The Staircase

2022 1 Season
Biography, Mystery, Drama, Crime, Thriller

Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.

Episodes

  • The Staircase - Episode 1

    E1 · 911

    65 min

    In 2001, author and aspiring local politician Michael Peterson is charged with murder after the suspicious death of his wife Kathleen.

  • The Staircase - Episode 2

    E2 · Chiroptera

    66 min

    While working on his defense, Michael considers an opportunity to tell his story in a documentary. Then, after learning shocking information about her stepfather, Caitlin wrestles with doubts.

  • The Staircase - Episode 3

    E3 · The Great Dissembler

    63 min

    As the DA's office attempts to solidify their case, shocking new details surface about Michael's past that threaten to derail the defense.

  • The Staircase - Episode 4

    E4 · Common Sense

    68 min

    After an unexpected homecoming, a critical discovery rocks the Peterson household. Michael's fate hangs in the balance as the trial ends.

  • The Staircase - Episode 5

    E5 · The Beating Heart

    62 min

    In the aftermath of the verdict, the Petersons struggle with the court's decision, and Michael finds solace in an unlikely friendship from thousands of miles away.

  • The Staircase - Episode 6

    E6 · Red in Tooth and Claw

    59 min

    In 2006, Sophie pursues a far-fetched new theory about the night of Kathleen's death. Then, in 2017, Michael grapples with compromising his principles in exchange for his freedom.

  • The Staircase - Episode 7

    E7 · Seek and Ye Shall

    63 min

    After a body with similar injuries to Kathleen's turns up at the county morgue, Sophie continues her quest to uncover what really happened to Kathleen. Meanwhile, Martha decides to dig into her fraught past, despite pushback from Margaret.

  • The Staircase - Episode 8

    E8 · America's Sweetheart or: Time Over Time

    73 min

    After navigating a possible retrial, a 73-year-old Michael confronts a life-changing decision. Meanwhile, Martha and Margaret each share long-buried truths, and Sophie comes to terms with a revelation.