow closer , much to Julia 's annoyance and jealousy . Brett , armed with a rifle , shows up at the brothel and demands to see Puss . Puss pushes Mary in front of him and escapes in the elevator as Brett fires the gun . 12 6 `` The Battle of the Mothers '' Ariel Kleiman Jane Campion & Gerard Lee 31 August 2017 ( 2017 - 08 - 31 ) 1.84 <Td_colspan="7"> Robin and Pyke make love when she receives a late - night call from Mary . Nobody speaks , but Robin hears people arguing about a taxi fare and Mary screams before the phone is disconnected . Miranda calls and tells her there was a shooting at Silk 41 , and that the suspect is Brett Iles , who took Mary hostage . The taxi is found at Bondi Beach , with the taxi driver shot dead . Security footage from the brothel shows Puss escaping as Brett shot Bootie , before leaving with Mary . The security footage also shows another room , in which Miranda spots her surrogate . That room is not at the brothel , and none of the sex workers know its location . The next day , Pyke and Julia go to Mary 's school to appeal to her classmates for any information . Michaela tells them about a place on Liverpool Street called Stasi Cafe , where Mary first met Puss . The manhunt for Brett intensifies , but Robin is convinced he 's still on Bondi Beach , now packed with people . She notices an empty case of beer that was there the previous night . She and Miranda move in and try to quietly move beachgoers away from the box . One group refuses to move and distracts Robin while Miranda discovers a shoe sticking out from the sand . She kicks the box away to find Brett 's face peeking out , his eyes closed . Miranda moves in to check his pulse . Robin yells at Miranda to draw her weapon but she freezes . Brett suddenly pulls the rifle out of the sand and shoots Miranda in the abdomen . Robin jumps on him , her gun to his head , demanding to know where Mary is . Meanwhile , Mary shows up at home , unharmed . Crying , Julia begs her to stay , promising that she will change and try to understand her , but Mary leaves . Robin visits the hospital , where Miranda is in a coma , her outlook grim . Adrian vows to tell everyone he loves her , and begs Robin to find their surrogate . Robin finds Pyke at Stasi Cafe , where they kiss and embrace . He leaves after getting a text from Julia informing him that Mary 's passport is missing . Robin then finds Puss in the kitchen , where she cuts him with a kitchen knife . He claims that Cinnamon hanged herself . Robin puts her gun to his head and he discloses the address of the missing surrogates , giving her the key . She shows up to find not only Adrian but the other expectant couples , including Felicia and Mike , all of whom received calls from their surrogates . They find the apartment empty , with a DVD left behind . Meanwhile , Mary escorts the dozen or so surrogates through the airport . Puss shows up as they board the plane , and Mary , upset , tells him that she could have been shot while he fled . He lies and tells her the elevator doors closed and he could n't do anything . She asks what will happen to the babies and who will love them , and he tells them the `` people who made them '' will buy them back . She pulls away and he slaps her . She hits him back , over and over . Caramel calls for Mary , but she refuses to board and watches him leave . At the apartment , Adrian plays the DVD , which shows the video shot at the brothel of the Thai women with the babies . Puss narrates , mocking the parents , and accusing the West of exploiting the bodies of oppressed Asian women through prostitution and now surrogacy . He declares that their babies have flown away but each one will bring enough money to feed an entire poor village , as the video shows Bootie handing a bundle of cash in exchange for a white baby . Robin rushes to the airport , while the couples become hysterical , begging Adrian to call the airport and detain the women who are kidnapping their children . Adrian , stunned , tells them there is nothing that can be done legally , as the women can do whatever they want , even while pregnant with another mother 's child . Robin arrives at the airport and finds an empty gate , with just the stuffed panda . Mary , however , is safe with her parents . Robin arrives at the Edwards ' home , where Julia says she and Pyke are going to give it another try as a couple . Before she leaves , Robin asks if she can borrow the DVD Pyke told her about , showing Mary growing up . Julia protests and says it is their only copy , so Pyke says he will come pick it up as soon as Robin has finished watching it , which Robin says she will do that evening . Julia looks concerned , but says nothing . Later that night , Robin watches the video , crying happy tears , then