Top of the Lake

A bit of humour lightens the mood in this dark drama as the second series of Top of the Lake continues

Despite its undercurrents of prostitution, misogyny and murder, this second series in Jane Campion's bleak saga is also darkly humorous, mostly thanks to its new characters, Julia (Nicole Kidman) and Miranda (Gwendoline Christie).

This week, Julia's desperate attempts to save her adopted daughter Mary from marrying Puss end in a stressful yet comical public scene, while Miranda unashamedly shares too much information about her love life with her baffled partner Robin.

The two characters are a breath of fresh air amid the gruesome case involving a murdered sex worker, but when Robin's old boss Al Parker arrives from New Zealand, the drama suddenly takes a shocking turn…