Talk:Top of the Lake

Shot in Queenstown

from Queenstown,_New_Zealand:
Jane Campion's six-part drama mystery Top of the Lake was shot during 2012 for pay TV release in 2013. The lakes of the Wakatipu appear ominous, and the Southern Alps spectacular. The main location is Moke Lake and scenes were shot on Lower Beach Street and Coronation Drive, and at a supermarket and bottle store on Shotover Street. Top of the Lake's international cast includes Holly Hunter, Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mullan, David Wenham, and Thomas M Wright. wcrosbie (talk), Melbourne, Australia 02:19, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

References

"References" of Wikipedia articles

There are WP articles used references. WP cannot be used as references. The words in the article here need wikilinked to the respective articles or put in a "See also" section. I would do it, but only have free time to mention it here. — Wyliepedia 06:23, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

Episode format or Plot format?

On 4 July User:Mors Principium Est moved the article from what I would call a "plot" set up to an "episode" set up. In doing so, we necessarily lost a fair bit of text. On the one hand, I would rather go back to the previous format and keep all of that text. On the other, this sort of "episode" set up is the way that most other articles are formatted and it does keep things shorter. What do you guys think? Juno (talk) 18:43, 6 July 2013 (UTC)

Considering the series is shown in a different number of episodes in different countries, perhaps the 'plot' rather than 'episode' format makes more sense, because it's more universal? If the episode format does stay, maybe it should be changed to describe 6 episodes rather than 7? Other parts of the article imply (to me, at least) that this was the intended format that Sundance then rejigged (e.g. number of episodes is "6 (7 on Sundance)", the unusual "with"s in the director credits). Badblokebob (talk) 18:27, 10 August 2013 (UTC)

The unusual "with"s in the director credits are exactly how they appeared in each episodes' opening title sequence. I see no reason to believe anyone other than Jane Campion is responsible for that. The episode format should stay. The plot description for each episode could be expanded somewhat. - Gothicfilm (talk) 00:48, 11 August 2013 (UTC)

In the UK-aired 6-episode version, each individual episode is credited to just one director (either Campion or Davis, never both). Suggests to me it was originally shot as 6 episodes, then re-cut to 7, creating the need for the "with". Badblokebob (talk) 20:20, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

A reasonable deduction. Would like to know how and why that happened. Not aware of any controversy over it. The episode table is identified as being for the Sundance Channel, and it is accurate to it. The fact it wasn't used worldwide is unusual and a bit inconvenient, but not a reason to remove it leaving no table at all. In fact it's a point of interest how the episodes were exhibited on Sundance, whether or not that format was used in a given reader's area. - Gothicfilm (talk) 20:47, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

Fair points all. The Hollywood Reporter review of the Sundance screening (reference 7 in the article) says that it was screened as a single "six-hour presentation", but also describes the following: "Sharing directorial duties with New Zealander Campion here is hot Australian commercials director Garth Davis; Campion directed episodes one, four and six, while Davis handled the other three." For a total of 6 episodes, obviously. For what it's worth, the broadcaster/co-producers' episode guide(s) for Australia and New Zealand are incomplete, but their text suggest it was also shown in 6 episodes there: episode 6's description mentions that "the investigation reaches its shocking conclusion". I'm not familiar with the Sundance Channel, do they have commercial breaks? This is supposition of course, but if they do then re-editing 6x60 into 7x50 would allow for commercials within a one-hour slot. Badblokebob (talk) 22:41, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes it does, unfortunately. But it doesn't censor or cut films for running time. According to the IMDb, (which also lists seven episodes) its running time is 350 minutes, which is just under 6 hours. - Gothicfilm (talk) 23:11, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

