A good majority of us have been sucked into the rabbit hole of hours trawling the internet, unlocking the conspiracies and intricacies of true crime documentaries at least once. Real life stories of sinister crimes and chilling cold cases hit us at the crux of our own humanity, forcing us to reckon with inherent tensions – they get us thinking and contemplating more intensely than pretty much anything else.
Well, if you enjoy laying in bed wide-eyed at the possibilities and endings of blood-curdling tales, the Netflix program The Staircase laucnhing in just under two-weeks is set to tickle your true-crime fancy.
Centred around the trial of crime novelist Michael Peterson, who was accused in 2001 of murdering his wife Kathleen, The Staircase is set to send viewers on a rollercoaster of heart-thumping, pulsating drama.
Peterson claims his wife Kathleen died after falling down a set of stairs in their home, however, authorities are convinced he bludgeoned her to death with a fireplace poker.
Take a look at the trailer that already gives off the vibe that this will probably go down as a total 2018 pop culture phenomenon.
The buzz The Staircase is currently getting isn’t coming from out of nowhere – the original French miniseries aired in 2004 directed by Oscar-winning documentary maker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. The series will feature original episodes, as well as three new episodes that will give viewers new evidence and further insight into Peterson’s actions that eventually landed him in prison.
The whole case is, to put it simply, absolutely nuts. It was revealed during the trial that Peterson was bisexual, with prosecutors arguing he murdered her after discovering affairs she had with other men, however, Peterson claimed they had an open marriage.
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To add another layer to the story, it’s also uncovered another woman in Peterson’s life died after a haemorrhage caused by falling down the stairs, 18 years before Kathleen’s death.
All 13-episodes of the series are set to premiere on Netflix on June 8th – get your binge pants and popcorn ready.
