If you are going to make a 13 hour documentary film, find a more sympathetic protagonist. Did Michael Peterson do it? I have no idea. Was there enough evidence to convict? Not in my opinion. Despite this, even when he was incarcerated I had no compassion towards Michael Peterson because he is so highly unlikable. He comes of very narcissistic. By the 12th and 13th episode I had to fast forward through the interviews of just him talking. I simply could not listen to him go on talking another minute. I'm not sure if this series was meant to evoke empathy for a wrongly accused man or to show the flaws in the American justice system, or both. I found it impossible to have an ounce of empathy for the accused thanks to his self centered, egotistical manner. I found myself having way more compassion for Greg Taylor and he was shown for probably less than 10 minutes in the 13 episode series. Perhaps a film chronicling his injustice would have been time better spent.
Review of The Staircase
