From Making a Murderer to Wild Wild Country, Netflix has become the go-to streaming service for nuanced, complicated true crime docuseries. This summer, Netflix plans on bettering its already stellar reputation not by exploring a new case — but by reopening a classic one. All episodes of the iconic true crime docuseries The Staircase are coming to Netflix, along with three new episodes about Kathleen Peterson’s twisted death and her accused husband Michael Peterson’s life. The Staircase isn’t just a well-known true crime docuseries. It’s practically the grandfather of the genre. Originally released in 2004, the original run of The Staircase was directed by French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and received a Peabody Award in 2005. The first episode shows the gruesome aftermath of Kathleen Peterson’s death; and from that moment on, every episode is more in-depth than the last, making this series and its two sequels one of the most thorough true crime projects ever created. Before you dive into the haunting case that is The Staircase this weekend, here’s what you need to know about this notorious and ambitious documentary. What’s The Staircase about? Lestrade’s docuseries revolves around the death of Kathleen Peterson, a 48-year-old woman who was found dead at the foot of her stairs in her home in Durham, North Carolina. Kathleen Peterson’s death occurred in December of 2001. An autopsy later revealed that there were lacerations to her head, and as the docuseries shows, she lost a lot of blood before she died. Because there were no visible signs of forced entry, the docuseries focuses on asking whether Kathleen’s husband, crime author Michael Peterson, was responsible for her death or not. The prosecution for this case argued that Michael was responsible for his wife’s death after the pair got into an fight. He allegedly bludgeoned her over the head with a fire poker several times before pushing her down the stairs. Peterson’s defense argued that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Michael and that Kathleen possibly fell and suffered a head injury, which ultimately led to her death on the stairs. Though Michael was at the house at the time of Kathleen’s death, the defense argued that he couldn’t hear her from the pool. Despite an overwhelming amount of evidence and footage of Kathleen’s dead body, the answer to what happened to Kathleen Peterson is more complicated than you would think. What makes The Staircase so complicated? There are a lot of details and messy interpersonal relationships that simultaneously seem incredibly important, and completely unrelated. First, there’s the fact that Michael Peterson has seen another woman in his life die at the foot of a flight of stairs. Eighteen years prior to the death of Kathleen Peterson, Michael’s neighbor and close friend Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of a set of stairs after suffering from an intra-cerebral hemorrhage. The court case also reveals that Michael Peterson was bisexual and had what he claims was an open marriage. Though there’s proof that Peterson was planning to commit infidelity, there’s no proof other than his word that his wife was aware of his sexual preferences, or that they were really in an open marriage. Those are the two biggest question marks connected to Peterson’s possible guilt, but there’s also reason to believe in his innocence. For starters, all of his children, both his biological children and the children he adopted after the death of Elizabeth Ratliff, steadfastly stood by Peterson during the trial. The defense also later found the alleged murder weapon, something the prosecution pointed to as suspiciously missing. There are many other loose ends to this case and enough instances of professionals re-creating blood splatters to last anyone a lifetime. But the reason why this documentary has become so popular in the world of true crime is that it always leaves the viewer guessing. Just when it becomes seemingly apparent that Peterson is guilty or innocent, another piece of evidence will appear, making you doubt your conviction. In that regard, The Staircase emulates the uncertainty of a courtroom better than most true crime documentaries. Lestrade directed another film that mirrored the uncertainly of a courtroom well, 2001’s Murder on a Sunday Morning, though this Oscar-winning documentary is less controversial than The Staircase. What happened to Michael Peterson? Spoilers. After the longest trial in North Carolina’s history, the crime author was convicted of murdering his second wife in 2003. