https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2-vm-L_dk4
Back in 1994, the world was captivated with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. The main suspect was OJ Simpson and immediately we were all glued to our televisions from the time he was named, to his infamous attempt to elude police in that white Bronco and ultimately his trial. Everyday people would tune into the trial, but what was happening behind the scenes? That is what American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson is going to show us every Tuesday at 10p on FX.
When I heard they were doing this, I didn’t want to relive that trial again. Especially with the cast that was attached to it. Then, I watched the first episode, I was blown away by how interesting it was and what a good job they were all doing retelling a story we all know. With each episode it gets better and delves more into the case. It shows a different side of what we know and it almost makes you want to watch the trial again. OK, maybe not that far, but you will get to see how ruthless the defense was and how the People screwed up over and over again.
Tonight’s episode starts off with Brown and Goldman’s bodies being discovered and cops investigating the scene. When they find out she was married to OJ Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr) they decided to break the news to him directly. Only thing, he isn’t home, but it appears that drops of his blood are all over the area. Now he is their number one suspect and they ask Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson) how to handle it.
As she looks into his history, she thinks it is open and shut case. Meanwhile, OJ Simpson’s friend Rob Kardashian (David Schwimmer) convinces him to start building up his legal team and the first person they add is Robert Shapiro (John Travolta). When Clark decides they have enough to arrest him, they work out a deal for OJ to turn himself in. When the time comes, OJ flees with Al Cowlings (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). Next week’s episode is all about that infamous car chase that had the whole nation tuning in.
As we know, OJ is eventually arrested and now it is time for both sides to build their cases and their legal teams. The defense adds Johnny Cochran (Courtney B. Vance) and the People add Chris Darden (Sterling K. Brown). Over the next few weeks, you will see both sides have internal and external problems with the case. Some we knew about, some we didn’t. It is because of those we didn’ts that this miniseries will keep us glued to our television set just like we were over 20 years ago.
There is so much that American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson gets right, there’s the pacing, the story, the emotions, the acting and the wanting to know what happens next even though we know. It is just a different take of something we already know and making the unknown elements really interesting and intriguing.
The true stars of the series are Travolta, Vance and Brown who steal every scene they are in. If you are expecting another one of Ryan Murphy productions, you will be disappointed. This is television at its best and not his normal best. Somehow Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski found a way to rein him in and give us a 10 episode event that truly is an event.
