If you’ve been waiting for a series to come along that has the potential to both captivate and disturb you, then this is it. Netflix’s “The Staircase” is an eight-episode documentary series about the death of Kathleen Peterson, which resulted in her husband, author Michael Peterson being tried and convicted of her murder. Peterson was the author of a controversial book dealing with Kathleen’s death, called “The Staircase.” The Netflix program takes you through the case and how it was investigated and prosecuted.
It looks at what happened, and what the real truth is, but also raises some questions not only about Peterson’s guilt or innocence but also about whether or not Michael Peterson did indeed murder his wife.
Introduction to The Staircase
The Staircase is a short story about a man who goes on vacation with his wife to celebrate their 20th year of marriage. In one day they were going to be back home with their son and in a few days they’d be seeing each other at work again- no more long-distance relationships and romantic getaways for them but this was okay because they loved each other more than anything else in the world. This short story was written in the modernism era, which was also known as The American Experimentation Period.
This period started because of the immensity of changes that took place during World War I and ended around 1960. The Staircase was written during this period because it reflects many aspects of modernism.
Names of the characters in The Staircase
Here are the celebrity’s names mentioned below:
- Michael Peterson as Self
- David Rudolf as Self
- Martha Ratliff as Self
- Ron Guerette as Self
- Margaret Ratliff as Self
- Orlando Hudson as Self
- Todd Peterson as Self
- Clayton Peterson as Self
- Bill Peterson as Self
- Tom Maher as Self-Defense Attorney
- Patricia Peterson as Self
- Freda Black as Self
- Jim Hardin as Self
- Arthur Holland as Self
- Lori Campbell also played as Self – Kathleen Peterson’s Sister
- Kerry Sutton as Self
- Candace Zamperini as Self
- Becky Peterson as Self
The storyline of The Staircase
This is a summary of the popular documentary series The Staircase. The program follows novelist Michael Peterson’s conviction for the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. It documents the trial and subsequent appeals as well as key moments in Michael’s life from his youth to September 2001, when Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their Durham home. The case against Michael is largely circumstantial but he invokes an alibi defense. Michael claims that he had an appointment in North Carolina at the time of the murder. He had traveled there from Durham to meet his lawyer and discuss strategy.
‘The Staircase’ Star Patrick Schwarzenegger Reveals He Shot More Explicit Scenes That Showed Character Exploring Sexuality (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/qeweA1PpEn
— Variety (@Variety) June 14, 2022
Michael was originally tried for second-degree murder for causing Kathleen’s death by criminal negligence. In 2003, a jury in Durham declared Michael guilty of first-degree murder but acquitted him on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Michael then successfully appealed against this verdict and was retried on the second charge of first-degree murder in 2004, which resulted in a conviction and another death sentence. HBO’s “The Staircase” has been a true point of fascination ever since it debuted in 2017. More than 10 episodes into the new 13-episode season, with two more to go in the mid-November season finale, people are still debating everything from DNA evidence.
Also, what happened that day to social media advertising. So it might be time for you to watch 12-hour-long episodes of “The Staircase” on HBO Max if you need to understand thoroughly everything that went into this story. Install the app from iTunes or the Google Play Store, sign up, and watch “The Staircase” on HBO Max. Follow along with all of these episodes for free.
“The Staircase” was a 2003 murder case in which Michael Peterson was accused and convicted of killing his wife Kathleen. After being in prison for more than 8 years, he was finally set free by the North Carolina Court of Appeals after it ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support a guilty verdict for first-degree murder.
So, what do you think about The Staircase?