Next netflix Original Takes Inspiration From 'Serial'; to Center on the Steven Avery Case

It seems like an odd timing to release a documentary miniseries about a convicted murderer, but Netflix has released "Making a Murderer" in time for the holidays. The subscription streaming service is taking inspiration from 'Serial' and retelling the story of Steven Avery, the most notorious criminal case in the history of Wisconsin. 

The Daily Beast wrote that in 1985, Steven Avery who was then just 22 years old was convicted for raping Penny Ann Bernstein. No direct evidence pointed to Avery, but he was arrested, tried, and convicted nonetheless. 

Avery was later cleared of all charges after spending 18 years behind bars. The Wisconsin Innocence Project helped free the wrongfully convicted man from a crime he never committed by providing a DNA test that pointed to the real assailant. 

But, the aforementioned story is only discussed on the first episode prologue. The ten-episode miniseries will focus on the tragedy after Avery was freed from almost two decades of imprisonment.

According to The Cap Times, the following episodes will be about the kidnapping and murder of Teresa Halbach, a photographer who was last seen in the salvage yard Avery keeps in his backyard. 

The Wisconsin man was again arrested and charged but, this time, all evidence pointed to Avery as the perpetrator of the crime. His 16-year-old nephew even confessed to being an accomplice.  

The question that viewers will try to answer at the end of the series is if Avery was set up by the police force who is facing a $36 million civil lawsuit filed by the ex-convict, or did his time in prison made him a true murderer?  

Already, the show is being compared to the HBO Original series "The Jinx," a documentary on the life of Robert Durst who was involved in a series of unsolved crimes. The popular podcast series, "Serial," also comes to mind. 

#MakingAMurderer I. Can't. Stop. Watching. It's crushing but utterly spellbinding.

— Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore) December 21, 2015

Whoa. @MakingAMurderer on @netflix is fascinating and horrifying. I'm also insanely attracted to the minds of these defense lawyers!

— Candice Patton (@candicekp) December 20, 2015