The quick description of director/writer Jane Campion's "Top Of The Lake" (9 tonight, Sundance Channel) is "The Killing" as written by someone who possibly smoked something...interesting, which makes for a story that's more than a murder mystery. You get entry into a weird little world and to witness the underbelly of humanity.

Like "The Killing," at the heart of the story is a police detective with a troubled past, in this case she's Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss). Griffin is on vacation with her mom, who has cancer, when she gets a call to consult on a case. A little girl named Tui (Jacqueline Joe) was found standing in freezing water, a move that might have killed her. When she's retrieved from the lake, it's discovered that she's 5 months pregnant. Robin tries to get her to reveal the rapist's name; Tui tells her that it's 'no one.'

As it turns out, Tui is the daughter of Matt Mitcham (Peter Mullan), the local drug lord. We will gently describe Tui's surroundings as rough and tumble. He has a less-than-parental response to Tui's pregnancy. Then Tui disappears, taking Robin's investigation into stranger and more ominous places.

Although the mystery of Tui's rape and disappearance drive the story, there's so much more going on. There's Robin past in Queenstown and her relationships with Tui's half-brother Johnno (Thomas M. Wright) and her mentor Al Parker (David Wenham). There's the androgynous, comically blunt, scarily astute spiritual guru CJ (Holly Hunter) who leads a group of broken women on a piece of land called Paradise that has ties to the Mitchams.

Here's what is not a mystery: the excellence of the performances. By my ear, Moss does a credible Australian accent and, as Robin, reveals the layers of her turmoil brilliantly. Mullan is creepy, sad and oddly alluring. Hunter's turn as CJ is crazy good.

Except for the beauty of New Zealand, "Top Of The Lake" isn't an easy watch. It starts slow, but stick with it. After the third episode, I was all in, although I'm not sure why. I think the best word for the series is mesmerizing; it sort of hypnotizes and fascinates. Falling in love with it might come later.

True Blood (9pm, HBO) - Eric and Bill try to keep their wits about them when they're interrogated at the Vampire Authority headquarters in New Orleans, while Pam recalls her first meeting with Eric in early 20th-century San Francisco. Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU") makes his first vampiric appearance. 

Falling Skies (9pm, TNT) - The two-hour Season 2 premiere opens with Pope seizing command of a renegade contingent within the 2nd Mass Unit. Later, Tom suddenly returns to the group after being abducted by the skitters, and his loyalty is questioned. In the second hour, Tom is plagued by haunting memories of his time with the aliens and begins to speculate that they may have tampered with his mind.

The Killing (9pm, AMC) - In the Season 2 finale, Sarah and Holder's investigation comes to a close, while Richmond sets out on a bold new course. And a surprising source helps bring closure to the Larsens.

Nurse Jackie (9pm, Showtime) - In the Season 4 finale, Cruz pushes Jackie to the breaking point and Jackee's reaction gets her fired. Later, Dr. O'Hara goes into labor with Jackie by her side, but something pulls Jackie away before delivery.

The Big C (9:30pm, Showtime) - In the Season 3 finale, Cathy befriends a mysterious stranger and Paul enjoys the attentions of an American tourist.

Longmire (10pm, A&E) - Longmire suspects foul play when a barn burns to the ground, killing the owner and his beloved horses.

The Borgias (10pm, Showtime) - In the Season 2 finale, a tragic revelation leaves the family in shock and Della Rovere's assassin makes a move.

Girls (10pm, HBO) - In the first season finale, Jessa brings everyone together for a "mystery party," but other surprises are in store when Hannah misjudges Adam's commitment.

Tony Awards (8pm, CBS) - Neil Patrick Harris hosts the 66th annual Tony Awards. As he should. The musical "Once" leads all shows with 11 nominations.

True Blood (9pm, HBO) - Season 5 premieres with Sooking and Lafayette reeling from Tara's shooting and Alcide warns Sookie about Russell Edgington's return. Wait, what? The Vampire King of Mississippi is returning?! Woo-hoo!!