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, Peterson was ultimately granted a retrial. After his appeal was denied, one of the principle witnesses against Peterson, SBI analyst Duane Deaver, was found to have worked on some of the most flawed criminal cases in the state. This happened in 2010. Peterson’s lawyer filed a new motion challenging the SBI testimony. The case held up, and Peterson was released from Durham County jail on a $300,000 bail and placed under house arrest. In 2016, a retrial was set for Michael Peterson against his wishes. He asked that his initial request for the second trial be dismissed. That was refused. But in February of 2017, Peterson walked away free after accepting a plea deal. So The Staircase docuseries covers all of this? Yes. Michael Peterson’s trail can be broken down into three parts: his first trial; filing for appeals; and his plea deal. The original The Staircase covers Peterson’s trial in eight hourlong episodes and was released in 2004. The following two episodes, Episodes 9 and 10 in the Netflix series, were actually a standalone sequel to The Staircase that originally premiered on Canal+ and BBC Four. Told over the course of two hours, Staircase: Last Chance follows Peterson after he was released from jail and put under house arrest. The episodes, which were released in 2013, explain how the case against Deaver affected Peterson. Finally there are Netflix’s three episodes of the docuseries, called Staircase III. These episodes follow in detail what happened with Peterson’s retrial and his acceptance of a plea deal. The first of these three episodes premiered at Tribeca Film Festival this year. With these final episodes, this iconic docuseries’ story can finally come to an end. Stream The Staircase on Netflix<doc-sep>Less is often more when it comes to the length of television series and seasons. When I heard The Staircase, a documentary series centred on a murder trial, was 13 episodes, I confess an eye-roll. How could the filmmakers fill almost 13 hours of TV about a trial? It sounded self-indulgent. It’s actually three parts in one. The first eight episodes were filmed in 2003 and released soon after. Two extras were filmed for a special in 2011. The final three episodes are newly filmed. Now, Netflix is showing the story in its entirety for the first time. And what a story. It’s tricky to write about this series without giving spoilers and, by dint of it being a trial drama, it’s much more satisfying to be in the dark and learn as you go. In short, Michael Peterson is a wealthy novelist living in a massive house in a leafy area of Durham, North Carolina. He writes newspaper columns about the state, sometimes about corruption in city hall, the DA and the police, and once ran for mayor. One evening, after a few drinks with his second wife, Kathleen Peterson, the co-parent of two adopted children and step-mother of his sons, he found her dying in a bloody heap at the bottom of the stairs. He called 911 and when the police arrived, the volume of blood quickly led them to think he may have murdered his wife. He was arrested and the documentary follows his trial and what happened afterwards.<doc-sep>Look, I appreciate the weather is nice and the beer garden is calling, but ignore all that, when you finish work tonight you need to go home and you need to go and start watching The Staircase on Netflix. Yes, it's 13 episodes long, but let me reassure it is totally worth it. And you don't have to just take my word for it, look at what the good people over on Twitter are saying: Advert 10 Holy shit. Folks, if you loved 'The Jinx', you are gonna *love* 'The Staircase' - just been added to Netflix. It's brilliant. - Cian Carroll (@CianByNature) June 8, 2018 Well, clear your weekend. THE STAIRCASE is on @netflix. This is hands down the wildest, most fascinating true crime series I have ever seen. Do not google anything. Just watch. Thank me later. - Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) June 8, 2018 Advert 10 Totally hooked on The Staircase on Netflix. I've watched 8 episodes today. DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS (although I know it's easily googleable) - Rich Jones (@richloyalty) June 9, 2018 me calling the squad to talk about the new #TheStaircase episodes pic.twitter.com/CnHDKchSlw - goth taylor swift (@reigningIoreIai) June 8, 2018 Advert 10 So your mum dies on a staircase and the close family friend who was with her the previous evening adopts you , aged 2. (You get $$$ life insurance) Then aged 19 his latest wife , your adopted mum also dies on a staircase. CAN NO ONE SEE THIS CANNOT BE A COINCIDENCE #TheStaircase - Cybbo (@CybillLiberty) June 9, 2018 The Staircase centres on the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of the stairs by her husband Michael Peterson. Peterson claimed his wife had fallen down the stairs and died of her injuries, however, the authorities charged him with murder, alleging that he had bludgeoned Kathleen to death and attempted to cover it up by making it look like an accident. An an autopsy report found that Kathleen suffered a fracture of the thyroid neck cartilage and seven lacerations to the top and back of her head, consistent with blows from a light, yet rigid object. At court details of the couple's life would be laid bare, including the fact that Peterson had been using male escorts, something which he said Kathleen was aware of, with his defence claiming they had an open marriage. Advert 10 Credit: Netflix The plot thickens when during the trial it's revealed that while Peterson was living in Germany Elizabeth Ratliff, a female friend of his, died after collapsing and falling down the stairs, suffering similar injuries to Kathleen. Peterson was reported to be the last person to see her alive. Peterson would go on to adopt the Elizabeth's daughters and raise them as his own - both of the daughters, who were adults at the time of Kathleen's death, supported Peterson throughout the trial. Advert 10 However, Kathleen's sisters were dead-set that their brother-in-law was a cold blooded killer. Netflix The series follows the build-up the trial, the trial and then the aftermath. The original mini-series aired in 2004, but now director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade has added to his original 10 episodes with three new ones and you can binge the whole thing on Netlfix. What a time to be alive.<doc-sep>
