‘The Staircase’ Finale Recap: Michael Peterson Guilty or Innocent?

HBO Max’s dramatization of The Staircase rested its case on Thursday — however did it reply all of our questions?

The finale opens in 2017, with Michael able to make an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter so he can keep away from additional jail time and nonetheless preserve his innocence. He sits down for an interview with Jean and jokes that he needs to speak about baseball — however we don’t hear what he tells Jean, solely that he asks Jean to not inform Sophie about it till she sees the footage. In 2011, Michael’s youngsters put together themselves for his retrial listening to (and Margie learns that Martha is into women), and in 2001, a spiraling Kathleen and Michael rekindle issues and attend a flowery vacation ball, sharing an romantic gradual dance. (Kathleen even runs into future prosecutor Freda within the girls’ room.)

On the 2011 retrial listening to, Michael’s household is within the courtroom supporting him, however on the 2017 plea, simply Sophie is there. (“Seems to be like they got here to their senses,” Kathleen’s sister snipes.) Candace provides the identical impassioned speech arguing towards Michael in each timelines, and in 2017, she scoffs on the Alford plea: “An harmless man doesn’t plead responsible. A responsible one does.” In 2011, Michael’s lawyer David Rudolf lays out the prosecutors’ cozy relationship with the SBI and the way the SBI’s biased testimony might’ve unfairly swayed the jury. The decide agrees, and he’s granted a brand new trial — and launched till then. In 2017, Michael pleads responsible to voluntary manslaughter and is free to go.

He celebrates along with his household in 2011, although he’s fitted with an ankle bracelet and given a ten pm curfew. Plus, their favourite restaurant gained’t give them a desk as a result of “we don’t seat convicted killers.” In 2017, we study that the retrial by no means occurred and his Alford plea successfully closes the case. Margie is now engaged on a documentary of her personal, and he or she wonders if she ought to’ve gone to his plea, however her siblings agree that it’s “nonetheless exhausting to be round him.” Candace fumes that he’s free and blames herself for not warning Kathleen about him earlier: “I had a sense.” Plus, we additionally flash again to the evening of Kathleen’s demise; she bemoans the truth that they’ve to surrender Paris and Aruba, however Michael is completely happy to accept “pasta and Blockbusters.”

Michael and his household discover a restaurant to host their celebration dinner in 2011, however the temper is awkward: Todd orders a double tequila after waving off alcohol earlier, and a spherical of toasts ends with Todd pointedly telling Michael, “You made me the person I’m at this time.” Michael begins to present his personal speech, however he falters, and after a number of false begins, he excuses himself to the lavatory. He’s clearly on edge, and he viciously snaps at Margie when she tries to order dessert. On the way in which residence, he tells Sophie he’s broke, however she vows to care for him, and so they share an intimate second within the bed room. In the meantime, a drunk Todd must be helped residence by Clayton, and Margie lastly tells Martha about Michael making an attempt to separate them as youngsters.

Again in 2017, Sophie is packing up for her and Michael to fly to Paris collectively, however he drags his ft. He says his youngsters want him right here, however she factors out they didn’t even come to his plea. He lastly admits he’s not coming to Paris, and when she will get upset, he lastly explodes: “I don’t need to dwell with girls anymore!” He additionally admits he doesn’t know if he ever cherished her (ouch), and Sophie runs off in tears. At Jean’s, she watches the video of Michael earlier than the plea, the place he remembers fantasizing a few male buddy as a child and was punished by his dad for “experimenting.” He additionally admits he by no means instructed Kathleen he preferred males. He nonetheless insists Kathleen’s demise was an accident, however Sophie is devastated: “This man is a liar! He lied about every thing!” Jean’s undecided if he’s harmless, however he does know Sophie is healthier off with out him.

We hop again to the evening of Kathleen’s demise, and after a name from work, she asks if she will use Michael’s e-mail. He says sure, however he’s positively bizarre about it. (Is that this the place he might’ve instructed her? Or did she discover out on her personal?) By the pool, they’ve a dream-like dialog that spans the timelines, with Kathleen talking from past the grave and telling Michael their youngsters are all OK… and asking him why he by no means instructed her about his secret needs. “It wasn’t a lie,” he insists. “It simply wasn’t the entire thing.” In 2017, Michael calls his youngsters and tells them he’s not going to Paris and that he hopes to see them quickly. He places a photograph of Kathleen subsequent to his mattress, and the digicam pans round to his face as he appears straight into it… and presents a slight smile. (An finish card tells us that Michael by no means left Durham and nonetheless maintains his innocence — and the final phrases we see on display are Kathleen’s identify.)

So what do you suppose: Did Michael do it? Give The Staircase a grade in our ballot, after which hit the feedback to share your ideas and theories.