The Staircase

After three episodes, this is shaping up to be a fabulous story, it is true, yet ambiguous enough to carry tension and suspense. The cast is magnificent with strong headliners and a depth unusually strong for TV.

The pacing is good, though the heavy use of short and long scene non-linearity is haphazardly delineated, with occasional timestamps, but no stylistic changes making frequent rewinding necessary. Cinematography is generally well done, but there are some sporadic gimmicky techniques which detract by being more showy than necessary.

Colin Firth has brilliant range as novelist Michael Peterson, the husband in the frame for his wife, Kathleen's, probable murder. Not surprisingly there are fine performances too numerous to mention from a cast of this stature.

A persuasive story very well told, episode four cannot drop quickly enough!

Have been following this story since the original trial. My impression so far is the set decorations, especially the house, is spot on. The cast, the always phenomenal Toni Collette and exceptional Colin Firth are excellent. Supporting cast portrays their roles true to their characters. In my mind's eye I'm watching the show unfold as if I'm seeing the actual victims. The writer's had a lot to work with starting with the trial transcripts and the French documentary The Staircase, so the show feels very real.

Good performance by Firth. The "constantly back and forth narrative" was pointless and even irritating. A lot of scenes had no meaning whatsoever. It should have been 4 episodes, there's way too many pointless minutes.

Intrigued by this story as it is based on real characters and thus far after watching 4 episodes have resisted the temptation of googling the real Michael Peterson. Since it is the mystery that is keeping me watching as well as the eye candy that is the former Mr Darcy. In all seriousness - I rate all of the actors that are in this mini series, 4 stars are deducted for the telling of the story through a timeline that is not in chronological order. Which would be fine - if it was made clear which year we were watching, it is sometimes but not always and that's why it is confusing. Put it this way one can't take one's eye away from the screen for too long in case in that second we jump to another year. And I'm not clear if the end of episode 4 is what really happened or what the jury believed happened. It's also taken about 3 episodes to reveal who are the parents of the various children in this blended family. My 6 is perhaps a little generous - its based on the optimism a cracking story will unfold. Yet to find out who Sophie is.

Watched four episodes and am done. Too slow and just boring. I really love Toni Collette and Colin Firth, but it's all over the place. I'm just sick of the entire family. I watched the docu-drama on Netflix years ago. Bad situation. He probably did it.