S01.E01: Death on the Staircase

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

TBA

Airs May 5th.

[Duke2801]

Ok I’m only halfway through the first episode, but I just have to comment that Colin Firth sounds SO much like the real Michael Peterson that it’s freaking me out! And his mannerisms and overall demeanor are capturing MP’s essence—gregarious, pompous, kind of strange. 
 
It’s also the first time I think I’ve heard him speak with an American accent. 
 

So far, so good!
 

 

[AZChristian]

4 hours ago, Duke2801 said:

And his mannerisms and overall demeanor are capturing MP’s essence—gregarious, pompous, kind of strange. 

I said the same thing!  He conveys that smarmy fakeness that MP embodied.

[Milburn Stone]

I know nothing about the real-life case, but the show feels real. I didn't recognize Michael Stuhlbarg from his appearance, but did from his voice. Great cast from top to bottom.

[pasdetrois]

23 hours ago, Duke2801 said:

Colin Firth sounds SO much like the real Michael Peterson that it’s freaking me out! And his mannerisms and overall demeanor are capturing MP’s essence—gregarious, pompous, kind of strange. 
 
It’s also the first time I think I’ve heard him speak with an American accent. 

Glad you mentioned this. I was distracted by Firth's manner of speech - it sounded like he had marbles in his mouth - but I don't know anything about how the real Peterson sounds. I actually wondered if they gave Firth a pipe to cover for his struggle with the accent.

I'm impressed with the younger cast.

[Valny]

It would have been nice to have a little exposition on who's who with the kids in regards to the parents. I was watching with some others and someone kept asking, who's kid is that? I'm like, how the hell do I know they haven't said who is who!  :)  I guess if you don't know from the documentary,then you could be a little lost.

[poeticlicensed]

14 minutes ago, Valny said:

It would have been nice to have a little exposition on who's who with the kids in regards to the parents. I was watching with some others and someone kept asking, who's kid is that? I'm like, how the hell do I know they haven't said who is who!  :)  I guess if you don't know from the documentary,then you could be a little lost.

Yeah I suspect they will get into that it later episodes but having a bunch of young adults wandering around would be confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with the case. They could have done a better job, even in the dining table scene of introducing the backstory of the kids

[lurkerbee]

On 5/5/2022 at 2:07 PM, AZChristian said:

I said the same thing!  He conveys that smarmy fakeness that MP embodied.

Same here. Once this series ends, I’m going to need a palate-cleansing binge of Pride and Prejudice!

[Duke2801]

23 hours ago, Valny said:

It would have been nice to have a little exposition on who's who with the kids in regards to the parents. I was watching with some others and someone kept asking, who's kid is that? I'm like, how the hell do I know they haven't said who is who!  :)  I guess if you don't know from the documentary,then you could be a little lost.

Heck I’ve seen the whole documentary series and I was still struggling to recall who was who.  
 

[edited because I had his family tree wrong]

 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by Duke2801

[lurkerbee]

2 hours ago, Duke2801 said:

Heck I’ve seen the whole documentary series and I was still struggling to recall who was who.  
 

From what I recall, the 2 boys are MP’s bio sons with his first wife, and the two older girls (Martha and Margaret) are the daughters of his second wife who MP legally adopted when his second wife died. The youngest daughter Caitlyn is Kathleen’s only bio child.

 

 

 Martha and Margaret are the biological children of Michael and (first wife) Patty’s friends who both died when the girls were very young and both families were living in Germany. Upon their mother’s death the Petersons became their guardians. 
 

i spent the entire documentary thinking Todd Peterson was the oldest of the two boys. It took this series to learn that Clayton was the oldest.

[Glade]

12 hours ago, Valny said:

It would have been nice to have a little exposition on who's who with the kids in regards to the parents. I was watching with some others and someone kept asking, who's kid is that? I'm like, how the hell do I know they haven't said who is who!  :)  I guess if you don't know from the documentary,then you could be a little lost.

I just assumed it was like the brady bunch--all the sons are his bio kids, the daughters hers. 

Wow, the homophobia at the end of this episode was really nauseating!  Maybe assume first that he's bi/pan, his wife doesn't care, and neither should you.  I was expecting the pictures to be like necrophilia or cannibalism or something, not tasteful male nudes.

[poeticlicensed]

6 hours ago, Glade said:

Wow, the homophobia at the end of this episode was really nauseating!  Maybe assume first that he's bi/pan, his wife doesn't care, and neither should you.  I was expecting the pictures to be like necrophilia or cannibalism or something, not tasteful male nudes.

Waiting for trial and all the prosecutor pearl clutching over those pictures. 

