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The Staircase S1E5 — The Beating Heart

7.1

The Staircase•Season 1•Episode 5

The Beating Heart

7.1/10 · 1,082 votesMay 19, 202261 min

Ranked #7 of 8 in Season 1•−0.4 vs season avg

In the aftermath of the verdict, the Petersons struggle with the court’s decision, and Michael finds solace in an unlikely friendship from thousands of miles away.

Directed byLeigh Janiak

Written byCraig Shilowich

Previous episodeE4 · Common Sense Next episodeE6 · Red in Tooth and Claw

Seasons1

Season 1 Episodes8

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911

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Chiroptera

The Great Dissembler still

The Great Dissembler

Common Sense still

Common Sense

The Beating Heart still

E5 7.1Now viewing

The Beating Heart

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Red in Tooth and Claw

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America's Sweetheart or: Time Over Time

Cast14

Colin Firth

Colin Firth

Michael Peterson

Toni Collette

Toni Collette

Kathleen Peterson

Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg

David Rudolf

Dane DeHaan

Dane DeHaan

Clayton Peterson

Olivia DeJonge

Olivia DeJonge

Caitlin Atwater

Patrick Schwarzenegger

Patrick Schwarzenegger

Todd Peterson

Sophie Turner

Sophie Turner

Margaret Ratliff

Odessa Young

Odessa Young

Martha Ratliff

Rosemarie DeWitt

Rosemarie DeWitt

Candace Zamperini

Tim Guinee

Tim Guinee

Bill Peterson

Vincent Vermignon

Vincent Vermignon

Jean-Xavier de Lestrade

Parker Posey

Parker Posey

Freda Black

Crew3

Leigh Janiak

Leigh Janiak

Director

Sofía Subercaseaux

Sofía Subercaseaux

Editor

C

Craig Shilowich

Writer

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Episode Summary

"The Beating Heart" is episode 5 of The Staircase season 1. It scored 7.1/10 from 1,082 votes, ranking #7 of 8 episodes this season (season average 7.5). Directed by Leigh Janiak and written by Craig Shilowich, it aired on May 19, 2022.

Next: E6 · Red in Tooth and Claw Best of Season 1