I've always been a sucker for crime stories and shows. I could lose hours of my life to "Law and Order SVU," "Criminal Minds," or "NCIS." I think part of the excitement that draws me to fictional crime stories is that I don't know what the verdict will be or who's guilty until the very end. I feel like I get to solve the mystery along with the forensics team, detectives and lawyers.
Recently, I've been hooked to a new crime show, "The People vs. O.J." This 10 episode series on FX isn't as much of a mystery show (as we all know how the jury rules) but the adaptation of one of the greatest American crime stories. In 1994, O.J Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were violently murdered. The number one suspect, O.J Simpson was found not guilty in October 1995 after an eight-month trial. When looking at the evidence, I find it hard to believe that any jury declared there wasn't sufficient evidence.
Regardless of my opinions on the verdict, I never knew the full story of the murder, arrests, and trials. I was born in the middle of the trails and interestingly none of my high school or college criminal justice courses ever touched on the case extensively; so I figured I'd give the show a shot.
The cast and director do an excellent job at retelling this chilling story. Some familiar faces include John Travolta and David Schwimmer (Ross from "Friends"). While the acting might not be award worthy, it's better than a majority of the drama shows today.
The show dives deeper than just the evidence and the jury. Viewers see the racism and sexism surrounding the case, jury, and legal teams; but also the more vulnerable sides of most characters. However, the unnecessary Kardashian kid cameos and name drops are nothing more than another piece of publicity for the famous reality TV family. I was disappointed to see that the show couldn't just focus on Robert Kardashian and his role in the case.
The show displays all facts and figures of the case accurately. They even used the original footage of the famous Bronco car chase. The authenticity of the story, combined with a solid cast and appropriate set make this show a must watch for crime story junkies.
The show is approaching it's fifth episode this week. Halfway through the series and so far, so good.
"The People vs. O.J" airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.
