FX’s The People v. OJ Simpson miniseries premiered Tuesday night, pulling us back into the chaos of the “trial of the century” all over again.
It’s one of those things that people remember where they were as it went down.
As the white Bronco sped through the highway, as he tried on the gloves in the courtroom, and as the judgment was read by the jurors…. It is high drama, so this makes for great TV.
Murder was the case – The series begins with footage of the Rodney King beating and LA riots. That was just to set the stage, because two years later, we are in a rich LA neighborhood, and Cuba Gooding Jr. is our Orenthal James Simpson, handing his bag to his limo driver. He’s late leaving for the airport.
Later, a barking dog with bloody footprints is spotted by a neighbor who is also walking his dog. That neighbor is the person who discovers the body of Nicole Brown Simpson in a pool of blood and calls the cops. When they show up, they walk through the house, which is candlelit. The Simpson kids are in their beds sleeping, but the bathtub is full of water. One of the cops sees a pic of OJ and the kids on the wall. Other cops arrive on the scene to Nicole’s body by the gate, feet away from a man’s body. There’s a black leather glove left behind and shoe prints. Also, a letter.
Telling OJ – Detective Mark Fuhrman shows up, saying he knows where OJ Simpson lives, and it’s nearby. They need to notify him that his ex-wife was murdered. When the cops show up at his gate, the lights in the house are on, but no one answers, and there’s a white Ford Bronco in the lot. They enter the gates, and one of the detectives spots small blood stains on the handle of the car and on the interior. (Hmmmm inner-resting…)
They go to the poolhouse behind OJ’s house, and a high-ass Kato Kaelin tells them OJ is in Chicago. They call him in Chicago, at his hotel, and say, “Your ex-wife Nicole Simpson has been killed.” That fool replies with “OMG IS SHE DEAD?” Sir, unless Webster’s Dictionary came up with a new meaning for “has been killed,” clearly, that’s what he means. He hangs up and starts crying. Is it from shock or regret? Meanwhile, the detective peeps that he didn’t even ask how she died.
Meeting Marcia – Marcia Clark gets a call about a double homicide, and what started as police notifying one of the victims’ relatives has turned into a major lead for a suspect. The detective drops OJ’s name, and Marcia is basically like “who is that strangerbish?” which is surprising because he was a beloved athlete and public figure then. They mention that there was blood leading into OJ’s house, so they need a search warrant from her to look at the rest of his crib. The victims: OK’s ex-wife Nicole and her lover, Ron Goldman.
Welcome, OJ – At Marcia’s office, they find out that OJ flew to Chicago at 11:45pm. Ron Goldman was alive til at least right before 10. The crime scene pics show up, and it is a gruesome murder, but the people there do not want to believe that The Juice coulda done this, since he is such a nice dude.
Media swarms OJ’s house, and his friend Robert Kardashian shows up concerned. Man, that family is way too embedded in far too many things we’ve cared about in the last 2 decades. David Schwimmer as the grey-streak coiffed daddy of Kim Kardashian is inspired casting.
OJ’s limo pulls into his compound, and police are waiting for him. They move him away from where the media can see through his gate to tell him they need to ask him some questions. One nosy (and really good at his job) cameraman sneaks a look over the fence and captures the quick moment when one of the cops handcuffs him. This is captured on film, and dude tells his crew, “OJ is a suspect.” WELP. Suspect #1 tells the cops he’ll talk to them to show he has nothing to hide, so he willingly follows them to the precinct. His left hand middle finger is bandaged too, which raises the eyebrows of the detective. Chile… this is shadier than a palm tree.
Many Suits – Johnnie Cochran is at home talmbout he got nothing to wear with this “Clueless” wardrobe that rotates his suits. Courtney B Vance as Cochran works very well. He shows up to Christopher Darden’s (LA County District Attorney) office to discuss a case for his client, a black woman shot in the back by LAPD while the cop claimed self-defense. The more things change, the more they will always stay the same. We’ve been stuck in the groundhog day of police brutality FOREVER. Chris, regretfully, cannot indict the cops, and Johnnie yells, “Choose a side! These four walls box you in. It’s just an endless cycle of bullshit…” Oh and by the way, that woman’s family will just sue the city of LA. “The way things are sometimes, money is the only way to get justice.” Johnnie Cochran was basically a walking book of quotables.
Squeezing Juice – Marcia reviews past records and finds out that police were called to Nicole’s home 8 times over the years because of OJ beating her. This man has barely ever been arrested for that, and now she winds up dead. Then the tape of his interview with cops arrives, and he admits he last saw his ex-wife the day before and he doesn’t have a good alibi for his whereabouts or an explanation for his bandaged thumb. Those interviewing OJ gave him mad leeway too, because they coulda went harder on him, but they didn’t because “He’s the Juice.” OJ was so beloved that he was being treated like a white man. That’s when you know you got some power. Clark vows, “He got away with beating her. He is not getting away with killing her.” OOP.
Mind you, she was dealing with newly-filed divorce papers too. Dis tew much for Marcia.
Getting Team – OJ’s at home flipping out watching media coverage, which includes that footage of him being cuffed (even though it was only momentary). Rob K is there as the good friend he is, asking him why his lawyer Howard even let him talk to police. Rob is no longer practicing law, but he knows someone who can be good to represent OJ, and he calls Robert Shapiro. He’s played by John Travolta in a distracting eyebrow wig and bad hair. When is Travolta NOT in some type of bad movie hair?
Shapiro shows up and suggests that Rob get his license back and be a part of this legal team. Privately, he asks OJ, “I think it’s crucial that the attorney and the client are truthful with each other. So, OJ, did you do it?” Orenthal says: “NO. I loved her.” K.
Johnnie’s Thoughts – On Black radio, a man says they cuffed OJ before they even charged him. Jeffrey Dahmer wasn’t even put in handcuffs, and the dude was a serial murderer. Johnnie Cochran is listening to this as he’s about to go on TV, and he tells the lady on his glam team that he is not touching this case. “I like to win. He is a loser.” THAT is fascinating and I can’t wait to see how he is swayed.
Evidence Mounts – A woman goes to Marcia’s office to say she saw a white car that went speeding through the street around 10:45pm. The driver of the car was OJ Simpson. The limo driver who was supposed to take him to airport said he buzzed OJ’s gate at 10:40. Right before 11, he saw a man enter OJ’s house. Also, the white Bronco, which wasn’t there when he arrived.
Nicole Brown Simpson left the restaurant before 10pm.
Neighbors heard the dog barking around 10:15.
OJ screamed at the woman in the car at 10:45
OJ ran into his house right before 11.
Lies Detected – Robert squared have OJ take a private lie detector test, thinking ahead, and dude scored a -24. If he failed it any worse, he might have broken the machine. Rob and Rob tell OJ, and he flips out talmbout he’s all emotional. K.
Farewell – Media is all over Nicole Simpson’s funeral outside. In the church, we see Kris Jenner (played by Selma Blair) telling Khloe and Kourtney to behave. She speaks with a blonde friend about how OJ used to beat the hell outta Nicole. Could he have done it? She surely believes it. OJ’s limo pulls up, and Robert Kardashian (already an ex to Kris) gets out first. He doesn’t even act like Kris is there as he walks past her. OJ gets out the limo to cameras flashing, but he got his hater blockers on. He walks up to Nicole’s casket as folks stare at him, half in disbelief that he even showed up. He looks in her casket and kisses her forehead. Way to make it slightly creepy for everyone, Orenthal.
Warranting Arrest – Back at Marcia’s office, detectives show up to give her results of the blood test. They took the sample from the blood on the steps of OJ’s house. And yes, it does link him to the crime scene. Warrant time!
Shapiro calls them and says he can bring OJ to them at 11am and they ain’t gotta arrest him and make a scene. Nothing tastes as good as being rich and having the option to even say this. Mr. Simpson is being charged with double homicide with special circumstances, so no bail.
Hiding Out – OJ is at Kardashian’s house when Shapiro shows up to tell him the bad news. He tells OJ there’s a warrant for his arrest and he gotta go downtown. OJ flips. If we’re keeping count (and I am because I’m petty), this is tantrum number 3. A team of doctors comes to check OJ out. Shapiro even has a psychiatrist come in case they need a diminished capacity defense.
When 11:05 hits and OJ ain’t turned himself in yet, the detectives call Shapiro and flip out themselves because there’s a press conference scheduled for 12, and this is bullshit.
A grand jury hearing is happening, and Kato is on the stand being asked questions by Marcia. He keeps invoking the 5th amendment, even though he ain’t even got it, since he is a witness, not a suspect. Bless his ass. Dude reminds me of a blond Keanu Reeves. For many reasons. In walks one of the guys to tell her that OJ ain’t turned himself in yet. Marcia calls Shapiro LIVID because his client is playing bald-headed games. He says he will give her the address of where they are. Fine, come get his ass.
Where is Orenthal James? In his ratty robe in Robert Kardashian’s office writing a last will and testament, a letter to his kids and one to his mama. Rob walks in and a suicidal OJ runs out of the office with a gun in his hand. He goes into one of the kid’s rooms, and Rob says, “Do not kill yourself in Kim’s bedroom.” Bravo is somewhere UPSET that they didn’t get this reality TV show first. PISSED, they are.
White Flight – A friend of OJ’s named AC (played by Malcolm Jamal Warner) shows up in the white Ford Bronco after being alerted to him being hysterical. Few minutes later, a cop car rolls up to the residence, with two officers ready to take him in. Shapiro tells Kardashian to go get OJ, and after a few minutes, he said, “He’s not there.” They got in the damb white Bronco and bounced. Thus beginning the infamous white Bronco chase.
Marcia Clark, with way more foresight than she is given credit for, says, “We’re going to look like morons.”
THEY GOT ME. YESSSSS. This first episode actually put more of this case into context with me. I didn’t realize the real role Robert Kardashian had to play in all of this. How a concerned friend ended up basically harboring OJ as there was a warrant, and how he got pulled into his legal team. And this also goes to show that we cannot get the Kardashians out of our lives anytime soon, and it makes me tired.
Amongst other things, the storytelling is on point. FX also has to get props for the casting of this series. Every single character here nails it look-wise. Even Marcia Clark, played by Sarah Paulson, hits the nail on the head. Whoever was their casting director needs to be busy from now til 2050 so we can stop getting shenanigans like Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson.
So yes. I’m hooked. The People vs. OJ Simpson is appointment TV for me for the next 16 weeks.
Luvvie is a side-eye sorceress and writer who talks pop culture at Awesomely Luvvie, technology at Awesomely Techie. She is also the Executive Director of The Red Pump Project. She can be found loitering on Twitter (@Luvvie), Facebook and Instagram.