Review: 'The Staircase' Features Brilliant Writing and an Incredible Cast

The true-crime phenomenon continues to invigorate the entertainment landscape and enthrall audiences. Whether it's the ability of the novice private investigator to unearth truths that have confounded the authorities, or the audacity of an outspoken podcaster to challenge the theories surrounding some of the most complex cases in history, there is no shortage of crime stories to dissect. The HBO Max Limited Series "The Staircase" looks at one of those particular cases through an interesting new lens.

Starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, the series is based on the docu-series of the same name that chronicled the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson (Collette). Her husband, fiction writer Michael Peterson (Firth), is found guilty of murdering her. But was he truly the culprit? The dramatization and reenactments allow for some profound revelations that raise even more questions.

Antonia Campos created the series, and directed six of the eight episodes. The perspective is quite crafty, as the drama unfolds not only around the incident, but the story of the ensuing documentary.

Michael Peterson claims that after an evening spent drinking wine poolside with his wife Kathleen, he found her at the bottom of the staircase in her own blood and near death. In a panic, he called 911, but by the time the emergency medical technicians arrived, Kathleen was dead. To the detectives on the scene, the peculiarities of the supposed accident didn't ring true, and the extent of her injuries wasn't consistent with a fall, even in the tight confines of the staircase in question.

Surrounded and supported by his children (played by "Game of Thrones" actors Sophie Turner and Patrick Schwarzenegger) Peterson becomes even more of a suspect when the investigation begins to escalate and a double life, including gay hook-ups with escorts and random encounters with hunky locals, begins to emerge. The dramatization navigates the line of presenting the evidence as it has been reported upon and creating scenarios based on the months leading up to the fateful night, and the parallel intrusion created by the documentary crew that moved in.

Collette does a masterful job of humanizing Kathleen, who we are lead to believe was fully aware and supportive of her husband's indiscretions with men – although it does appear peculiar, especially given Michael's political aspirations. There are just too many things that don't add up, and it gets far more complicated as the investigation comes under public scrutiny, and the glare of notoriety, that comes with the documentary. The parallels that are presented between "real life," and what is seen through the lens, are startling.

Parker Posey portrays one of the trial lawyers intent on finding justice for Kathleen and protecting the public from the narcissistic antics of Michael. "The Staircase" will intrigue those already familiar with the documentary series, and will wrap newcomers in its picture of our obsession with the macabre, and the dissociation that comes from the multi-camera invasion of Hollywood.

"The Staircase" features brilliant writing and an incredible cast, and shakes up familiar territory to make for engaging viewing.

"The Staircase" premieres on HBO Max, Thursday, May 5, with three episodes and a new one each week through June 9.