Top of the Lake : China Girl

Can only agree with trisher - scrappy and disappointing.

Spoiler Alert
What a stupid and impossible ending. The questions about what happened are endless, from the possible Why didn't they close the brothel and question everybody once the girl was identified? to the impossible and unlikely -How did the geek manage to bury himself in the sand and then put a cardboard box on his head? Not to mention the heavily pregnant girls boarding an aeroplane- would they be allowed?
What a waste of acting talent on a terrible script.

I like it didn't see series one. I feel DH & I may benefit by watching complicated plot lines, good for the grey matter.
Some bits far fetched, for instance the woman wandering on the highway just happens to be the one who used the dead surrogate.

For some reason I can take implausible storylines if they're Scandinavian with subtitles but when it's in my own language it niggles me. Yes; there was something magnetic about the seedy boyfriend and it did take me back many many years to how I felt when I was in my teens when I thought myself to be madly in love with someone [an age when that feeling is so powerful and, I think, when we get older we forget what it's like]. I might re watch series 1 as it's so long since I saw it I've forgotten the storyline; I know I thought it was very good at the time. Series 2 must be good in that I'm still thinking about it now; however, would I recommend it to someone? Probably not. It would be a bit like encouraging someone to smoke knowing that they'd then crave more nicotine!

I have just watched all of 'China Girl' on I Player and I enjoyed it, as I did Series 1.

If you missed Series 1 you won't pick up the story re the goings on when Robin was working in New Zealand and her boss easily , if at all. That part caught me out but I won't give a spoiler alert as I don't know where some maybe up to.

The actor who played the boyfriend played his role brilliantly and I found myself hooked on his seedy, unclean, manipulating vileness , he portrayed that sadly known type of character so well.

2 good series and if you like hard hitting / gritty police stories they are worth a try.

We binge watched this programme over 3 evenings and did enjoy it, lots of twists and turns and some good acting, though there were certainly more "questions than answers". I think you needed to see series 1 to understand it. Obviously setting up for a series 3.

Well, I've just watched the whole series on catchup; not because I was enjoying it but the phone rang when I sat down to watch it last night and my catchup tv is very hit and miss. It wouldn't work last night but worked this morning and this evening so I decided to watch all the remaining episodes to get get it out of the way. I'm still not sure what I think. It reminds me of a Terry Gilliam film called Tideland which I watched many years ago, which made me feel very uncomfortable. I obviously found it gripping, because I kept wanting to watch the next episode, but I didn't 'enjoy' it and certainly didn't understand most of it. Maybe I need to stick to programmes like 10 Puppies and Us which I'm finding worryingly enthralling ....

We all have to watch Game of Thrones on our own, but that's partly because we can't stand anyone talking when it's on [or coughing, or moving etc].It's the German boyfriend that made me question which period it was set in, because I didn't think anyone looked like that nowadays. Robins daughter is by far the most fascinating of all of the characters, though. She reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence. There are two Nicole Kidmans in my head. One who plays awful roles in films that I don't like and another one who portrays amazing characters [eg in The Hours]. I do think she's very good in this although I am somewhat fascinated by her wig and also the way she carries herself ; she is SO thin and elegant .

tegan I recommended the series to my adult children on the strength of Series 1 and will now back pedal!

db I agree 're the excellent acting from those two. How annoying is the "German" boyfriend of the daughter!?

Perhaps it is best watched solo, so I might give it one more chance - on my own

I really enjoyed series 1 and after seeing episode 1 of series 2 I couldn't wait for the rest to be screened so I've watched the whole series on i-player excellent acting from Elisabeth Moss & Nicole Kidman. Can't wait for series 3.
Different folk - different tastes - but wouldn't it be boring if we all liked the same things?

Until someone took a 'selfie' tonight I was beginning to wonder if it was set in a different time; the clothes etc not being very fashionable [well, when people were actually wearing clothes, that is ]. In some ways I find it so bad it's good; not something I felt about the original series. I was wondering if series 1 was before we all started watching the scandi noir stuff on Saturday nights which had probably changed our mindsets with regards what we regard as acceptable or not [gruesome wise, that is].I'll stick with it, though. And am glad that the S.O. went home before it started as it's not something I feel comfortable watching with other people [certainly wouldn't watch it with my kids eg!and I don't think they'd want to watch it with me!!]

We have bailed out (for good) on this show halfway through episode 4 - what a weird bunch of people. Not a sane character to be seen. Too much for the brain!

I've watched up to episode 4, on the I player 'box' version. I can only say it gets better.

Haven't seen series 1. Watched three quarters of episode 1 series 2. It depressed me, I disliked most of the characters and thought. `why am I watching this type of show? I came to the decision I like gritty cops and robbers, but not this type of sleazy programme.

Bring back Ironside, that's what I say.

Haven't got the names yet Seacliff but I thought the women pretty weird too what's with that police woman who looks a bit like Miranda sitting on a pretend motorbike in the kitchen !!!!!

I know what you mean about the really objectionable men Bluebelle. I think having seen the first series made me keep watching this time. I really like Robin, it does get better in my opinion.

Haven't watched the first series but didn't immediately like this at all only watched episode one so far but finding it a struggle what a bunch of horrible characters only the father seems normal but not very..... is the writer just trying to shock I ll carry on and see if it improves but not rating it up to now

Having seen the first series, I am enjoying this more, getting to know the character, I've seen 2 episodes and I'm gripped. Didn't realise Nicole Kidman was in it too.

I thought Elizabeth Moss was also great in the handmaids tale ..... Both quite challenging roles.

Before this new series, the previous one was shown, I think last week. I just didn't get it - it was so weird and I found it really unconvincing and boring - so I haven't even bothered to watch this.

I always listen to the commentary on Game of Thrones, and love it when Gwen is involved; she's got a great sense of humour. Has been in quite a few films but, like Peter Dinklage, it's as if the role of Brienne was written for her.I'll be interested to see what happens to her character in this.

Goodness - doesn't she scrub up well!

And she is English, I didn't realise. I've never heard of her before.

She seems very strange in this. Must have a look at her more glamorous photos!

I didn't like it much either but I didn't see the first series so I will give this a bit of a go. It might be a bit gritty for me. I didn't watch the last thing that Elizabeth Moss was in either. I was curious to see Gwen Christie. She is quite a glamorous model apparently but seems to be making a career out of playing the most unglamorous females - cue Captain Phasma in the recent Star Wars film and Brienne of Tarth as Tegan says. I think there may be a dark side to her character in this.

I was gripped by the first series! It was set in New Zeealand and there were some wonderful scenery shots - a lot of the action seemed to take place out of doors, I think there was a women's commune involved.

I could hardly believe the misogyny, athough it was good to see a leading female character who wasn't the usual glamorous type. Since then, of course, we've seen Elisabeth Moss in quite a few productions.

This series just seems a lot darker and nastier already - don't know how long I'll stick with it...

I thoroughly agree with J52!!!!
I watched the first series and found it so good! Such a welcome change from the usual crime series! If you didn't like the language or mysogyony then don't watch anymore! I am going to watch part 2 on iPlayer!
P.s the Pavlova looked delicious, what a pity to waste it!!