looks up as she hears a knock on her door -- presumably from Pyke . Reception ( edit ) Reviews of Top of the Lake have been positive , referring to the series as `` masterfully made '' , `` beautiful '' , `` mysterious '' , `` riveting '' , and `` a masterpiece '' . It received a score of 86 out of 100 from Metacritic and a score of 93 per cent from Rotten Tomatoes . There were also some less positive reviews . Mike Hale of The New York Times criticized the `` elaborately introduced plotlines '' and described Tui 's disappearance as `` less a story element than a metaphor for the kind of armed resistance to male hegemony that constitutes the central idea of Ms Campion 's body of work . '' Top of the Lake was lauded by feminist critics for its explicit effort to analyse rape culture as well as its radical construction of narratives entirely foregrounding the experiences of single women . Awards and nominations ( edit ) AACTA Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2014 Best Telefeature , Mini Series or Short Run Series Emile Sherman , Iain Canning , Jane Campion and Philippa Campbell Won Best Direction in a Drama or Comedy Garth Davis for `` The Dark Creator '' Nominated Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama Peter Mullan Nominated Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama Robyn Nevin Nominated Best Cinematography in Television Adam Arkapaw for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Won Best Sound in Television Richard Flynn , Tony Vaccher , John Dennison , Craig Butters , Danny Longhurst and Blair Slater , for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Won Best Original Music Score in Television Mark Bradshaw , for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Nominated Best Production Design in Television Fiona Crombie for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Nominated Best Costume Design in Television Emily Seresin for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Nominated Best Editing in Television Scott Gray for Episode 5 : `` The Dark Creator '' Nominated British Academy Television Craft Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2018 Best Director : Fiction Jane Campion Nominated Critics ' Choice Television Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2013 Best Movie / Miniseries -- Nominated Best Actress in a Movie / Miniseries Elisabeth Moss Won Best Supporting Actor in a Movie / Miniseries Peter Mullan Nominated Best Supporting Actor in a Movie / Miniseries David Wenham Nominated Best Supporting Actor in a Movie / Miniseries Thomas M. Wright Nominated Emmy Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2013 <Th_colspan="3"> Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Miniseries or Movie Nominated Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Elisabeth Moss Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Peter Mullan Nominated Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries , Movie , or Dramatic Special Jane Campion , Garth Davis Nominated Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries , Movie , or Dramatic Special Jane Campion , Gerard Lee Nominated <Th_colspan="3"> Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries , Movie , or Special Nominated Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie Episode : `` Part 1 '' Won Outstanding Single - Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie Episode : `` Part 5 '' Nominated Golden Globe Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result Ref . 2014 Best Miniseries or Television Film -- Nominated Best Actress -- Miniseries or Television Film Elisabeth Moss Won Golden Nymph Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2014 Best Miniseries -- Won Best Actor -- Miniseries Peter Mullan Won Best Actress -- Miniseries Elisabeth Moss Won Screen Actors Guild Awards ( edit ) Year Category Nominated artist / work Result 2014 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Elisabeth Moss Nominated 2014 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Holly Hunter Nominated New Zealand Film Awards ( edit ) Year Category Result Ref 2013 Best Television Feature or Drama Series Won Screen Producers Australia Awards ( edit ) Year Category Result Ref 2013 Drama Television Production of the Year Won Equity Ensemble Awards ( edit ) Year Category Result Ref 2013 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or Telemovie Won References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake ( TV series ) ( 2013 ) '' . British Film Institute . Retrieved 10 March 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Nicole Kidman to star in Top of the Lake season 2 : China Girl '' . The Sydney Morning Herald . 