The Staircase | Official Teaser | HBO Max

[theemii]

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Based on a true story, The Staircase explores the life of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).

The eight-episode Max Original limited series, created by Antonio Campos, debuts Thursday, May 5 on HBO Max.

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Comments

[doriiansz]

The cast is stacked and I like Campos as a director, but I just don't have it in me for this kind of true crime dramatizations these days. Same goes for all these white women scammers tv shows.

[pciam]

Same. True crime documentaries intrigue me for a couple of reasons: 1) the forensics & how they're used to solve crimes and 2) the psychology behind what causes people to do what society deems irredeemable. And there is a way to convey this without being exploitative. The original Staircase documentary was made before the rise of true crime being what it is today in pop culture.

But lately -- most of the documentaries, shows, etc., feel more sensationalized and exploitative by nature, and they're beginning to feel eerily formulaic. I remember how much I used to enjoy watching Dateline, 20/20, etc., week over week but now I am just not that interested anymore.

[pciam]

I generally feel the same, even though I made an exception for The Dropout about Elizabeth Holmes. It’s good.

But I rolled my eyes when they actually made a movie about the Michelle Carter saga. That true story was so upsetting. I can’t watch a tv show based on that.

[hardtrash]

Omg Antonio campos is involved too?! Wow, I was expecting this to mostly be kinda trashy prestige true crime ya know? But he did such a beautiful job on Christine that idk maybe he pulls something worthwhile out of portraying this