The Staircase

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For other uses, see The Staircase (disambiguation).
The Staircase
The Staircase.png
Poster for the 2018 Netflix series
FrenchSoupçons
GenreDocumentary film
Written byJean-Xavier de Lestrade
Directed byJean-Xavier de Lestrade
Starring
  • Michael Peterson
  • David Rudolf
  • Ron Guerette
  • Tom Maher
  • Bill Peterson
  • Freda Black
  • Jim Hardin
  • Arthur Holland
Country of originFrance
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13
Production
Production locations
Running time44-55 minutes
Production companyMaha Productions
Release
Original network
First shown inFrance
Original release
  • October 7, 2004 (2004-10-07) – October 28, 2004 (2004-10-28) (episodes 1–8)[1][2]
  • January 30, 2013 (2013-01-30) (episodes 9–10)
  • June 8, 2018 (2018-06-08) (episodes 11–13)

The Staircase (French: Soupçons, lit. ''Suspicions''; also known as Death on the Staircase) is a 2004 French television miniseries by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documenting the trial of Michael Peterson, convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson.

Following from de Lestrade's Oscar-winning Murder on a Sunday Morning, filming began soon after Peterson's indictment. Camera crews were given access to the accused's extended family, the defense attorneys, and the courtroom.[3]

An abbreviated version was broadcast as a special two-hour presentation of American news show Primetime Thursday on July 22, 2004.[4] The miniseries was completed in September 2004,[5] and premiered in October on Canal+,[6] from January 10–14, 2005, on BBC Four (as part of its Storyville documentary series),[7] and from April 4–25 on Sundance Channel.[8][9]

Lestrade returned to film Peterson and his family in 2012–2013, covering developments in the case that were released as a two-hour sequel. Three new episodes with further updates were later made for Netflix, and in 2018, the streaming channel added all 13 episodes to its catalog, making it available as one series.

Synopsis[]

In December 2001, novelist Michael Peterson called to report that his wife Kathleen had fallen down a set of stairs in their Forest Hills mansion and died. The authorities disbelieved Peterson's story that Kathleen had fallen while drunk and concluded instead that he had bludgeoned her to death, most likely with a blow poke (a gift from Kathleen's sister) that was discovered missing from the house. Peterson was soon charged with murder. The film details the ensuing case from the point of view of Peterson and his defense team, led by David Rudolf.

During the trial, it is discovered that while Peterson was living in Germany, a family friend died from an intra-cerebral haemorrhage, followed by the body falling down stairs after collapsing, which resulted in similar head injuries to those sustained by Peterson's wife. An investigation by German police and U.S. military authorities concluded that the death was accidental, and Peterson ended up adopting the woman's two daughters. The prosecution introduce this death into the trial as an incident giving Peterson the idea of how to "fake" Kathleen's accident. During the trial, Peterson's daughters stood steadfastly by their father.

The prosecution argues that Kathleen had discovered that Michael was bisexual and had been having affairs with men, which led to an argument in which he bludgeoned her to death. Peterson claimed his wife did not know about his sexuality but that she would have been fine with it. He claims to have been outside by their pool when Kathleen fell down the stairs and injured herself. A defense team re-creation shows that it would have been possible for Peterson to have missed his wife's cries for help had he been by the pool. The jury ultimately convicts Peterson.

Reception[]

Reviews for The Staircase were generally positive. The film received an "exceptional quality" rating (8.5 out of 10) from Documentary-Review.com based on nine reviews.[10] It won a Peabody Award in 2005.[11]

Sequels[]

In April 2012, it was announced that Lestrade was working on a two-hour follow-up film to The Staircase for French broadcaster Canal+,[12] after Michael Peterson was released from jail, pending a retrial. The sequel, subtitled "Last Chance," premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam[13] in November 2012.[14] It aired on Canal+ on January 30, 2013,[15] and on BBC Four's Storyville on February 4.[16] Sundance Channel aired a shorter alternative cut, presenting "Last Chance" as two new episodes of the original miniseries, airing March 4 and March 11, 2013.[5][17]

On November 23, 2015, Lestrade announced a second follow-up film at the IDFA Forum.[18] Originally announced as Staircase III, the film documents the story of Peterson's final trial, set for early 2016. The film was commissioned by Canal+. Last Chance producer Matthieu Belghiti of What's Up Films was also attached.[19] It was later picked up by Netflix to be released as three new episodes of the miniseries, together with the previous 10 episodes, on June 8, 2018.[20] The first of the new episodes premiered on April 28, 2018, at the Tribeca Film Festival.[21]

Legacy[]

The 2017 sitcom Trial & Error parodies this documentary and the details of the case.[22]

