The Staircase

December 2001. When businesswoman and beloved mother Kathleen Peterson is found dead after reportedly falling down a flight of stairs, the unusually bloody scene leads police to focus their attention on her husband, author and aspiring local politician Michael Peterson. But while the Peterson’s blended family rallies around their patriarch, the investigation quickly zeroes in on Michael’s secret life, calling the couple’s seemingly picture-perfect marriage into question.

After posting bail, Michael and his high-powered attorney David Rudolf piece together their defense, while considering an offer from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, a French documentarian eager to profile the case. As teams of forensic experts on both sides recreate the night of Kathleen’s death, Michael’s children grapple with shocking new information about their father – and his stepdaughter Caitlin wrestles with her own doubts.

In the months preceding Kathleen’s death, Michael continues to lead a double life, as the Petersons contend with mounting financial woes. In 2002, while DA Jim Hardin and assistant DA Freda Black struggle to locate a key piece of evidence, a surprising coincidence from Michael’s past threatens to derail the defense.

In 2003, tensions rise and old wounds reopen as the Petersons’ eldest son Clayton returns home, and unwittingly makes a critical discovery. Michael’s fate hangs in the balance as the trial comes to a close, and years later, in 2017, his new partner Sophie reflects on the path that led her to become enmeshed in the case.

2004. In the aftermath of the verdict, Michael and his family struggle with the court’s decision. In France, Jean and his producer Denis butt heads over who’s side of the story they are telling, while the documentary’s editor, Sophie, strikes up an unlikely friendship from thousands of miles away.

In 2001, an ill-fated Thanksgiving leaves Kathleen stressed and Margaret with questions about her past. Five years later, a far-fetched theory from Larry Pollard, the Petersons’ former neighbor, inspires Sophie to launch her own investigation – and threatens Michael’s already shaky new normal. Then, in 2017, Michael must decide whether to compromise his principles in exchange for his freedom.