A recent swathe of high-production value TV has seen the medium talked about almost as much as it’s bigger brother: the movies. In the U.K, foreign drama is finally moving past the language barrier as audiences get used to subtitles, hence the popularity of shows like The Returned.

Elisabeth MossElisabeth Moss in Top of The Lake

But with Top of The Lake – the New Zealand crime drama currently delighting the critics – TV fans can enjoy the luxury and mystery of a foreign drama without having to read it.

Top of The Lake follows the hunt for a 12-year-old girl – a pregnant 12-year-old girl – who was found chest-deep in a freezing lake and disappeared shortly after claiming no one was the father. As if the caveat level wasn’t dangerously high, this pregnant (12-year-old, remember) is the daughter of a notorious drug lord.

Jacqueline Joe top of the lakeJacqueline Joe is the missing girl

Particularly lauded is Elisabeth Moss, whose performances in the show are frequently mentioned while the drama is eulogised in reviews. Having made her name as Peggy in AMC’s Mad Men – another proponent of the box set generation – Moss applies herself to the role with an honest brand of gusto, or so say the critics.

Holly HunterHolly Hunter in Top of The Lake

So far, the show has a rating of 86% on metacritic, after the site totted up the reviews and came up with this handy figure. That’s a pretty respectable score and leaves it hovering amongst the Game of Thrones and Mad Mens of this world.

Peter MullanPeter Mullan plays tough-guy Matt

The six-part crime drama has been compared to the Danish TV hit The Killing and David Lynch's Twin Peaks, so, obviously, stop reading this now and watch it.

Top of The Lake castCan Moss lead  her team to solve the case?