Top of the Lake
No ordinary place. No ordinary crime.
Created by Gerard Lee, Jane Campion
On SundanceTV, BBC Two
A dark, psychologically interior crime drama that uses investigation as a lens into trauma, both the detective's and her community's.
A woman haunted by her past, Detective Robin Griffin, investigates complex and unsettling cases.
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is Top of the Lake sad? Yes, very. More sad than 96% of series.
Is Top of the Lake scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 93% of series.
Is Top of the Lake easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 88% of series.
Is Top of the Lake violent? Yes. More violent than 81% of series.
Does Top of the Lake leave you hopeful? Barely. Less hopeful than 81% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
You have seen this shape before.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Top of the Lake, and what each one shares →
Like Top of the Lake
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Top of the Lake
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Top of the Lake, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Top of the Lake, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Top of the Lake, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
