The Staircase has sparked a delightful confusion, teetering between thrilling documentary and whispered rumor. Admirers clutch their popcorn, pondering whether Netflix shows it and if Colin Firth dares to tread its ominous steps.

Netflix, in its American incarnation, boasts a sprawling documentary collection, from courtroom dramas to historical oddities. It is no shock that such entanglement occurs, as the masses confuse archival suspense with star-studded dramatization and tangled credits.

The very title, The Staircase, has incited pandemonium, yet the truth remains elegantly simple, if one is willing to peer past the surface.

The confusion around The Staircase arises because two separate projects share the same name and both stream on Netflix. One is Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s original Peabody Award-winning documentary, and the other is the Colin Firth-starring HBO-made dramatized miniseries, both of which cover Michael Peterson's trial.

The original documentary, first released in 2004, chronicles Michael Peterson’s trial following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson. A 2012 update, The Staircase II: The Last Chance, added new developments, including Michael Peterson being granted a retrial after a key witness was discredited.

Netflix released the full thirteen-episode documentary in 2018, including three additional episodes covering Michael Peterson’s 2017 Alford plea. This version remains strictly factual, with archival footage and courtroom insight, offering a pure documentary experience.

By contrast, the dramatized miniseries, also on Netflix, casts Colin Firth and Toni Collette as the Petersons. It blends actual events with fictionalized storytelling, including the making of the original documentary, creating a distinct cinematic narrative.

Your Guide to ‘The Staircase’ on Netflix – The Michael Peterson Murder Trial Story

Both versions climb the same tale, yet every true crime enthusiast should experience each twist firsthand.

Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s documentary is essential for true-crime enthusiasts because it offers unfiltered, real-time access to Michael Peterson’s trial and is also known as one of the most terrifying true-crime documentaries on Netflix. Observing his defense team, family, and the courtroom proceedings over the years delivers unmatched authenticity and a firsthand look at the American legal system.

The documentary also immersed viewers in the inner workings of justice, revealing courtroom strategy, forensic evidence debates, and procedural intricacies. Its careful neutrality left viewers genuinely uncertain about Michael Peterson’s guilt, allowing them to engage as jurors rather than passive observers.

By contrast, the HBO Max dramatized miniseries explored facets that the documentary cannot. Colin Firth and Toni Collette bring the Petersons’ story to life, humanizing Kathleen Peterson, portraying marital dynamics, and using recreations to visualize competing theories, including the infamous owl theory, in visceral, immersive detail.

The miniseries also offers meta-commentary on the original documentary’s creation, including Sophie Brunet’s involvement and ethical dilemmas in storytelling. Watching both allows audiences to compare archival reality with narrative interpretation, offering a richer, more complete understanding of the case, the people, and the complexities of truth.

Which The Staircase documentary do you prefer more? Let us know in the comments!