I don't care what he is, but he should have had the guts to tell his own children he was bisexual. It was totally awful that he forced his brother to do it. 

Edited May 7, 2022 by poeticlicensed

[Duke2801]

12 hours ago, lurkerbee said:

 Martha and Margaret are the biological children of Michael and (first wife) Patty’s friends who both died when the girls were very young and both families were living in Germany. Upon their mother’s death the Petersons became their guardians. 
 

i spent the entire documentary thinking Todd Peterson was the oldest of the two boys. It took this series to learn that Clayton was the oldest.

Ohhhh ok thanks for clarifying! It’s definitely a complex(ish) family tree. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’ve just started watching.  I’m in Raleigh (Durham neighbor)so this has been a huge story for me for years.  I’ve seen so many stories covering the crime and the aftermath.  But, a friend just texted me that she was watching, so I may as well.  

Edited May 8, 2022 by SunnyBeBe

[Milburn Stone]

On 5/7/2022 at 1:15 AM, Glade said:

Wow, the homophobia at the end of this episode was really nauseating!  Maybe assume first that he's bi/pan, his wife doesn't care, and neither should you.  I was expecting the pictures to be like necrophilia or cannibalism or something, not tasteful male nudes.

I've been trying to remember whether things were really that much less evolved in 2001. I kind of think they might have been. But all past time periods blur into one for me now. :)

[chediavolo]

I’m sure I’ve heard of this case but I can’t remember. There is a doc on Netflix but I don’t want to be spoiled. The way they are doing this is confusing & not as interesting as it could be. Hope ep. 2 is better. I hate hearing Colin Firth with an American accent. And an odd one at that. Haven’t seen him in a while. Jarring to see he is aging like all of us. 

[poeticlicensed]

2 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Jarring to see he is aging like all of us. 

A lesser actor would have not been able to overcome his Mr Darcy. I see no Mr. Darcy on his depiction of Peterson. I actually find him repugnant, just like the real guy. Thats a tribute to Firth. 

[lurkerbee]

3 hours ago, chediavolo said:

I’m sure I’ve heard of this case but I can’t remember. There is a doc on Netflix but I don’t want to be spoiled. The way they are doing this is confusing & not as interesting as it could be. Hope ep. 2 is better. I hate hearing Colin Firth with an American accent. And an odd one at that. Haven’t seen him in a while. Jarring to see he is aging like all of us. 

Peterson has/had an odd way of speaking, and Colin is replicating it very well.

[Nancybeth]

I just recently watched the documentary and while Colin Firth sounds like Michael Peterson and has his mannerisms down, he doesn't really look like him physically at all. But overall I think they did a pretty good job with casting!

[AZChristian]

22 minutes ago, Nancybeth said:

I just recently watched the documentary and while Colin Firth sounds like Michael Peterson and has his mannerisms down, he doesn't really look like him physically at all. But overall I think they did a pretty good job with casting!

Only in Michael Peterson's wildest dreams does he look anything like Colin Firth.  :-)

[poeticlicensed]

2 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Only in Michael Peterson's wildest dreams does he look anything like Colin Firth.  :-)

Betting the real Michael Peterson takes great pride in the fact that Colin Firth was cast to play him. He strikes me as that much of a narcissist. 

[AZChristian]

1 minute ago, poeticlicensed said:

Betting the real Michael Peterson takes great pride in the fact that Colin Firth was cast to play him. He strikes me as that much of a narcissist. 

Hopefully he reads lots of reviews that point out that Colin Firth looks NOTHING like Michael Peterson, but is such a good actor that he can pull off the charade.

[CharlizeCat]

I concur that Colin Firth is pulling of Michael Peterson's speech and mannerisms very well. I watched the show on Netflix and MP frequently went around with an unit pipe clenched between his teeth. 

[cpcathy]

I thought the first episode was so boring, but I watched all of the documentary so perhaps it’s just overload of Michael Peterson to me. The real Michael is so skeevy with his man boobs and his dumb pipe, Firth is really a huge step up.

[bilgistic]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:57 AM, Milburn Stone said:

I've been trying to remember whether things were really that much less evolved in 2001. I kind of think they might have been. But all past time periods blur into one for me now. :)

Speaking as a North Carolinian, this place can be very unevolved. Durham is one of the more progressive cities, though.

I'm not seeing Michael Peterson much in Colin Firth; he's not wiry enough. But his tone of voice and cadence is eerily spot on.

[BusyOctober]

This is good so far.  Curious how many of the facts presented in the real trial and investigation will make it into this series.  

