As someone who was only an infant when the Famous O.J. Simpson trial was going on, it obviously didn't leave as big an impact on me as it did to people like my parents who watched it unfold before them. Nevertheless, I've always been fascinated at what a train wreck the whole trial truly was. I've read and watched numerous pieces on the trial, and find it funny that many people I've talked with focus on the fact that O.J. was declared "not guilty," when the entire timeline of the trial was a complete mess from beginning to end. Which is why the first episode surprised me by essentially showing that it looks like that's what the main focus will be for the whole series.
Before it gets going, the first episode shows us the infamous Rodney King footage, and the civil unrest that resulted from it. This was something that I liked was shown, as the racial tension in LA at the time played a role in how many people saw Simpson being treated during the trial. The first episode starts out, obviously, with the horrific murder scene of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman being discovered. It then shows us the various pieces of evidence investigators find at the scene; the bloody leather glove, blood trail leading O.J. Simpson's house, the place where the killer injured their left hand. It then shows us the investigators pinning Simpson as a key suspect, and proceeds to show us how unusual Simpson seems to be acting, and how the odds are stacked against him, without going overboard and showing Simpson committing the murders.
We also see prosecutor Marcia Clark, played by Sarah Paulson, attempting to get O.J. Simpson put on trial, by any means necessary. Interviewing witnesses and looking into Simpson's past domestic abuse with Nicole. Along with Robert Kardashian and Robert Shapiro preparing to defend O.J. for the trial, with many of their attempts to form a good defense backfiring like when O.J. fails a lie detector test.
The episode ended where I hoped it would end, and they handled it well; with police showing up to arrest Simpson, only for them, Shapiro, and Kardashian to find the white Bronco gone, where we end on a shot of it speeding down the highway. An ending that really makes me want to keep watching.
The episode never really shows one person more than the others, they all get ample screen time, and are never given more focus as part of the story than the others. It's not particularly biased in anyway, even on the side of the people defending Simpson. Kardashian, though portrayed as a little clueless, is portrayed as a concerned friend who really doesn't want to believe his long time friend committed such an atrocious crime. Even in scenes where Shapiro is clearly trying to talk Simpson into considering a plea deal, it's understandable because that's what Shapiro is best at; plea bargaining.
The characters were perfectly cast. David Schwimmer does surprisingly well as Robert Kardashian, as well as John Travolta, playing Robert Shapiro. Sarah Paulson is fantastic, as usual, as Marcia Clark. And Cuba Gooding Jr. is surprisingly better job portraying Simpson than I thought he would. One of the only complaints, and it is very small, was that although Cuba Gooding Jr. looks and acts like O.J. Simpson, I didn't find his voice that convincing. I don't know, I just thought it should have been a little deeper, but that's just a minor complaint.
One other thing I was a little disappointed with, but am taking with a grain of salt considering it's the first episode, is that we see all the mourning for Nicole by her friends and family, but Ron Goldman isn't given much spotlight. I would have liked to see his family being notified, or even a glimpse at his funeral, but again it's only the first episode and I'm sure they're going to show the turmoil his family went through during the trial as the show continues.
Overall this was an excellent first chapter to a story most of us already know the details to. All the actors do a phenomenal job portraying the real-life person they're assigned, and the pacing is handled very well, with it moving to different details in the case, perfectly. If your interested in seeing what looks like is going to be a fair retelling of one of the most infamous trials in history, give it a watch.
Before it gets going, the first episode shows us the infamous Rodney King footage, and the civil unrest that resulted from it. This was something that I liked was shown, as the racial tension in LA at the time played a role in how many people saw Simpson being treated during the trial. The first episode starts out, obviously, with the horrific murder scene of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman being discovered. It then shows us the various pieces of evidence investigators find at the scene; the bloody leather glove, blood trail leading O.J. Simpson's house, the place where the killer injured their left hand. It then shows us the investigators pinning Simpson as a key suspect, and proceeds to show us how unusual Simpson seems to be acting, and how the odds are stacked against him, without going overboard and showing Simpson committing the murders.
We also see prosecutor Marcia Clark, played by Sarah Paulson, attempting to get O.J. Simpson put on trial, by any means necessary. Interviewing witnesses and looking into Simpson's past domestic abuse with Nicole. Along with Robert Kardashian and Robert Shapiro preparing to defend O.J. for the trial, with many of their attempts to form a good defense backfiring like when O.J. fails a lie detector test.
The episode ended where I hoped it would end, and they handled it well; with police showing up to arrest Simpson, only for them, Shapiro, and Kardashian to find the white Bronco gone, where we end on a shot of it speeding down the highway. An ending that really makes me want to keep watching.
The episode never really shows one person more than the others, they all get ample screen time, and are never given more focus as part of the story than the others. It's not particularly biased in anyway, even on the side of the people defending Simpson. Kardashian, though portrayed as a little clueless, is portrayed as a concerned friend who really doesn't want to believe his long time friend committed such an atrocious crime. Even in scenes where Shapiro is clearly trying to talk Simpson into considering a plea deal, it's understandable because that's what Shapiro is best at; plea bargaining.
The characters were perfectly cast. David Schwimmer does surprisingly well as Robert Kardashian, as well as John Travolta, playing Robert Shapiro. Sarah Paulson is fantastic, as usual, as Marcia Clark. And Cuba Gooding Jr. is surprisingly better job portraying Simpson than I thought he would. One of the only complaints, and it is very small, was that although Cuba Gooding Jr. looks and acts like O.J. Simpson, I didn't find his voice that convincing. I don't know, I just thought it should have been a little deeper, but that's just a minor complaint.
One other thing I was a little disappointed with, but am taking with a grain of salt considering it's the first episode, is that we see all the mourning for Nicole by her friends and family, but Ron Goldman isn't given much spotlight. I would have liked to see his family being notified, or even a glimpse at his funeral, but again it's only the first episode and I'm sure they're going to show the turmoil his family went through during the trial as the show continues.
Overall this was an excellent first chapter to a story most of us already know the details to. All the actors do a phenomenal job portraying the real-life person they're assigned, and the pacing is handled very well, with it moving to different details in the case, perfectly. If your interested in seeing what looks like is going to be a fair retelling of one of the most infamous trials in history, give it a watch.