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Top of the Lake: episode guide

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The Dark Creator

Episode 1.05
Written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee
Directed by Jane Campion and Garth Davis

Robin returns from the funeral of her mother. Matt Mitcham flagellates himself at his mother's grave, guilty at the loss of his daughter and the misuse of his family land.

Jamie is arrested for shoplifting. As well as food in his bag there are some illegal drugs. He resists Robin's questioning and breaks into a self-harming rage when accused of raping Tui. Al Parker takes over. His more brutal methods, though humiliating for Jamie, don't make him talk. Jamie is sent home on a warning. The next day he has left home, we follow him into the bush, where for the first time we see him join up with Tui.

Robin becomes convinced that Matt Mitcham and his drug-trafficking operation must be connected to Tui's disappearance. She's determined to go after him. Bob Platt's widow has allowed Robin access to her husband's computer files. With the help of some computer hacking friends, Robin discovers disturbing images of some kind of strange nightclub.

Matt is determined to send a bigger party into the bush to find Tui, he hires a gang of hunters to go in to find her.

Robin tries to question the women who work for Matt. They know that she knows they work for him making drugs but won't give anything away. That evening Robin is shot at in her house — a lethal kind of warning.

Tui and Jamie make their way to the women's camp. Tui needs advice on how to give birth. When the Mitcham boys turn up at the camp Tui retreats back into the woods. A group of Tui's friends secretly join her and Jamie in the bush to celebrate her birthday, trying to bring some joy to her. They all sense the danger she will be in if she stays in hiding to have her baby.

Some of Matt's men intercept Tui's friends as they return to civilization. With fresh intelligence on where she's hiding, Matt launches a full-scale search party.

Al Parker has arranged to meet Robin down on the wharf, instead he takes her out on his boat. Out in the middle of the water, he reveals that Matt Mitcham is on board — Matt has something to say to her and something Al wants her to hear. Johnno arrives before she gets to hear him out. He takes her straight into the bush to search for Tui, he knows Matt's men are out there. It is now a race to get to Tui.

Cornered by Matt's men, Tui makes a run for it while Jamie tries to distract them. Spotted by Johnno as she runs along a precipice, Johnno begs her to come back. Pursued from all sides she can't stop, she loses her footing and falls.

Cast (order of appearance):

  • Peter Mullan as Matt
  • Elisabeth Moss as Robin
  • Thomas M. Wright as Johnno
  • Calvin Tuteao as Turangi
  • Loren Taylor as Young Jude
  • Luke Buchanan as Jamie
  • David Wenham as Al
  • Madeleine Sami as Zena
  • Stephen Lovatt as Officer Pete
  • Elliot Fell as Officer Elliot
  • Gavin Rutherford as Officer Joy
  • Mirrah Foulkes as Simone
  • Jacqueline Joe as Tui
  • Andrew Beattie as Big Shane
  • Matt Whelan as Little Shane
  • Dra McKay as Delia
  • Maria Walker as Sara
  • Edwin Wright as Scuzz
  • Kip Chapman as Luke
  • Erica Englert as Narelle
  • Jay Ryan as Mark
  • Shayne Blaikie as Drake
  • Georgi Kay as Melissa
  • Genevieve Lemon as Bunny
  • Robyn Malcolm as Anita
  • Sarah Valentine as Prue
  • Holly Hunter as GJ
  • Connor Olivia Moore as Kayla
  • Alice Ward as Gemma
  • Sydney Telfer as Tegan
  • Layne Opetaia as Daniel
  • Sam Dickson as Jase
  • Edward Campbell as Putty
  • Ben Barrinton as Terry
  • Byron Coll as Penguin
  • Lauren Dawes as Mandy
  • Alison Bruce as Anne-Marie
  • James Blake as Shotover
  • Cohen Holloway as Mike
  • Luke Hawker as Stunt Double
  • Shayne Blaikie as Stunt Performer
  • Glen Levy as Stunt Performer
  • Aaron Lupton as Stunt Performer
  • Sharon Maxwell as Stunt Performer