Untamed Americas (9pm, NGC) - A new National Geographic Channel series about nature in the North and South America opens with rare footage of newly awakened black bears hunting on the Yellowstone Plateau. A second episode at 10 looks at desert wildlife.

The Killing (9pm, AMC) - This show has dragged a bit this season, and it still has a few issues here and there, but the last few episodes have been excellent! Tonight, Sarah and Holder close in on the murderer while the Richmond campaign preps for the election. Season (and perhaps, series) finale is next week.

Mad Men (10pm, AMC) - Wow. Just wow. A really incredible Season 5 ends tonight with opportunities abounding for everyone at the agency, while Pete encounters an interesting stranger on a train. I'm assuming that means he's going to have Trudy murdered. (Kidding.)

Longmire (10pm, A&E) - Longmire suspects foul play when a barn burns to the ground, killing the owner and his beloved horses.

Veep (10pm, HBO) - In the Season 1 finale, an Ohio gubernatorial candidate balks aat Selina's endorsement due to her current unpopularity, and Dan can't shake the clean-jobs bill debacle.

Girls (10:30pm, HBO) - Hannah's resentment of an old rival's literary success leads her to grudgingly accept an invitation to a reading hosted by her former professor.

Harry's Law (8pm, NBC) - Harry's ex-husband is found dead in the show's series finale. As Harry (Kathy Bates, left) makes plans for the funeral, she also works for a man who is a suspect in his former wife's slaying.


National Memorial Day Concert (8pm, UNC-TV) - Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise host the annual tribute to America's military personnel, with slated performers Trace Adkins, Natalie Cole, Daughtry, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Game of Thrones (9pm, HBO) - The Lannisters' control of King's Landing is in peril when Stannis' fleet launches an all-out assault.

Mermaids: The Body Found (9pm, Animal Planet) - A new 2-hour special examining the speculation that the mythical "mermaid" sea creatures may be real -- and claims that authorities know this and are keeping it a secret.

The Killing (9pm, AMC) - Sarah is at her wit's end and Stan tries to med fences. Also, Richmond gets a surprise boost in the mayoral race.

Veep (10pm, HBO) - Selina hosts a conference to promote healthful eating at Baltimore's Camden Yards baseball park, but her pitch isn't popular with fast-food executives. Also, Amy and Dan do their best to entertain students at an elementary school before the vice president arrives.

Finding Your Roots (8pm, UNC-TV) - Henry Louis Gates, Jr. researches the family histories of Robert Downey Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal, which both feature European immigrant stories common to many Americans.

Firelight (9pm, ABC) - A Hallmark Hall of Fame movie about a counselor (Cuba Gooding Jr, left) at a Georgia correctional facility for young women who tries to help the inmates turn their lives around by forming a group of volunteers to battle forest fires, perform rescue missions and respond to natural disasters. Here's Adrienne's review.

The Killing (9pm, AMC) - Sarah receives a message from the dead that may shed light on the identity of Rosie's killer, and Mitch befriends a young runaway.

The Celebrity Apprentice (9pm, NBC) - The celebrities (including Clay Aiken, who is still going strong in the competition) must create an in-store display and a slogan for a new fragrance. But not without hitches, of course. Expect another big fight between Arsenio Hall and Aubrey O'Day. If you're behind on the show, you can catch up with our "Celebrity Apprentice" recaps.

Birdsong (9pm, UNC-TV) - Part 1 of a 2-part "Masterpiece Classic" presentation of an adaptation of the Sebastian Faulks novel about a British lieutenant in World War I whose memories of a prewar romance with a married French woman both sustain and haunt him.

Nurse Jackie (9pm, Showtime) - Jackie leaves rehab and finds that working at All Saints while sober is a little unsettling, and Zoey second-guesses her relationship with Lenny.

