6 gripping dramas worth watching if you’ve finished Mare of Easttown

Top of the Lake: China Girl

Robin Griffin is looking to come to terms with her past by trying to find the daughter she gave up for adoption 17 years previously. At the same time, she finds herself caught up in a new case when the body of a young woman washes up on Bondi beach hidden in a suitcase. She then finds herself returning from New Zealand to Sydney to work with a new partner on the investigation which sees them plunge into the dark side of Sydney’s sex industry. Helmed by one of the most incredible female directors working today, Jane Campion, all eyes were on this noir-tinged series, the theme of which is, she says, whatever you try to sink rises again. It’s a must-see.

Big Little Lies

First and foremost, Big Little Lies has a stellar cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley – all actresses of incredible caliber – take leading roles for the HBO limited series based on Liane Moriarty’s best-selling 2014 novel of the same name. The plot revolves around three mothers living seemingly perfect lives until a dark turn of murder leads to everything unravelling. It’s gripping but what it also does is capture a truth on-screen – how obsessed we are with other people’s lives. Even if you’ve seen it before, it’s worth another watch.

The Undoing

The psychological drama about a woman (Nicole Kidman) whose high-profile life falls apart after the disappearance of her husband (Hugh Grant) was created by the showrunner behind Big Little Lies so you know you’re in for a treat. Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel You Should Have Known, little is as it appears and you’ll never believe it when you get to the end.

Sharp Objects 

Who could forget author Gillian  Flynn’s dark debut? Her story, depicting the horrors family can inflict on each other is chilling and made for the small screen adaptation. Journalist Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two teenage girls and is forced to reconnect with her estranged mother and half-sister. From there, things don’t add up. And as it’s classic Flynn, the twist at the end will leave you shocked.

The Killing

The Killing follows detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder as they attempt to track down the murderer of a local teenager, Rosie Larsen. When they discover the teenager’s body investigation begins to apprehend her killer. You’re hooked from the get-go; everyone is a suspect, and no one leads the innocent lives they appear to (and you’ll notice the many influences of Twin Peaks throughout the first two seasons), so keep on watching you must. Dark, atmospheric, and with stellar performances from the likes of Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman as Stephen Holder and Sarah Linden (one of the best on-screen duos ever), this one is gripping and unforgettable.