What did Miri Matteson do in Back to Life?

Back to Life looks to be the next best series on Netflix. Starring Daisy Haggerton as Miri Matteson, the series focuses on a woman who leaves prison after spending the last 19 years of her life behind bars, but what did Miri Matteson do in Back to Life?

The series has been praised for its emotional, yet funny, redemption tale. But the question everyone is asking is: why was she imprisoned in the first place? 

Warning! There are spoilers ahead as we reveal the answers to all the questions we have been pondering...

What did Miri do in Back to Life?

In short, Miri committed murder which then lead to her spending 19 years in prison. Miri was imprisoned for killing her childhood friend Lara Boback. The events that led up to this point, however, are anything but straightforward. 

Daisy Haggard has been praised for her realistic portrayal of a woman grappling with her conscience. Daisy, who plays Miri, but also wrote the story, drew from some of her own experiences to write the script.

"In some ways, Miri would be how I would be in some situations," the actress told the Radio Times. 

"She gets pushed to the floor and bounces back up again, she’s an optimist and she’s positive and essentially not what you would expect from her shocking past. I do not have her shocking past but I share her relentless optimism."

How did Miri kill her?

When they were 18 years old Miri and Lara were in a fight at the top of a cliff,  Miri pushed Lara away from her and off the cliff where Lara fell to her death. 

Why did Miri kill her?

This revelation is saved until the very last episode. Mandy, who was friends with both Miri and Lara, reveals that she was sleeping with Lara’s father when she was 18 and led Lara to believe that it was Miri who was sleeping with Mr. Boback. 

It is this incident that led to the fight that ended with Miri pushing Lara off the cliff edge. 

How did Miri get that scar?

When Lara confronts Miri at the top of the cliff, Lara sinks her teeth into Miri’s shoulder during a physical altercation - this explains why Miri has a bite mark scarred into her shoulder. 

Where did Miri kill Lara?

The cliff where Miri and Lara have their altercation takes place on a cliff face. This is filmed in England at Abbot’s Cliff sound mirror, on top of the White cliffs of Dover.

Although this incident is hinted at throughout the series, the show keeps us on our toes and doesn’t reveal the real reason behind Miri’s imprisonment until the last episode. 

The end of the six-part series leaves Miri in a vulnerable and depressed position with a lot of unanswered questions. Back to Life has been renewed for a second series to continue these storylines as fans rave about how impressive the series has been, with a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.