Veep (10pm, HBO) - In the premiere of a hilarious new comedy following the public and private lives of U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, right) and her bumbling staff, the office goes into damage-control over a cornstarch gaffe (hard to explain). Check out my "Veep" review and a trailer from the show.

Mad Men (10pm, AMC) - Peggy  has a tough time during a particularly formidable pitch.

Oprah Presents Master Class (10pm, OWN) - In part 1 of a two-part interview, Sidney Poitier recalls how he made it to Hollywood from his childhood in the Bahamas, and how he overcame racial prejudice on his way up.

Girls (10:30pm, HBO) - Jessa doesn't show up for her appointment at a women's clinic, while Hannah is preoccupied by her own health issues. Later, Shoshanna reveals some surprising news.

I wasn’t one of the people outraged and angered by the end of  the first season of “The Killing”  (8 tonight, AMC). I agree that the show sometimes meandered, taking viewers places it didn’t need to go or places that weren’t worth exploring.

But I think it’s OK to not solve murder of Rosie Larson in the typical TV show timetable. And the performances, especially of Mireille Enos as Sarah, Joel Kinnaman as her partner Stephen and Michelle Forbes as grieving mom Mitch, made up for much. I’m all for mistakes when the goal is high quality.

Wow. There is so much on TV tonight we're going to have to use our jump to fit it all in. We have the premieres of "Game of Thrones" and "The Killing," plus several season finales. Don't forget to click "Read More" to get everything.

Academy of Country Music Awards (8pm, CBS) - Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton host, and Kenny Chesney leads with nine nominations. Garner's Scotty McCreery is up for Best New Artist.

The Killing (8pm, AMC) - A two-hour Season 2 premiere picks up where Season 1 ended -- Detective Linden (Mirielle Enos, right) realizes her partner, Detective Holder (Joel Kinnaman, right), has been lying to her and that the arrest of mayoral candidate Darren Richmond (Billy Campbell) was a mistake. So yeah, they are still searching for Rosie Larsen's killer, which is fine with me. This slowly-paced drama isn't for everyone, but I love it and I'm happy it's back.

Celebrity Apprentice (8pm, NBC) - A special three-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" tonight includes the mixing of teams in the second half of the show. The first challenge, though, will be to create and sell a guidebook about New York City, with Regis Philbin judging the final product. In the second part of the episode, the newly formed teams must create an interactive health segment.

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (8pm, UNC-TV) - Tonight, Gates helps Barbara Walters and Geoffrey Canada (Harlem's Children Zoo) research their family trees.

Daytime Emmy Awards (8pm, CBS) - Wayne Brady hosts the 38th annual awards show honoring soaps, daytime talk, and children's programs. Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek are each honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Falling Skies (9pm, TNT) - The premiere of a new summer series about a catastrophic alien invasion, executive produced by Steven Spielberg. Tonight's two-hour debut introduces us to Tom Mason (Noah Wyle, right) and a regiment of citizen soldiers who fight against the invaders. The show begins six months after the attack, the purpose of which remains a mystery even then. It's good. Read our review.

Drop Dead Diva (9pm, Lifetime) - Season 3 opens with Jane waiting for Grayson to awake from his coma. Paula Abdul, Wendy Williams, and LeAnn Rimes guest star.

Miss USA Pageant (9pm, NBC) - Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic host the pageant, which features 51 women competing in swimsuit, interview, and evening wear categories.

AFI Life Achievement Award 2011: Morgan Freeman (9pm, TV Land) - Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman receives the AFI's 39th Life Achievement Award at a ceremony taped last week in LA. Guests include Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, and Helen Mirren.

The Glee Project (9pm, Oxygen) - The second episode tests the contestants' theatricality. They are also tasked with performing the Twisted Sister metal anthem, "We're Not Gonna Take It."

The Glades (10pm, A&E) - Sharon Lawrence (left) guest stars as the owner of a family racing dynasty in a NASCAR-themed episode that centers around a stolen car and a dead body. NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano also appear.

