I didn't find the death scene (at least the accidental one, not the murder one, which hasn't aired yet) that terrible to watch?? But I also watch a lot of horror movies, so, maybe for someone not used to or expecting that from their entertainment, it could be jarring. But then...maybe choose a different genre than true crime for your entertainment?
I don't think it's that great, and watching it made me need to go back and watch the first episode of the doc series again, just to remember the "characters." But I will continue to watch because the one thing it is able to do that the doc did not, is give Kathleen an actual story, and life, aside from her horrible death.
Does anyone else find the case kind of...generic? My brain keeps wanting to conflate these Petersons with Scott and Laci, and the military background causes it to overlap the same memory registers as Jeffery Macdonald.
This despite the fact that I may well have served lattes to the Petersons. I lived in Durham in the early to mid-90s. My first several tech writing jobs were at NORTEL. So I should feel a personal connection to this case, but I just don't.
I couldn’t get through the first episode because I’m tired of drag-and-drop crime TV. My friend watches 15 minutes of it every night solely so he can reenact lines for LOLs. I swear every show I try to get into lately is either overly precious, formulaic in its modern atonement “narrative,” or pointlessly campy. Some people love horror movies their whole lives despite predicting all the jump scares…similarly I still like watching straightforward garbage Bundy/Manson fare. I totally understand the true-crime genre fatigue. It’s so much more victim-porny and weirdly masturbatory than the sick sleaze from the past, which really just always amounted to inviting tons of psychological curiosity. I love reading your guys’ writing on true crime more than I enjoy engaging with the material these days.
I don't have HBO Max, and it doesn't sound like I need to bother. On another note, has anyone watched the Stockholm syndrome one on Netflix? I watched about 5 minutes and was so turned off I gave up. If it eventually gets to the point, I was really interested in the case. Just wondered if I should try again --maybe just fast- forwarding to the important parts.
May 12, 2022·edited May 12, 2022Liked by Best Evidence
I haven’t had a chance or maybe even the inclination to read the reviews, so I liked your summary. Can’t really argue with the detractors, but I knew I’d watch it anyway. It’s just too easy to slip into a glossy production with known beats than decide what else to watch. I’m actually getting more out of it than I expected. The sons and daughters as characters are more relatable than they were in documentary form, for one thing, and it’s good to get a sense of Kathleen as a person. Firth has the brittle personality and barking voice really nailed.
The accident version of the fall was very disturbing. Will have to see the later version to see what makes more sense.
This is a case where I am genuinely still deciding what I think happened. As off putting as Peterson is I just never bought the prosecution’s version. So far I think the show is playing it pretty straight in that regard.
Parker Posey - that is an inspired choice. She makes that character real and funny without being a parody. (Thing about Pam, I’m looking at you).
So of course I will finish and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get chills when the coroner pulled a pine needle out of Kathleen’s hands along with her hair. The owl?
Oddly, I don't think I'll watch. I loved the Staircase when it came out years ago, but couldn't get through the "new" eps a few years back. Peterson makes me cringe. I'd rather watch the Gacy doc again.
I love Lawson and Little Gold Mrn but he is a noted true crime hater, so the review doesn't surprise me. I haven't watched though - may keep it my back pocket for the future, mostly because of the cast. (Also isn't all scripted tv "Emmy-hungry actors playing dress up"?)
I didn't find the death scene (at least the accidental one, not the murder one, which hasn't aired yet) that terrible to watch?? But I also watch a lot of horror movies, so, maybe for someone not used to or expecting that from their entertainment, it could be jarring. But then...maybe choose a different genre than true crime for your entertainment?
I don't think it's that great, and watching it made me need to go back and watch the first episode of the doc series again, just to remember the "characters." But I will continue to watch because the one thing it is able to do that the doc did not, is give Kathleen an actual story, and life, aside from her horrible death.
Oh, and also, of course, the 🦉.
Does anyone else find the case kind of...generic? My brain keeps wanting to conflate these Petersons with Scott and Laci, and the military background causes it to overlap the same memory registers as Jeffery Macdonald.
This despite the fact that I may well have served lattes to the Petersons. I lived in Durham in the early to mid-90s. My first several tech writing jobs were at NORTEL. So I should feel a personal connection to this case, but I just don't.
I couldn’t get through the first episode because I’m tired of drag-and-drop crime TV. My friend watches 15 minutes of it every night solely so he can reenact lines for LOLs. I swear every show I try to get into lately is either overly precious, formulaic in its modern atonement “narrative,” or pointlessly campy. Some people love horror movies their whole lives despite predicting all the jump scares…similarly I still like watching straightforward garbage Bundy/Manson fare. I totally understand the true-crime genre fatigue. It’s so much more victim-porny and weirdly masturbatory than the sick sleaze from the past, which really just always amounted to inviting tons of psychological curiosity. I love reading your guys’ writing on true crime more than I enjoy engaging with the material these days.
I don't have HBO Max, and it doesn't sound like I need to bother. On another note, has anyone watched the Stockholm syndrome one on Netflix? I watched about 5 minutes and was so turned off I gave up. If it eventually gets to the point, I was really interested in the case. Just wondered if I should try again --maybe just fast- forwarding to the important parts.
I haven’t had a chance or maybe even the inclination to read the reviews, so I liked your summary. Can’t really argue with the detractors, but I knew I’d watch it anyway. It’s just too easy to slip into a glossy production with known beats than decide what else to watch. I’m actually getting more out of it than I expected. The sons and daughters as characters are more relatable than they were in documentary form, for one thing, and it’s good to get a sense of Kathleen as a person. Firth has the brittle personality and barking voice really nailed.
The accident version of the fall was very disturbing. Will have to see the later version to see what makes more sense.
This is a case where I am genuinely still deciding what I think happened. As off putting as Peterson is I just never bought the prosecution’s version. So far I think the show is playing it pretty straight in that regard.
Parker Posey - that is an inspired choice. She makes that character real and funny without being a parody. (Thing about Pam, I’m looking at you).
So of course I will finish and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get chills when the coroner pulled a pine needle out of Kathleen’s hands along with her hair. The owl?
Oddly, I don't think I'll watch. I loved the Staircase when it came out years ago, but couldn't get through the "new" eps a few years back. Peterson makes me cringe. I'd rather watch the Gacy doc again.
I love Lawson and Little Gold Mrn but he is a noted true crime hater, so the review doesn't surprise me. I haven't watched though - may keep it my back pocket for the future, mostly because of the cast. (Also isn't all scripted tv "Emmy-hungry actors playing dress up"?)