The Latest Breaking News from Michael Peterson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As he prepares to dive into the first episode of HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” David Rudolf takes a deep breath.

Michael Peterson was charged with murdering his wife Kathleen in their Durham home in December 2001.

The first three installments of HBO Max’s “The Staircase” are now streaming. I’ve seen five of the eight in this limited series, based on the long-form documentary of the same name.

Some history: In 2001, in the city of Durham, N.C., Michael Peterson, a writer and sometime political candidate, either did or did not kill his wife, Kathleen, who either fell down a flight or stairs or was beaten to death at its foot. A French television crew, under the direction…

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains information about happenings beyond the first episode of The Staircase and the real-life events it is based on

The eight-part series follows the trial of Michael Peterson who was convicted of murdering his wife

Michael Peterson, who is played by Colin Firth in new Sky Atlantic drama The Staircase, pleaded guilty to killing wife Kathleen by involuntary manslaughter as part of an 'Alford plea' but denies attacking her

This fictionalised remake, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, of the 2004 true crime mini-series is somehow more concrete than the original but altogether less captivating

Can this dramatisation of the events covered in the hit Netflix documentary add anything new? Plus: one of TV’s most conceptually perfect shows. Here’s what to watch this evening