Game of Thrones (10pm, HBO) - The first season ends with tragic news reaching all corners of the Seven Kingdoms, which coincides with a shared vision by Bran and Rickon Stark. Meanwhile, Catelyn presses Jaime about her son's fall, and Daenerys suffers a terrible setback.

The Killing (10pm, AMC) - In the season finale, the identification of Orpheus provides a vital connection to the case, and Mitch and Stan reflect on the past while contemplating their family's future. This show has been renewed for a second season.

Ryan & Tatum: The O'Neals (10pm, OWN) - A new reality series following Ryan and Tatum O'Neal, possibly the most messed up father & daughter duo on the planet. Over the course of the series, the two try to repair their relationship following a 25-year estrangement. Ryan O'Neal has publicly expressed disappointment that Oprah wasn't hands-on during the filming to "use her magic" and fix them.

Tony Awards (8pm, CBS) - Neil Patrick Harris hosts the 65th annual celebration of Broadway's finest from New York's Beacon Theatre. Musicals "The Book of Mormon" and "The Scottsboro Boys" lead all shows with 14 and 12 nominations, respectively.

Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World (9pm, OWN) - Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson sets out to put her life in order following highly publicized setbacks in this new six-part series. Because this is OWN, she gets advice from Dr. Phil McGraw and Suze Orman.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (9pm, USA) - A philanthropist disappears after awarding a major medical research grant. Goren and Eames discover that the man was killed and swapped with a medical cadaver at the institute he was funding.

The Glades (10pm, A&E) - Jim's old partner (Natalia Cigliuti) arrives from Chicago to track a serial killer, and there's chemistry between them that Callie can't help but notice.

The Protector (10pm, Lifetime) - This is a new series about a divorced homicide detective (Ally Walker) who tries to balance her professional life with motherhood. In tonight's pilot, the detective and her partner (Tisha Campbell-Martin) probe a fatal mugging that may have been a targeted murder. Here's Adrienne's review.

The Killing (10pm, AMC) - As the investigation continues, Rosie is tied to an unusual website. Also, an imprisoned Stan comes to grips with his demons while Mitch uncovers secrets about her murdered daughter.

Army Wives (9pm, Lifetime) - Emmalin and Michael's disagreement about their futures puts Claudia Joy in the middle.

MTV Movie Awards (9pm, MTV) - SNL's Jason Sudeikis (right) hosts the 20th annual film awards show from Los Angeles. Honorees include Reese Witherspoon, who will receive the MTV Generation Award. Performances from Foo Fighters, Lupe Fiasco, and Trey Songz. Presenters include Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carrell, Cameron Diaz, Jesse Eisenberg, Selena Gomez, Jason Segal, and Aziz Ansari.

The Glades (10pm, A&E) - Oh great, that show I hate is back! Oops. I meant to say, 'Oh great, this very popular quirky cop drama from A&E returns for its second season!' In tonight's opener, the daughter of a Cuban mobster is murdered, and Jim must solve the case to prevent a war between rival mob families.

The Killing (10pm, AMC) - Three episodes left to find out who killed Rosie Larsen. The investigation takes an interesting turn when Sarah and Holder learn more about Rosie's whereabouts on the night of her murder, but everything must be put on hold when Sarah's son goes missing and the detectives go searching for him.

In Plain Sight (10pm, USA) - Mary reluctantly teams up with a remorseless con artist to go after an even bigger criminal. Guest star: D.W. Moffett.

Why Not? With Shania Twain (10pm, OWN) - Shania goes to New York for a photo shoot and meets with music producer David Foster about her single, "Today," and must summon up the courage to sing for him. Later, she relaxes with friends Bo Derek and John Corbett in Santa Barbara, California.

Teen Wolf (11pm, MTV) - The series premiere a new show about an unpopular teen (Tyler Posey) who is bitten by creature in the woods and the next day, starts to notice strange changes in his body. Loosely based on the popular 1985 movie starring Michael J. Fox.