The Staircase miniseries takes the documentary surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson, and goes even further. Captivating and intriguing, even those that know the outcome will be on the edge of their seats. This review is based solely on the first five episodes of the eight episode limited series.
The Staircase documentary told the world the story of Kathleen Peterson’s death. Was it at the hands of her husband Michael Peterson? A lot of people seem to think so. HBO Max is giving viewers a deeper look inside this case with a new miniseries, also titled The Staircase. The miniseries has a cast of incredibly talented actors, headed up by Colin Firth (Michael Peterson) and Toni Collette (Kathleen Peterson), so it is more of a dramatization of the events than the documentary was.
That said, it is very well done. It plays much like the documentary, with glimpses into the past using flashbacks as different sides to the stories are told. For those that have already seen the documentary series, this version of The Staircase is similar, but different enough to keep you fully entertained. Even if you know the outcome, the series is able to dive deeper and deliver more than ever before. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as more and more to the story is unraveled and revealed.
The Staircase was very well cast. That combined with the costumes, hair, and makeup, and there are several characters who look almost identical to the real life people they are portraying. Watching the documentary and the miniseries side by side is uncanny. Firth and Collette put their heart and soul into these characters, and do a great job. They are extremely believable.
The rest of the cast is fantastic as well. They bring a lot of heart to this story, and will have most viewers feeling for the majority of people involved, no matter what side they have taken. Sophie Turner, who plays Margaret Ratliff, and Odessa Young, who plays Martha Ratliff, are the standouts of the children. Their story is so heart wrenching, and they bring it to the screen with such emotion and commitment.
Dane DeHaan as Clayton Peterson feels far too underused, but he does get his moments to shine. His is a very interesting story — easily the most intriguing besides Michael’s.
When it comes to Kathleen’s death, the series does not skimp on the blood. Knowing this is a dramatization, and a show, does not take away from just how brutal and bloody the scene gets. It is hard to watch at times — it is that intense.
While this is a very similar take on the story that the documentary took, it does do its own thing too. There are a handful of new details, twists, and turns, that bring surprise and suspense into the miniseries. These are things that perhaps were not touched on in the documentary for whatever reason, but they are being brought to light here and it is possible they could change some minds.
Episode 5 is mainly where things start to deviate from the story most people know about Michael and Kathleen Peterson. This is after the documentary is complete, and the story continues. Screeners were only given through this episode, so it is hard to say where things will go from here. However, viewers will be very much captivated and intrigued to find out what path it is going to take.
The Staircase miniseries touches on many of the same things that the documentary did, however it dramatizes some of the events as well. This is obviously a series with actors, not a documentary with the real people, which it is sometimes easy to forget while watching. This series is intense and suspenseful, even for those who know the story already. For those who don’t, you are in for a wild ride, so hold on tight.
While this review is based on only the first five episodes, it is hard to imagine that it will go downhill from here with the final few. If anything, the series will likely pick up steam and finish off with a bang.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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About The Staircase
Based on a true story, The Staircase explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Collette).
The eight-episode HBO Max Original limited series, The Staircase, created by Antonio Campos (“The Devil All the Time”) and starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, debuts Thursday, May 5th with three episodes, followed by one new episode each week through June 9.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.