In terms of usefulness, if almost everyone anywhere who has seen this, or parts of it, saw the 6-episode cut, then summaries of the 7-episode cut are only of marginal interest. Incidentally, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01bzxrl/episodes/guide has names for the 6 episodes: Paradise Sold, Searchers Search, The Edge of the Universe, A Rainbow Above Us, The Dark Creator, No Goodbyes Thanks. Nick Levine (talk) 09:00, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I was going to say the best thing could be two tables, so the episode titles only used for the 6-ep version could be listed. But I see that's now been done. BTW, it's refreshing to see the American audience dismissed as being excluded from almost everyone anywhere. - Gothicfilm (talk) 23:07, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

The previous "plot" format had so much more information, I haven't seen any of it enter into the episode breakdown. As has been pointed out the "written by" column is exactly the same for every episode and the "directed by" column varies only minorly. I'm pretty tempted to reintroduce the "plot" information, if I do I will move the "directed by" info into the same column that is represented in the BBC breakdown. Juno (talk) 22:37, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

You have no consensus to do that. The tables should stay. As said before, the plot description for each episode could be expanded somewhat, in either table. - Gothicfilm (talk) 23:12, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

References

Soundtrack

Anyone have any more information about the soundtrack? It's pretty crucial to the success of the drama, I'd be interested to know more about it.Gymnophoria (talk) 13:05, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

Sadly I am at a lack as well but I very much agree. The soundtrack from the trailer(s) alone was a huge contributing factor to me watching the show. Juno (talk) 22:39, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Difference 6 or 7 episodes

Are there two different versions of this series ? Is the total time the same ? A pure guess , is that the American (Sundance channel) is commercial, and needed shorter episodes in order to add the commercial breakes within a one hour limit. But I do not know. The series has been aired for instance on Swedish SVT (twice, which is rare), any one who knows which version was aired there (I'm from Sweden myself). Replies or improvements much appriciated Boeing720 (talk) 00:13, 23 April 2015 (UTC).

I pressed "new topic" before studied the other headlines at this talk-page. Stupid of me, as it explained above. The Swdish question remains though, but I assume the BBC-version was used here. Reason for the different version on Sunshine channel could if possible be explained in the article. Boeing720 (talk) 00:19, 23 April 2015 (UTC)

Well, despite it all being explained here, in the actual article there is not a word even mentioning that it was broadcast/shown in two different 6 and 7 episode versions; one can only deduce it from the lists. I thought it was a mistake when I noticed that there were 6 listed under BBC and 7 under Sundance. I guessed that was due to a double-length episode, but apparently not. Isn't this a quite important fact about the show? 202.81.248.122 (talk) 10:11, 31 July 2017 (UTC)

---> it is because the Sundance versions were 45 mins apiece whereas the BBC's 60 mins.

Casting Mistake?

The current page shows Lucy Lawless' character as part of GJs Group. That character is the wife of the realtor who gets killed, and has nothing to do with GJs group.Lafong (talk) 19:50, 18 January 2017 (UTC)

China Girl 6 or 7

Is there also a Sundance/BBC difference in numbering like s1? CBC on Demand numbering is 1,2,3,5,6,7 six total but missing a number 4.

https://web.archive.org/web/20170525183146/http://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/top-of-the-lake-china-girl

Created and written by Academy Award®-winner Jane Campion (The Piano, Bright Star) and writer Gerard Lee (My Mistress), acclaimed crime series TOP OF THE LAKE (2013, 7x50) and TOP OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL (2017, 7x50) comes to CBC this fall

Appears to indicate both have 7 episodes. Although only 6 on-demand of China-Girl, TOTLs1 doesn't appear. I guess only watching it will tell if there is an episode 4 gap or if these might be the spaced-out version.

For those who are aware of the s1 differences, is the 6-episode format longer episodes and the 7-ep shorter? 64.231.169.63 (talk) 00:07, 15 December 2017 (UTC)

Jamie

The synopses need coverage of the subplot with Jamie, the barista kid who talks with his hands. 157.131.170.67 (talk) 06:52, 13 December 2023 (UTC)