The bad news is you have jury duty. The good news is the summons comes from Netflix, so you'll be sequestered to the couch, where you can watch Michael Peterson attempt to prove his innocence over 16 years in "The Staircase" (streaming now). The novelist insists that on Dec. 9, 2001, he found his wife, Kathleen, at the bottom of their stairs after she took a fatal fall. But the Durham, North Carolina, police were suspicious about the amount of blood that covered the walls and ceiling of their Forest Hills mansion. They charged Peterson with Kathleen's murder, arguing her death was not accidental but assault. He was convicted in 2003, but that's not where his judicial battle ended. Netflix asks a simple question in "The Staircase": "Did he do it?" The evidence is complex and lends itself to many interpretations, which may explain the continued interest in the case. Blood placement, lacerations on the back of Kathleen's head and other findings divided experts on her cause of death during the trial. The story has been the subject of many programs: Investigation Discovery aired a three-part look at the case in April; My Favorite Murder podcast hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark discussed why they believe in Peterson's guilt on their 100th episode. Even portions of Netflix's "Staircase" have already aired. The first episodes aired in 2004, and director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade released a follow-up documentary with new developments in 2013. The last three episodes on Netflix are new. It's easy to fly through all 13 episodes, which last approximately 45 minutes to about an hour. But those more familiar with the case can skip ahead. While so many hours may sound overwhelming even for the most committed binger, the constant volleying between Peterson's advocates and his opponents is absolutely captivating. Here's everything you need to know about why the mystery is so intriguing. More:11 Hollywood deaths still shrouded in mystery Warning: We are encroaching on spoiler alert territory. Who is Michael Peterson? Peterson, now 74, is a Tennessee native and graduate of Duke University. In addition to writing a number of books, including "A Time of War," the former Marine served as a columnist for Durham's The Herald Sun. He could be critical of the police, which some have suggested may be motive for law enforcement to conspire. Is he capable of killing his wife? Though the defense drives home that he and Kathleen were an ideal couple, a crack in that picture comes early in the series. Peterson, it turns out, had solicited a male prostitute for sex, a fact presented to the jury during the trial. (He identifies as bisexual.) The former escort, Brent Wolgamott, was called to the stand. Prosecutors theorized that Kathleen could've confronted her husband about this scheduled meeting or his collection of gay porn, spurring an argument and resulting in a deadly beating. A fight would've explained the injuries recorded on Kathleen's autopsy, the state said. What about his past? Darkening the cloud of suspicion around Peterson is the fact that Kathleen isn't the only person in his life who met her death at the bottom of a staircase. While living in Germany with his first wife, Patty, the couple befriended a woman named Elizabeth Ratliff. In 1985, Ratliff, who suffered from headaches, was discovered at the bottom of her stairs after spending the evening with Peterson and his spouse. The cause of death was initially deemed a brain hemorrhage, however Ratliff's body was later exhumed for an additional autopsy in light of Kathleen's similar death. It was decided, after review, she was bludgeoned to death. More:Lawyers for man featured on 'Making a Murderer' ask U.S. Supreme Court to hear his appeal More:Judge denies new trial for Steven Avery of 'Making a Murderer' fame What about the rest of the family? It's not just the public that's been divided on Kathleen's death; her survivors are also split as to whether it was intentional or accidental, bringing additional drama to the series. Ratliff's two daughters, Margaret Blakemore and Martha Ratliff, adopted by Peterson and his first wife after Ratliff's death, strongly believe Peterson is innocent. So do Peterson's sons from his first marriage, Clayton and Todd. Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin Atwater, who previously supported her stepfather, changed her mind after viewing her mother's autopsy report. Kathleen's sister, Candace Zamperini, forcefully believes Peterson is a killer. And what will you decide? Watch "The Staircase" to find out. More:What to know before binge-watching Netflix's 'The Keepers'