A dramatic limited series adaptation of the docuseries, to be co-produced by Annapurna Television and HBO Max, was announced in March 2021. The series is set to star Colin Firth as Peterson, Toni Collette as his wife Kathleen and Sophie Turner as one of Peterson's adopted daughters, Trini Alvarado as Patty his ex-wife, with Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn both attached as writers and showrunners.[23][24][25]

Episodes[]

No. in
season		TitleLength (minutes)
1"Crime or Accident?"47:00
Following his wife's suspicious death, Michael Peterson speaks about his version of the events while lawyers and expert witnesses prepare for trial
2"Secrets and Lies"46:00
As Michael's hidden life comes out into the open, defense experts debate if it will have a significant impact on the coming trial.
3"A Striking Coincidence"46:00
The defense team is shaken when a suspicious event from the past comes to light. Later, the team visits Michael's first wife in Germany.
4"A Prosecution Trickery"44:00
As the trial looms and media attention heats up, an autopsy report's wording ruffles the feathers of the defense team.
5"A Weak Case"47:00
The prosecution presents its case while the defense strives to cast a reasonable doubt within the minds of the jury.
6"The Prosecution's Revenge"47:00
A witness brings surprising levity to the stand, the judge rules on an important matter, and Michael's alleged temper comes under scrutiny.
7"The Blow Poke Returns"50:00
Kathleen's sister pore over Michael's writings. Jurors visit the staircase at Michael's home. A vital piece of evidence reappears.
8"The Verdict"50:00
Is Michael Peterson guilty or not guilty? The jury delivers its verdict regarding the mysterious death of his wife, Kathleen.
9"Reopening The Case"55:00
Eight years later, the possibility that a key witness for the prosecution may have misled the jury could prompt the need for a new trial.
10"The Last Chance"52:00
After more experts testify about the questionable conclusions and claims of Duane Deaver, the judge rules on whether a new trial is necessary.
11"Looking for Closure"52:00
Following two and a half years of house arrest, Michael must decide whether to push for a plea or risk his freedom with a new trial.
12"Between Anger and Despair"46:00
Their faith in the justice system forever shaken, Michael and his family discuss what they can hope to achieve by continuing the fight.
13"Flawed Justice"46:00
Michael speaks to a reporter about the reasons behind his plea. Later, Kathleen's sister delivers a statement of defiance in court.

References[]

  1. ^ Icher, Bruno (7 October 2004). "Télé: "soupçons", du réel en tranches". Libération (in French). Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  2. ^ Mathieu, Pierre. "De Lestrade, avocat à la caméra". La Dépêche. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  3. ^ Court TV coverage Archived 2006-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "The Stair Case". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Lacob, Jace (March 4, 2014). "The Staircase: Director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade on Michael Peterson, Owls, and More". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  6. ^ "The Staircase (Soupçons) (2004)". Maha Productions. Archived from the original on June 24, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  7. ^ "BBC - Storyville". BBC. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005.
  8. ^ "With the Camera Lurking, Anatomy of a Defense Case". The New York Times. April 4, 2005. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  9. ^ Catlin, Roger (April 25, 2005). "Sundance Series Follows The Other Peterson Murder". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  10. ^ "Reviews". Documentary-Review.com. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  11. ^ 65th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2006.
  12. ^ Adam Benzine (April 3, 2012). "De Lestrade making sequel to "The Staircase"". Realscreen. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  13. ^ "IDFA Catalogue 2012" (Adobe Flash). Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  14. ^ "The Staircase 2: The Last Chance" (Adobe Flash). IDFA Special (English ed.) (1). November 15, 2012.
  15. ^ "Soupçons – La dernière chance". Canal+. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  16. ^ "Death on the Staircase: The Last Chance". BBC. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  17. ^ "the staircase – new episodes coming soon". Sundance Channel. November 28, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  18. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (November 25, 2015). "Lestrade steps up" (Portable Document Format). IDFA Industry Special 2015 (4): 1. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "Staircase III". IDFA. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  20. ^ Trumbore, Dave (May 22, 2018). "Netflix Continues Your True-Crime Obsession with 'The Staircase' Trailer". Collider. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  21. ^ Mount, Bailey (April 25, 2018). "'The Staircase': Everything You Need to Know About the Classic True Crime Series Coming to Netflix — With New Episodes". IndieWire. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  22. ^ "Trial & Error Detective". The New Yorker. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  23. ^ White, Peter (March 31, 2021). "'The Staircase': Colin Firth To Star In TV Drama Adaptation Of Classic True Crime Documentary For HBO Max From Antonio Campos & Maggie Cohn". Deadline. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  24. ^ Petski, Denise (April 29, 2021). "Toni Collette To Play Kathleen Peterson In 'The Staircase' Limited Series For HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  25. ^ Sneider, Jeff (June 1, 2021). "Sophie Turner Joins 'The Staircase,' Which May Be the Next Great Crime Show on HBO Max". Collider.com. Collider. Retrieved June 1, 2021.

External links[]

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