“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” was released by FX on Feb. 2, 2016, and was released on Netflix this February. The show follows the O.J. Simpson murder trial and provides an in-depth look into the legal defense and prosecution of the trial. Photo Fair Use of Google Play.
By ANEESA CONINE-NAKANO – Editor-in-Chief
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” an FX mini-series, was recently released on Netflix and keeps viewers on their toes throughout the the entire season.
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” is a 10-episode series following the controversial court case the season is named after. In 1994, National Football League (NFL) player and actor Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson was arraigned and pled not guilty to the double-homicide of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman .
The series follows the court proceedings of Simpson’s case and gives insight into the personal lives of his legal team – nicknamed the “Dream Team” – and the prosecution team, led by Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson).
The show gives viewers who did not live through the trial a palpable taste of the suspense and infamy that surrounded the case.
Though most viewers know the verdict of the case, the show does a good job of presenting lesser-known aspects of the trial like the jury selection and the personal lives of both legal teams. The cast, who were transformed to resemble their real-life counterparts, play their roles convincingly and show the complex nature of each person.
David Schwimmer (Robert Kardashian) and Courtney B. Vance (Johnnie Cochran) offer the most compelling performances, but overall, the writing and performances are all solid and realistic.
Though the case is over 10 years old, many elements brought up in the show, like race relations, police brutality and domestic violence are still relevant. Simpson is up for parole later this year, which adds to the current interest of the show.
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” is one of the best new shows streaming on Netflix now and is a must-watch for anyone who either wants to relive the trial or wants to be immersed in it.
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