In the early 2000s, what appeared to be a simple yet tragic case of a simple slip down a flight of stairs turned out to be anything but.
The case for foul play in the death of Kathleen Petersonwas rapidly building once her body was found on December 9th, 2001, and all the evidence seemed to point to none other than her own husband, writer Michael Peterson. What followed was a high-profile court proceeding for the ages, where Peterson’s shocking and complicated family history was revealed to the world. Now, as with many of these shocking true-crime stories, the tumultuous tale of the Peterson family is soon set to be told in a series adaptation.
Adopting the namesake of the popular French documentary series of the same name,The Staircasehas been getting early buzzas a serious Emmy contender for its bold portrayal of this complicated story. It will no doubt have something for both true crime and dramatic thriller fans to chew on. With the new show quickly picking up steam and set to launch in just a few days, here’s everything you need to know before the anticipated new series premieres.
Much ofThe Staircase’s critical buzz has been primarily generated by the performances of its impressive cast, and it’s easy to see why with the heavy hitters that are lending their talents to bringing this true story to life.
In the role of Michael Peterson is none other than the Academy Award-winning actor fromThe King’s Speech,Colin Firth, who thus far has been receiving an incredible amount of praise for his performance. It will certainly be interesting to see how the famed English actor will portray an individual as controversial as Peterson.
Joining Firth as Peterson’s second wife and the victim whose death ignited this legal firestorm is Academy Award nomineeToni Collette, best known for her work inThe Sixth Senseas well asHereditary. It’s currently unknown exactly how much of a presence Collette will have in the seriesgiven the tragic outcome of the person she is portraying, but it’s unlikely that a high-profile series such as this wouldn’t take full advantage of the talents of such a prolific performer.
The impressive ensemble cast is rounded up byMichael Stuhlbarg,Juliette Binoch,Parker Posey,Dane DeHaan,Olivia DeJonge,Rosemarie DeWitt,Tim Guinee,Patrick Schwarzenegger,Sophie Turner,Vincent Vermignon, andOdessa Young.
Related:‘The Staircase’ Cast and Character Guide: Who’s Who in the True Crime Series
Watch the Trailer for The Staircase Here
To get a taste of what’s in store for this tale of manipulation and murder, check out the tense trailer. The trailer starts off showing a picture of a seemingly normal but happy American family, before quickly taking a turn showing police cars outside their home, revealing Kathleen Peterson has been found dead. What follows is a montage of the Peterson family at odds with each other, lines being drawn, shocking betrayals, emotions running high, and their seemingly idyllic life rapidly crumbling apart. The trailer closes with an intense and overwhelming scene of four of the Peterson children arguing and talking over one another before Michael walks into the scene yelling “I said that’s enough.” The trailer closes with a voice-over claiming “The Petersons are crazy” as we see somebody ominously walking up the titular staircase.
When and Where is The Staircase Streaming?
Despite the documentary it is based on being exclusive to Netflix, the serialized drama will be making its home on HBO Max. The first three episodes will premiere on Thursday, May 5 with the following five episodes in the eight-episode series premiering every following Thursday.
Can You Watch The Staircase Without HBO Max?
It’s important to note thatThe Staircaseis an HBO Max production and not an HBO proper production. This means that, unfortunately, those who wish to watch the show will need access to an HBO Max subscription and not just an HBO membership (though keep in mind that upgrading to the service will include both HBO Max exclusives and all the content that is available on HBO’s standard service). HBO Max has two tiers available, with-ads and ad-free. Thewith-ads tier is $9.99 a month or to save 16% off is $99.99 a year. If you’re one who can’t stand ads (and let’s face it, who isn’t), the ad-free tier costs $14.99 a month or $149.99 a year, which just like the annual subscription for the ad-free tier, will save you 16% off compared to paying monthly. As of now there has been no announcement on whetherThe Staircasewill have a physical media release.
Related:‘The Staircase’ Makes a Compelling Companion Piece to the Documentary | Review
Other Shows Like The Staircase
The Staircase(2004): As mentioned above, the scripted HBO Max drama is based primarily on the French documentary series of the same name, which first began airing in 2004, then continued in 2013, and then continued once more in 2018. It’s a great nonpartisan look into the many facets of the case, chronicling nearly every aspect of Peterson’s life before, during, and after the death of Kathleen took place. It’s also a great look into the American legal system and how the officials who take part in it can constantly mold and utilize it to their own advantage. If you’d rather go into the upcoming series blind and not know each and every shocking detail in this difficult criminal case, then you should still keep the documentary in mind onceThe Staircasehas concluded to see how accurate HBO Max’s version really is.
The Staircasedocumentary series is available to stream onNetflix.
Landscapers(2021): Fans of the new show won’t have to look far for a similar series asLandscaperscan also be found on the very same streaming service. StarringOlivia ColmanandDavid Thewlis, the short four-episode miniseries showcases the true story of Susan and Christopher Edwards, a seemingly normal elderly middle-class English couple who became the suspects in a nationwide manhunt after Susan’s own parents were found buried in their own backyard.Landscaperssomehow manages to fit in the level of tension and intrigue that shows over double its length can’t achieve, and this can mainly be credited to two incredible performances by undisputed masters of their acting craft.
Landscapersis available to stream onHBO Max.
The Girl from Plainville(2022): One of the latest true-crime dramas to hit the streaming world,The Girl from Plainvilletells the story of Michelle Carter and her alleged role in the suicide of her at the time boyfriend, Conrad Roy. Another complicated, popular, and controversial case, the trial and subsequent show takes on a tough balancing act and examines the limits of freedom of speech and if words are strong enough legal precedent to take a life.Elle Fanningdelivers a career-best performance and is virtually unrecognizable as Carter, delivering a performance that is as complex and difficult to read as the woman she is portraying. Those interested inThe Girl from Plainvilleshould also check outI Love You, Now Die, which is the documentary that documents the case in a more realistic and grounded light.
The Girl from Plainvilleis available to stream onHuluandI Love You, Now Dieis available to stream onHBO Max.
