The Staircase on Netflix

It’s a hit. See it before you google it.

Critics give it 90% and Audiences 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. But we didn’t know that. Lisa and I decided to watch with almost no idea what it was. It was on Netflix and had a good review from the New York Times, which I only glanced at. We’ve completed 8 of the 13 episodes.

There will be no spoilers here.

I’ve never seen anything like this series. Shot in real time, a documentary of a real murder trial. Guilt or Innocence is for you to decide, but the film is much more than a “who done it? So compelling it’s hard to believe it’s not scripted.

It’s a look at our system. Our culture. The way media reports a story, vs what you just saw with your own eyes. If you go in skeptical, your worst fears won’t even come close to what’s really happening.

You see “the truth” is subjective because we can only form an opinion on what we’ve been exposed to. And when that happens, when you’ve taken a position, chosen a side… you will want to defend that conclusion, and disregard new evidence. We’re hard-wired that way.

Maybe that’s what I like about this story. When neither side makes sense, you still have to pick a winner and a loser. Once you’ve picked (which took me about 5 episodes), you’re invested.

How badly do you want to win? Would you lie, spin or cheat for a positive outcome? And if not, and you knew the system was rigged against you, would you go down gracefully as a matter of principle?

Can you be sure beyond a reasonable doubt?

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_staircase/