12 June 2016 . Retrieved 16 June 2016 . Jump up ^ Szalai , Georg ( 4 April 2017 ) . `` MIPTV : ' Top of the Lake ' Producer on Why Season 2 `` Will Be More Accessible '' `` . The Hollywood Reporter . Eldridge Industries . Retrieved 31 July 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake and Two Mothers selected for the Sundance Film Festival '' ( Press release ) . Screen Australia . 4 December 2012 . Archived from the original on 24 March 2016 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . ^ Jump up to : `` Top Of The Lake Season 2 Cast & Characters : The Ultimate Guide - moviepilot.com '' . moviepilot.com . Retrieved 2017 - 07 - 29 . Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake : China Girl First Look Photos '' . www.sundance.tv . Retrieved 2017 - 07 - 29 . Jump up ^ `` BBC - Top Of The Lake : China Girl - Media Centre '' . www.bbc.co.uk . Retrieved 2017 - 07 - 29 . Jump up ^ Taffel , Jacqui ( 26 August 2017 ) . `` Jane Campion gave Clayton Jacobson the role of his life in Top of the Lake : China Girl '' . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 14 November 2017 . Jump up ^ O'Brien , Kerrie ( 29 September 2017 ) . `` Kim Gyngell on Top of the Lake , Jackie Chan and being a father at 65 '' . The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 14 November 2017 . ^ Jump up to : `` Elisabeth Moss , Top of the Lake interview '' . Vulture. 25 January 2013 . Retrieved 31 August 2014 . Jump up ^ `` No funding from ABC for Top of the Lake after it learned Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss was in cast '' . The Daily Telegraph . 7 November 2011 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` David Wenham : `` Top of the Lake is ABC 's loss '' `` . TV Tonight . 5 March 2013 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Gone Girl : Inside Top of the Lake , Jane Campion 's gritty new thriller '' . The Daily Beast. 13 March 2013 . Retrieved 30 August 2013 . Jump up ^ Robinson , Joanna ( 16 November 2014 ) . `` Top of the Lake Season 2 '' . Vanity Fair . Retrieved 9 March 2015 . Jump up ^ Han , Angie ( 24 July 2015 ) . `` Elisabeth Moss Returning for ' Top of the Lake ' Season 2 '' . SlashFilm . Jump up ^ Shechet , Ellie ( 23 June 2015 ) . `` Season 2 of Top of the Lake Will Take Place in Sydney and Hong Kong '' . Jezebel . Jump up ^ Berger , Laura . `` Gwendoline Christie Joins Elisabeth Moss for Series 2 of Jane Campion 's ' Top of the Lake ' '' . Retrieved 19 June 2016 . Jump up ^ Bradshaw , Peter ( 15 May 2017 ) . `` Nicole Kidman in Cannes : her tortuous journey to Queen of the Croisette '' . The Guardian . Retrieved 15 May 2017 . Jump up ^ Ahmed , Tufayel ( 2017 - 07 - 10 ) . `` ' Game of Thrones ' star Gwendoline Christie on Brienne of Tarth 's fate and her many suitors '' . Newsweek . Jump up ^ `` Sundance : Campion 's Seven - Hour Top of the Lake '' . Vulture. 12 February 2014 . Retrieved 27 February 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake : Sundance Review '' . The Hollywood Reporter. 21 January 2013 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` UKTV announces air date for Top of the Lake '' . Foxtel. 14 January 2013 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Jane Campion : Lady of the lake '' . The New Zealand Herald . 16 March 2013 . Retrieved 20 March 2013 . Jump up ^ Knapp , JD ( 11 May 2017 ) . `` ' Top of the Lake : China Girl ' Trailer Showcases Elisabeth Moss , Nicole Kidman '' . Variety . Retrieved 23 May 2017 . Jump up ^ Strang , Fay ( 27 July 2017 ) . `` When is Top Of The Lake start on BBC Two tonight , who does Nicole Kidman play , who else is in the China Girl cast and what 's it about ? '' . The Sun . News UK . Retrieved 31 July 2017 . Jump up ^ Rubin , Rebecca ( May 23 , 2017 ) . `` SundanceTV Releases New Photos of ' Top of the Lake : China Girl ' '' . Variety . Retrieved May 23 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Travers , Ben ( 11 May 2017 ) . `` ' Top of the Lake : China Girl ' Trailer : Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman Protect Their Own in Jane Campion 's Sequel -- Watch '' . Indiewire.com . Retrieved 23 May 2017 . Jump up ^ `` CBC announces fall 2017 broadcast premiere dates for new and returning television series '' . CBC Radio - Canada . 16 August 2017 . Retrieved 6 September 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Weekly Top 30 's '' . BARB . Retrieved 8 June 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Weekly Top 30 's '' . BARB . Retrieved 8 June 2015 . ^ Jump up to : `` Next on ( 2 ) '' . BBC . Retrieved 23 August 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Seitz on Jane Campion 's Top of the Lake : A Police Procedural , Masterfully Made '' . Vulture. 2013 - 03 - 21 . Retrieved 8 April 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Review : Jane Campion 's Top of the Lake mysterious , beautiful '' . Los Angeles Times . 