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The fifth episode of The Staircase, titled The Beating Heart, dropped today on HBO Max. Continuing with Michael Peterson's conviction in the death of his wife, which was presumed to be a murder, the series, in its latest episode, will now follow the events in the aftermath of the jury’s verdict in Michael Peterson’s trial.
Episode 4 of The Staircase saw a verdict being passed in court, which found Peterson guilty of murder. The Beating Heart follows Michael's life in prison, his struggles with the hostility of his fellow inmates, and the hope he has in his appeal to the state supreme court.
Meanwhile, Peterson's lawyer David Rudolf continues his efforts to get Peterson released, and Sophie reveals her correspondence with Michael to Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Denis Poncet, the makers of the original documentary on The Staircase murder mystery.
The Staircase explores Michael's time in prison
The Staircase transforms into a prison drama with Episode 5. The Beating Heart opens with a scene where we see a beaten and battered Michael Peterson in his cell. This is the first time we see the author since his sentencing. The episode fast forwards six months into the passing of the verdict, and we see Peterson sitting in his cell alone, with visible wounds all over his face.
It is clear that Michael is not having a good time in prison. An interaction with his lawyer David reveals that he is being harassed due to his celebrity status, which accorded him a single cell as he waited for his appeal. In order to deal with the situation, Peterson forms an alliance with an influential person who will help him navigate the situation.
Waiting for appeal
With his appeal yet to pass, Michael waits in anticipation while his family starts to raise funds for the expenses concerning the case. But it doesn't seem to be going too well. Todd and Clayton visit Michael in prison to let him know that there has been a significant depreciation in the value of the mansion due to Kathleen’s death.
With a financial crisis hanging over his head and his life under threat in prison, Michael waits with anticipation for news of his appeal, which finally gets to him.
In other news, Sophie sits down with Denis Poncet and Jean-Xavier, who are documenting Peterson's case. A verbal altercation passes between the three as they argue over the content and portrayal of Michael in the documentary.
Sophie is against the inclusion of Dr. Deborah Radisch's testimony in the series because she thinks it is inaccurate. At the same time, Denis suspects Sophie of harboring feelings for Michael and being biased towards him while editing the docuseries.
The letters exchanged between Michael and Sophie reveal a blossoming relationship between the two, and it may very well be true that Sophie is biased. So she decides to take a break from writing to Michael, which doesn't seem to last too long.
The fifth episode of The Staircase ends on an anticipatory note, with Michael getting more news regarding his appeal. Catch the next episode on Thursday, May 26, to learn more about the state of Peterson's appeal and the court's final decision.
