What happened the night of December 9, 2001 will never be known. Did Michael Peterson, an established author and mayor, kill his wife Kathleen Peterson or have the past twenty years of his life been an endless tragedy? At the conclusion of this docuseries, I still do not know if he killed his wife or not.
This series is shot over many years with most of the episodes filmed in 2002-2003. For some strange reason, it seems that there is a vendetta to charge Michael Peterson with first degree manslaughter. The prosecution is convinced that he has killed his wife, but there is not really any proof that he did so.
I will not share the evidence that the prosecution has, but all of it is very slim and circumstantial. I was left with the feeling that everyone involved with the prosecution were complete morons and did not seem to listen to any form of logic.
It's their ineptitude that causes a hearing later on to address Michael Peterson's trial. Several pieces of information are brought to light that demonstrate the police's desire to blame Michael Peterson for the death of his wife (none of which I will disclose).
I do want to add that I thought Michael Peterson was a very odd individual. His tone of voice was strange and he always seemed to be pretending to be someone he is not. His choice of attorney, David Rudolf, was not the best selection as well. He allowed those on the witness stand to try to persuade the jury of Michael Peterson's guilt rather than the standard yes or no questions that a defense attorney typically employs. After the trial concludes, it feels like a different series.
This series was interesting as it morphed with the later episodes. It stopped focusing on the trial and instead became a story about Michael Peterson's family. It humanized the story and, as a viewer, I sought closure for Michael Peterson and his family. However, the episodes that were about his family felt too slow and it bothered me.
The Staircase is a daunting thirteen episodes and it is just too long. The pacing is a little uneven, but it is still fascinating. I just think that it can easily be ten episodes and the pacing would probably be better as well.
It is still an amazing docuseries and I highly recommend it. Just be aware of how long it is and that it can be somewhat boring at times. Thank you for reading this review.
