At 12:10 a.m on June 13, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found dead outside of Ms. Simpson’s Bundy Drive Condo. After an investigation into the murders, her ex husband Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson – an NFL star and famous sportscaster – was made a key suspect in the murders. The new show on FX called “American Crime Story“ follows this case from the discovery of the murders and through the trial.
The show is based on a book by Jeffrey Toobin – “The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson” – and is produced by Ryan Murphy, the co-creator of the hit TV show “American Horror Story.” He follows the same structure in which every season will tell a different story.
The story of the O.J. Simpson murder trial is one of the most infamous court cases in the United States. People from all walks of life were glued to the TV to watch as O.J. Simpson tried to make an escape on a Los Angeles highway in a White Bronco. Almost everyone at the time also knew about the “trail of blood” that Simpson had left leading from the crime scene to him, along with the infamous glove which Simpson was accused of wearing while murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. This is where the saying, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” came from.
On Oct. 3, 1995, Simpson was found not guilty, although many people believed that he did it. Currently, there are five episodes of the new FX show out, each one being released weekly. “The People v. O.J. Simpson” features more than just the trial – it covers almost all of the details of the case, from jury selection to the conflicts between the prosecutors and the public.
There aren’t really going to be any “spoilers” due to the fact that the show is based on one of the most infamous court cases in the U.S. – so keep reading. Firstly, the cast is amazing. You have Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson, John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, Sarah Paulson (from “American Horror Story”) as Marcia Clark, who was one of the prosecutors, and David Schwimmer (from “Friends”) as Robert Kardashian, one of Simpson’s defense attorneys.
The show seems to stay faithful to the case and the inner conflicts, such as in the Kardashian family. Chris Jenner is a character in the show, and as a friend of Nicole Brown Simpson at the time, she has a conflict with her ex husband, Robert Kardashian, who is one of O.J. Simpson’s lawyers.
In my opinion, I would give the show an 8.5 out of 10 because of how closely it follows almost all the facts of the case. The appearance of the characters and the setting of the courtroom are spot on, and the performances by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sarah Paulson are amazing. Cuba Gooding Jr. is able to capture the emotional state of O.J. Simpson at the time. Sarah Paulson’s performance is also great, as she is able to show the challenges Marcia Clark had during the case and her struggle as she faced off against a so called “dream team” of lawyers.
If you don’t know much about the O.J. Simpson trial, you don’t need to worry as the show explains most of the key points. It is full of dramatic performances and tense moments that will have you glued to your screen. I recommend this show to everyone who has an interest in American culture, criminal history, sports celebrities or the Kardashians. I think that’s everyone.
Nice article, easy to read and very well written.
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