Played well and turned out well – VG

Fiction imitates reality and crime imitates life.

“the stairs”

American crime drama in eight episodes

Premieres on HBO Max Friday, May 6

Series writer: Antonio Campos

Screenplay: Antonio Campos, Aja Gabel, Craig Schelwich, Emily Kaczmarek, Maggie Cohn

Directed by: Antonio Campos, Lee Janiac

Med: Colin Firth, Tony Collette, Michael Stolberg, Sophie Turner, Dan DeHaan, Rosemary DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Odessa Young M. Phil.

Realistic crime lovers will already know Status in “The Staircase”not least from the French documentary series of the same name from 2004 (you can find it here):

About Michael Peterson, American Veteran Warrior, Novelist, and Politician awho was accused in 2001 of the murder of his wife Kathleen Peterson, and two years later was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Now the documentary, which was based on reality, has become a fiction series based on documentary. Whether this marks a new peak, a new revolution, or the beginning of the end in real crime– The golden age of the genre, we have to leave to the experts to comment on. “The Staircase” – the drama – sure has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it more interesting than it looks on paper.

The first and biggest trick is the oldest in the book: Movie Stars. People who are not only righteous, but also possess this is difficult to determine Something Which means it’s more fun to watch than actors who are “only” skilled at what they do.

“stairs” Tony Collette Like Katherine Peterson, the woman who died is at the bottom of the title ladder. Australian Colette is an outstanding actress with an amazing ability to be so very clear without publicTasty. “The Staircase” alternates between different schedules, and is frequently visited during the years when Catherine was still alive. So we can see a lot of them.

Almost in the middle of the series, the French national treasure appears Juliette Binoche above. Reviewers were asked not to reveal the role she plays in the series, and in a frenzy of generosity, the reviewer must comply with the request. I’m content to say that – hey, it is Juliette Binoche.

also Rosemary DeWitt, as Catherine’s sister Candice, and Parker Posey, as somewhat of a pretend comedian, bring stardom. But there is no doubt that these are the British Colin Firth Who wear The Staircase most on their shoulders. In an unusual role of him, he smells like a little Amy’s figurine.

Michael Peterson appears as a man who is difficult to control. A warm family man with a house full of adopted children, lies about the awards he is said to have received during the Vietnam War. A loving husband who is also bisexual “does exercise”. A man constantly admits his innocence, but his credibility weakens when it appears inda Corpse at the bottom of the ladder.

Specifically, an acquaintance whom Peterson married 20 years ago. Michael was the last to see her alive. her too.

Michael, who has written critical articles about the police authorities in North Carolina, where the series takes place, believes he is subject to an act of revenge and murder. He also has many secrets that he is reluctant to share. He has sudden tantrums, and seems to enjoy the attention the TV team gives him.

Here we are at the second good trick in “The Staircase”. Which is that the series seems to add The type of crime under the magnifying glass. VG only watched the first five episodes out of a total of eight episodes. But it seems clear that ‘The Staircase’ would like to say something about how to do it real crimeMedia products affect the lawsuits they cover, both in courtrooms and in public opinion:

Are they journalism? Are they entertainment? Are they activists? Do they cast light or shadow on the truth? We have to say that real-life crimes were the biggest driver behind today’s most innovative new media platforms: podcasts and streaming series. So these are interesting questions.

It remains to be seen how deep the “staircase”, the imagination, will go into the material. But after just over half way through the race, the above average series can at least be said to be well run and well played. This is not only bad.

Watch the references for five of the eight episodes