18 March 2013 . Retrieved 18 April 2013 . Jump up ^ `` David Bianculli 's take on Jane Campion 's new TV drama : Top of the Lake '' . NPR Fresh Air . 2013 - 03 - 18 . Retrieved 2013 - 04 - 18 . Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake -- first look review '' . The Guardian . 9 February 2013 . Retrieved 18 April 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Review : Jane Campion 's Top of the Lake a riveting long - form mystery '' . Hitfix. 18 March 2013 . Retrieved 18 April 2013 . Jump up ^ Top of the Lake at Metacritic Jump up ^ Top of the Lake at Rotten Tomatoes Jump up ^ `` Pregnant Girl Vanishes , and Story Lines Fork '' . The New York Times . 17 March 2013 . Retrieved 18 April 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Can We Talk About How Damn Good Top of the Lake Is ? '' . Jezebel. 2013 - 08 - 05 . Retrieved 2014 - 02 - 01 . Jump up ^ `` Top of the Lake : A Non-Watered Down Depiction of Rape Culture '' . Ms. Magazine blog . 18 April 2013 . Retrieved 1 February 2014 . Jump up ^ Littleton , Cynthia ( January 8 , 2018 ) . `` ' Big Little Lies ' Team Says Female - Focused Stories Are ' Good Business ' '' . Variety . Retrieved January 8 , 2018 . Jump up ^ Greenwood , Carl ( January 8 , 2018 ) . `` Golden Globes 2018 winners in full : Big Little Lies dominates as Gary Oldman wins best actor '' . The Sun . Retrieved January 8 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` The 2013 winners of the Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards '' . Retrieved 13 January 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Goalpost Pictures Awarded Media Super Production Business of the Year '' . Screen Producers Australia . Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 22 . Jump up ^ Knox , David ( 27 May 2014 ) . `` Equity Ensemble Awards 2014 : winners '' . TV Tonight . Retrieved 5 April 2015 . External links ( edit ) Top of the Lake at the SundanceTV Top of the Lake at the BBC Top of the Lake : China Girl at the BBC Top of the Lake on IMDb Top of the Lake at Rotten Tomatoes Top of the Lake : China Girl at Rotten Tomatoes Top of the Lake at Metacritic <Th_colspan="2"> Jane Campion Films directed Feature films Sweetie ( 1989 ) An Angel at My Table ( 1990 ) The Piano ( 1993 ) The Portrait of a Lady ( 1996 ) Holy Smoke ! ( 1999 ) In the Cut ( 2003 ) Bright Star ( 2009 ) Short films Mishaps of Seduction and Conquest ( 1981 ) Peel ( 1982 ) Passionless Moments ( 1983 ) A Girl 's Own Story ( 1984 ) The Lady Bug ( 2007 ) The Water Diary ( 2008 ) Television Dancing Daze ( 1985 ) Two Friends ( 1986 ) Top of the Lake ( 2013 , 2017 ) <Th_colspan="2"> AACTA Award for Best Telefeature , Mini Series or Short Run Series ( 2010 -- 2029 ) <Td_colspan="2"> Hawke ( 2010 ) The Slap ( 2011 ) Howzat ! Kerry Packer 's War ( 2012 ) Top of the Lake ( 2013 ) Devil 's Playground ( 2014 ) Peter Allen : Not the Boy Next Door ( 2015 ) <Td_colspan="2"> Complete list ( 1986 -- 1989 ) ( 1990 -- 2009 ) ( 2010 -- 2029 ) <Th_colspan="2"> Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries <Td_colspan="2"> The Slap ( 2011 ) : Costabile ; B. Davis ; E. Davis ; Dimitriades ; George ; Glenn ; Hayes ; LaPaglia ; Lowe ; Marinos ; McInnes ; Okonedo ; Townsend ; Yianni Devil 's Dust ( 2012 ) : Foulkes ; Hany ; Hayes ; Hegney ; Leslie ; Schepisi Top of the Lake ( 2013 ) : Buchanan ; Hunter ; Joe ; Lemon ; Malcolm ; Moss ; Mullan ; Nevin ; Ryan ; Wenham ; Wright ANZAC Girls ( 2014 ) : Brent ; Clare ; Craig ; Debelle ; Flood ; Lasance ; Mayer ; McClelland ; McGahan ; Prebble Peter Allen : Not the Boy Next Door ( 2015 ) : Baldwin ; Farnell ; Gibney ; Jackson ; Mills , Szeps ; Thornton ; West Barracuda ( 2016 ) : Anton ; Cobham - Hervey ; Creer ; Griffiths ; Haralabidou ; Kindon ; Nable ; Taylor Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Top_of_the_Lake&oldid=839174885 '' Categories : English - language television programs Television shows set in New Zealand Rape in fiction 2013 Australian television series debuts 2010s Australian television series Australian subscription television series BBC Television programmes Preteen pregnancy Detective television series Television series set in fictional populated places Hidden categories : EngvarB from January 2016 Use dmy dates from January 2016 Pages using infobox television with editor parameter Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from November 2017 All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention Articles using small message boxes All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano עברית Nederlands Polski Português Русский Svenska Türkçe 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 1 May 2018 , at 19 : 19 . 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