I had seen this case on Dateline ( or one of the many Murder Show channels I watch), so I am biased re. “Who Done It”.  My family makes fun of me for watching these true crime things, but they have taught me some good life lessons.  
   #1 - Do NOT under any circumstances date, have an affair with, move in with or marry a man named “Peterson”. You will be killed.  (see, Scott / Drew/ Michael)

  #2- If a relationship is rocky, and the partner is unwilling to talk to a counselor, do not get pregnant to “fix” things.  You will be killed.

 #3 - if money is becoming an issue, and you suspect an affair, fraud or embezzlement, just leave with your children and a small overnight bag as you call a lawyer and the authorities.  Do not confront your partner with the evidence.  You will be killed.

 

[cpcathy]

2 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

This is good so far.  Curious how many of the facts presented in the real trial and investigation will make it into this series.  

I had seen this case on Dateline ( or one of the many Murder Show channels I watch), so I am biased re. “Who Done It”.  My family makes fun of me for watching these true crime things, but they have taught me some good life lessons.  
   #1 - Do NOT under any circumstances date, have an affair with, move in with or marry a man named “Peterson”. You will be killed.  (see, Scott / Drew/ Michael)

 

Norm Peterson too?

[poeticlicensed]

12 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

This is good so far.  Curious how many of the facts presented in the real trial and investigation will make it into this series.  

I had seen this case on Dateline ( or one of the many Murder Show channels I watch), so I am biased re. “Who Done It”.  My family makes fun of me for watching these true crime things, but they have taught me some good life lessons.  
   #1 - Do NOT under any circumstances date, have an affair with, move in with or marry a man named “Peterson”. You will be killed.  (see, Scott / Drew/ Michael)

  #2- If a relationship is rocky, and the partner is unwilling to talk to a counselor, do not get pregnant to “fix” things.  You will be killed.

 #3 - if money is becoming an issue, and you suspect an affair, fraud or embezzlement, just leave with your children and a small overnight bag as you call a lawyer and the authorities.  Do not confront your partner with the evidence.  You will be killed.

 

Not specific to this case, but I watch a lot of Dateline and I always find it interesting when one spouse claims the other one just ran off or disappeared, taking nothing with them , leaving their life behind and expect that family and the authorities will simply believe them. SMH

Edited May 12, 2022 by poeticlicensed

[rlc]

On 5/11/2022 at 8:27 PM, BusyOctober said:

This is good so far.  Curious how many of the facts presented in the real trial and investigation will make it into this series.  

I had seen this case on Dateline ( or one of the many Murder Show channels I watch), so I am biased re. “Who Done It”.  My family makes fun of me for watching these true crime things, but they have taught me some good life lessons.  
   #1 - Do NOT under any circumstances date, have an affair with, move in with or marry a man named “Peterson”. You will be killed.  (see, Scott / Drew/ Michael)

  #2- If a relationship is rocky, and the partner is unwilling to talk to a counselor, do not get pregnant to “fix” things.  You will be killed.

 #3 - if money is becoming an issue, and you suspect an affair, fraud or embezzlement, just leave with your children and a small overnight bag as you call a lawyer and the authorities.  Do not confront your partner with the evidence.  You will be killed.

 

#4 - never, ever marry someone with the surname Peterson. 

[Atlanta]

On 5/7/2022 at 2:15 AM, Glade said:

I just assumed it was like the brady bunch--all the sons are his bio kids, the daughters hers. 

Wow, the homophobia at the end of this episode was really nauseating!  Maybe assume first that he's bi/pan, his wife doesn't care, and neither should you.  I was expecting the pictures to be like necrophilia or cannibalism or something, not tasteful male nudes.

But did she really know about that or is that what he claimed? She left her first husband for cheating. I doubt she'd be okay with him fooling around whether male or female.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Atlanta

[Glade]

3 hours ago, Atlanta said:

But did she really know about that or is that what he claimed? She left her first husband for cheating. I doubt she'd be okay with him fooling around whether male or female.

I hadn't learned what Peterson said or didn't say when I wrote that post, but having seen further episodes I stand by my comments about how homophobic this investigation and the way the prosecution chose to present this case was.  It is deeply homophobic/biphobic to automatically assume that any man who willingly touches another man is thus 100% gay, as if bi/pan-sexuality doesn't exist in men, and as if there are no modern, educated couples that would accept their spouses bisexuality and that they may *gasp* look at professionally photographed naked men on their computer.

[Auntie Anxiety]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:57 AM, Milburn Stone said:

I've been trying to remember whether things were really that much less evolved in 2001. I kind of think they might have been. 

They were.

[Anela]

I've just watched this, but it made me anxious. Reminding me of my mother's death, and funeral, even though the circumstances were very different, and not a murder. Ugh. 

The one lawyer, the actor, reminds me of a mixture of Joaquin Phoenix and Robin Williams.