The Staircase

This had the potential to become a cult hit in the world of television! The first half of the series is, for me, a fantastic piece of work, with some episodes being absolutely flawless. On the acting front, Colin Firth especially excels; I would never have guessed he could portray such an eccentric character with such skill. The rest of the cast also delivered masterful performances, and I didn’t expect anything less from Toni Collette. I was really intrigued by the unconventional storytelling, constantly questioning whether the main character actually murdered his wife or if it was just a tragic accident. In the second half, I looked forward to the gradual reveal of all the cards, but The Staircase started to get tangled up. It mixed several timelines, lost its relentless momentum, and overall became an average watch. It's still worthy of four stars, but I have to label it as a slight disappointment due to the ending. I give it 7/10. (06/23/2022)

A proper craftsmanship and acting show. The story focuses on Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), a writer accused of murdering his wife who was found dead under the stairs, and it makes for a 16 year-long judicial struggle that I really enjoyed. The first four episodes are excellent, there's an uncomfortable sultriness in the air, a thick atmosphere, the emotional hell of all involved is palpable, there's a proper and thorough investigation by the defence and the prosecutors with very detailed gathering of evidence, I really felt I was watching people who do this for a living doing their best. The court-scenes are also very tense, the dialogue is good and the various alternatives to falling down the stairs are raw and unpleasant except there’s no blood. The second half falls slightly and shortening it to six episodes would definitely have been more acceptable. The scenes with the family and the kids were the least interesting and for me unnecessary – kind of the mandatory filler of today's shows – and the flashbacks are downright annoying and at times quite confusing, and too frequent frequent, but still for me it was quality filmmaking and entertainment, I’m definitely glad I gave it a chance. Also, praise for the soundtrack and the theme song, it was divine. Story 4/5. Action 1/5, Humor 1/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 4/5 Music 5/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 5/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 5/5. 7.5/10. (06/13/2022)