10 Brilliant Short-Running TV Shows That Proved Less Is More

5. Top Of The Lake

There€™s not a lot that can be told about this American/British/Australian production, without diving head first into an ocean of spoilers. So here is the most general description of the miniseries Top Of The Lake, as can be found on IMDB: When pregnant, 12-year-old Tui tries to kill herself in a freezing New Zealand lake, Detective Robin Griffin has plenty of questions for the girl. But when Tui suddenly disappears, Griffin finds herself knee-deep in small-town secrets. What can be disclosed is that the show is an 8-episode murder mystery. You might have seen a lot of those as of late, like the aforementioned Broadchurch or The Killing. Like those, Top Of The Lake investigates just one incident throughout its entire length. This makes for a slow pacing show, but also allows it to really dig deep into the different characters and the small town vibe. €œThis is an odd miniseries at times€, writes HitFix, €œone that tells a mystery story, and tells it well, but that layers so much humanity and emotion and dread on top of it€. The compelling plot is topped with some major talent in the form of Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss and movie star Holly Hunter. Behind the camera we find Jane Campion who€™s responsible for the likes of The Piano and An Angel at My Table. Not to mention the five awards it won, including a Golden Globe for Moss. Enough said.