'The People v. OJ Simpson': Why critics love this TV miniseries
'Simpson' stars actors including Cuba Gooding, Jr., John Travolta, and Sarah Paulson. Reviewers have almost universally been won over by the show, saying that the series thoughtfully examines issues of race and the law.
'Simpson' stars actors including Cuba Gooding, Jr., John Travolta, and Sarah Paulson. Reviewers have almost universally been won over by the show, saying that the series thoughtfully examines issues of race and the law.
The FX miniseries 鈥淭he People v. OJ Simpson,鈥� which is a fictionalized retelling of the 1995 Simpson trial, continues 鈥� and critics say the issues of race, law, and others raised by the miniseries are as relevant as ever.聽
鈥淪impson鈥� is airing as part of the FX anthology program 鈥淎merican Crime Story,鈥� which debuted earlier this month with the story of Simpson鈥檚 trial.聽
The miniseries stars, among others, Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Mr. Simpson; Courtney B. Vance of 鈥淭erminator Genisys鈥� as Johnnie Cochran; David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian; Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark; 鈥淭he Wolf of Wall Street鈥� actor Kenneth Choi as Lance Ito, the judge in the case; 鈥淎rmy Wives鈥� actor Sterling K. Brown as Christopher Darden; and John Travolta as Robert Shapiro.聽
Ryan Murphy of "American Horror Story" is an executive producer.
鈥淪impson鈥� is scheduled to run for 10 episodes and the miniseries is almost halfway through that. Viewers are certainly responding to the subject matter 鈥� the premiere of the show was the most-watched first episode in FX鈥檚 history. Ratings have continued to be positive.
Before making the series, Mr. Travolta, for one, said he was concerned the story would be told in a lurid manner.
鈥淚 was worried about the subject matter,鈥� the actor said in an interview with the New York Times. 鈥淚 was worried it would be sensationalized.鈥�
But the miniseries has gotten incredibly positive reviews for its retelling of the events surrounding Simpson鈥檚 trial. What won over critics?
Washington Post writer Hank Stuever wrote of the TV show, 鈥淏y the time of O.J. Simpson鈥檚 acquittal 16 months later (oops, spoiler alert), American culture had unwittingly but necessarily entered a new kind of conversation about race, justice and the media 鈥� a conversation that remains an important precursor to the #BlackLivesMatter era鈥� 鈥楢merican Crime Story鈥� makes an effective, convincing case that now is a perfect time to turn the story into a piece of topical art.鈥�
Boston Globe writer Matthew Gilbert agreed that the series provides compelling reasons for the story being presented again.
鈥淸The show is] a successful attempt both to vividly re-create the original case and to intelligently reframe it from a more knowing 2016 perspective,鈥� he wrote.聽
USA Today writer Robert Bianco felt the same.
鈥淭he risk for FX鈥檚 鈥楾he People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story鈥� is that it could seem inaccurate or old hat to those who know the story, dull or impenetrable to those who don鈥檛, and cheap and exploitative to all,鈥� Mr. Bianco wrote. 鈥淵et against all odds, this tightly written, sometimes stunningly performed 10-part drama avoids all those pitfalls, capturing the tenor of the time and breathing life into the participants.鈥