Fans are connecting the 2001 murder of Kathleen Peterson toThe White Lotus.
Her murder was documented extensively in a docuseries onNetflixand aTV series dramatization on Max.
Both shows explore the controversy surrounding Kathleen Petersons cause of death.
White Lotus / Staircase
Here is more informationabout the real case if youre eager for more details.
The Peterson Family & Ratliff Family Connection
So how does Kathleen Petersons murder relate toThe White Lotus?
Also Michael Peterson attended Duke University and so did Timothy Ratliff in the show.
More broadly, bothThe White Lotusand the Kathleen Peterson case explore marital tension and buried secrets.
What Does This Mean For The White Lotus Finale?
Given these similarities, its reasonable to think Mike White drew inspiration from the Kathleen Peterson story.
The Ratliff family: Jason Isaacs portrays Timothy Ratliff, the patriarch; Parker Posey plays Victoria Ratliff, his wife Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola portray their children—Saxon, Piper, andLochlan Ratliff.
The Peterson family a dramatized inThe Staircase: Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson, Patrick Schwarzenegger as Todd Peterson, Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff, Odessa Young as Martha Ratliff, and Dane DeHaan as Clayton Peterson.
The perfect family never turns out to be so perfect.
Victoria Ratliff holding Lorazepam shortly before she dreamt of death by tsunami in Episode 2 (‘The Meaning of Dreams’), echoing Kathleen Peterson’s reported use of Valium before her death.
