Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory, talky true-crime surprisingly riveting for grown-ups.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
What's the Story?
THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY is the first season of AMERICAN CRIME STORY, an anthology that presents an episodic, fictionalized dramatization of historically notable crimes. THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON is based on the famous murder case in which football star O.J. (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson (Kelly Dowdle), and Ron Goldman (Jake Koeppl) and underwent a gripping and long-running trial. Defended by the flamboyant Johnnie Cochran (Courtney B. Vance) and Robert Shapiro (John Travolta), with support from loyal friends such as Robert Kardashian (David Schwimmer) and AC Cowlings (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), O.J. weathers legal attacks from Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson) and Christopher Darden (Sterling K. Brown). We all know how the story ends. But here's how it went down.
Is It Any Good?
With all the facts you remember and many you probably haven't heard yet, this dramatized retelling is almost as gripping as the case that inspired it. Staffed with a cast of executive producer and director Ryan Murphy regulars (Paulson) as well as seemingly stunt-cast superstars (Travolta, Schwimmer, Gooding, Jr.), The People v. O.J. Simpson seems like it's going to be good trashy fun -- but it leans surprisingly hard on the good part. Famously Oscar-cursed Gooding, Jr. hasn't been this magnetic in years; he melts into his blustering O.J. character so quickly that viewers feel like they're getting a secret peek at the real man and what he really did and felt. Paulson-as-Clark is another heartbreaker -- positive that the circumstantial evidence she piles up will easily convict O.J., so frustrated when things don't go her way. The actors are so good -- and the camera work, costumes, settings, and dialogue so deft -- that you quickly forget this is supposed to be a guilty pleasure. However, it's disturbing, slow-paced, and ultimately depressing enough to make it a no-no for young viewers; parents may also want to watch along if teens want to watch, to explain what happened and offer possible reasons as to why.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their opinions on this terrible crime. Did O.J. do it? Did you feel differently about his guilt or innocence before watching?
How does this drama view O.J. Simpson? Are characters supposed to relate to him? Like him? Believe in his innocence? What about the way he's presented in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story brings you to this conclusion?
Have you seen the actors in this drama in any other movies or on any TV shows? Was it hard to forget these other characters as you watched? What does it mean to be "typecast"? Are any of these actors typecast?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 2, 2016
- Cast : Cuba Gooding Jr. , Sarah Paulson , David Schwimmer , John Travolta
- Network : FX
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Winner
- Last updated : October 3, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate