The People v OJ Simpson - FX (2 Viewers)

[pollardsvision]

I feel for anyone who paid money to see this

Luckily, I'm too cheap to spring for the HD versions of TV shows, so I'm only on the hook for $16.99. Episodes 4 and 5 were much better though. It's not a coincidence that those are when Schwimmer and Travolta start to take a backseat.

 

[shuke]

Bought the season on Amazon after listening to Simmons gush about it for weeks. It's solid and I like Cochrane's character, but the rest is pretty uninspiring 3 episodes in.

Schwimmer, we get it. You are playing Kardashian. With kids named Kim and Khloe and something else. OJ is and always will be "juice" to you. I'm not sure if it's the show itself that isn't all that great, or if I just can't get past the terrible casting of Schwimmer and Travolta. 

Solid show and great subject matter, but I just can't help thinking it could've been so much better.

I think Travolta is decent.  Schwimmer is basically playing Ross.

 

[shadyridr]

I think Travolta is decent.  Schwimmer is basically playing Ross.

Nicole and OJ were on a break

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Nicole and OJ were on a break

Kato = Joey

 

[Willie Neslon]

Paulson is great.

 

[Todem]

Paulson is great.

She is a tremendous actress. I love her.

 

[packersfan]

I think Travolta's been pretty bad. Schwimmer's been pretty solid in my opinion but I'm not a big Friends fan so I'm not getting hung up on the Ross stuff or seeing any similarities.

Thought last night's episode was the weakest so far. Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted **** but an entire episode trying to make me feel sympathy for Marcia Clark didn't go very far. Paulson is an amazing actress for sure but the episode bored me for the most part. I assumed it would focus more on Fuhrman and everything Bailey did to set the stage for what was all about to hit the fan.  

 

[Major]

I actually enjoyed last night's episode focusing on Clark.  Paulson is doing a great job portraying her.  I remember hating Clark's guts during the trial and now I'm feeling bad for doing so.  Poor woman.  

 

[Willie Neslon]

I actually enjoyed last night's episode focusing on Clark.  Paulson is doing a great job portraying her.  I remember hating Clark's guts during the trial and now I'm feeling bad for doing so.  Poor woman.  

I thought it was the strongest episode so far. She was really phenomenal.

 

[packersfan]

I actually enjoyed last night's episode focusing on Clark.  Paulson is doing a great job portraying her.  I remember hating Clark's guts during the trial and now I'm feeling bad for doing so.  Poor woman.  

Paulson is great and yeah the things Clark went through were pretty terrible. But she was pretty incompetent at the trial. I guess we're meant to believe all the external stuff caused her to blow the case so badly as she did? Like I said, maybe I'm just cold-hearted **** but when I look at this case it's impossible for me to just forget how thoroughly incompetent Clark and Darden were. The show is trying to provide some context for that which is fine but that's still the bottom line for me. 

 

[shadyridr]

Definitely the best episode of the series

 

[omally]

Paulson is great and yeah the things Clark went through were pretty terrible. But she was pretty incompetent at the trial. I guess we're meant to believe all the external stuff caused her to blow the case so badly as she did? Like I said, maybe I'm just cold-hearted **** but when I look at this case it's impossible for me to just forget how thoroughly incompetent Clark and Darden were. The show is trying to provide some context for that which is fine but that's still the bottom line for me. 

I think the jury was more incompetent than Clark and Darden were.

 

[shuke]

I think Travolta's been pretty bad. Schwimmer's been pretty solid in my opinion but I'm not a big Friends fan so I'm not getting hung up on the Ross stuff or seeing any similarities.

Thought last night's episode was the weakest so far. Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted **** but an entire episode trying to make me feel sympathy for Marcia Clark didn't go very far. Paulson is an amazing actress for sure but the episode bored me for the most part. I assumed it would focus more on Fuhrman and everything Bailey did to set the stage for what was all about to hit the fan.  

Complete opposite for me.  Maybe the best episode yet.  Really showed what a cluster#### circus this whole thing was.

 

[matttyl]

OJ on the knife apparently discovered at his house years later....

"If it's rusted, I can't be busted."

No, I can't take credit for coming up with that....

 

[Capella]

Just watched the last episode. Phenomenal. Paulson should be a bigger name than she is. 

Travolta's thumbup is probably the hardest I've laughed at tv in ages. 

 

[packersfan]

So if last night's episode was accurate Darden's incompetence in the courtroom may have been matched by his incompetence with the ladies. 

 

[shadyridr]

Just watched the last episode. Phenomenal. Paulson should be a bigger name than she is. 

Travolta's thumbup is probably the hardest I've laughed at tv in ages. 

Sarah and her girlfriend IRL

 

[Willie Neslon]

The whole glove thing was completely overdone. No way Shapiro wandered over to the stand and tried them on like that with people in the courtroom.  No way Darden decided on a whim like that because he was baited by the defense moments before.  It was his decision but it had been planned.  OJ didn't speak after he put them on either.

People made jokes when they heard Nathan Lane was Bailey but that guy is awesome in this.  The guy playing Ito is great too.

 

[Major]

Darden is softer than wet cake. 

 

[shadyridr]

The whole glove thing was completely overdone. No way Shapiro wandered over to the stand and tried them on like that with people in the courtroom.  No way Darden decided on a whim like that because he was baited by the defense moments before.  It was his decision but it had been planned.  OJ didn't speak after he put them on either.

People made jokes when they heard Nathan Lane was Bailey but that guy is awesome in this.  The guy playing Ito is great too.

Both were true

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/03/people-v-oj-simpson-episode-7-recap

 

[Willie Neslon]

Both were true

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/03/people-v-oj-simpson-episode-7-recap

Not true. The gloves were not tried on by Shapiro like that at the stand. He didn't wander over there, quickly try one on while nobody was looking and huddle the defense team together to tell them of his findings. And it says right in that article that the prosecution had planned to have him try on the gloves.

 

[packersfan]

The Shapiro scene wasn't needed to add drama just like other enhancements haven't been needed as well. There was already enough built-in drama to this case already.

Bottom line with the gloves is Darden acted incompetently and it played a huge role in the outcome of the case. I forget how many days were then spent by the prosecution bringing in people to talk about how the gloves had shrunk and that's why they didn't fit. Just another example of the foundation of the case being completely lost. Again, the level of incompetence by the prosecution, police and forensic people in this case was astonishing. Slam-dunk case they all bungled at the highest possible level.

 

[packersfan]

If the Clark-Darden romantic interlude did happen and Clark behaved that way because Darden wouldn't bang her she's an even colder witch than I thought. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

.

People made jokes when they heard Nathan Lane was Bailey but that guy is awesome in this. 

Yes, solid job by Lane as Bailey, but the scenes between him & Travolta are still downright comedic.

 

[packersfan]

I think everybody in the cast has ranged from good to great with the exception of Travolta. He's been pretty bad throughout. 

 

[offdee]

Anybody else think a train was coming when Marcia spent the night at the bar with all the boys?

 

[pollardsvision]

One of my favorite episodes so far. Also, Schwimmer's first scene that I thought was pretty good (not a coincidence that he didn't say the word "juice"). 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Scwimmer makes travolta look outstanding

 

[ILUVBEER99]

Scwimmer makes travolta look outstanding

he might be one of the worst actors on the planet.  

 

[packersfan]

I don't think Schwimmer's a great actor by any means but I think he's been much better than Travola in this.

That being said, everyone else has been much better than both of them. They've been the weak links. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Darden on the series & Clark:

https://www.yahoo.com/tv/exclusive-christopher-darden-opens-marcia-120000480.html

 

[Capella]

Is this week the final episode? 

 

[jamny]

Is this week the final episode? 

2 left

 

[pantherclub]

How in the hell was this case not a mistrial?

 

[Capella]

"So should I take off my watch and jewelry?" -- ice cold. 

 

[Capella]

This is a phenomenal show btw. Amazing cast. 

 

[The General]

Have been enjoying. Such an insane story. 

The Darden / Clark romance thing is a bit weird. 

 

[Bob Magaw]

This has been like watching a Pop Warner team go up against the 70s Steelers.

I wish we could program enough variables to run a simulation on how Vincent Bugliosi (secured convictions during the previous biggest trial in LA history, the Manson "Family") would have fared with a Santa Monica venue and no Fuhrman/glove buffoonery.

 

[pantherclub]

Have been enjoying. Such an insane story. 

The Darden / Clark romance thing is a bit weird. 

At the time I had no idea (really who did) but they have been making the interview circuit and while they stop well short of saying they hooked up they both say they were deeply involved with each other in their personal lives etc during the case.  Lots of time spent together.

I will ask again for the legal eagles here.  How in the hell was this case not a mistrial?  Wasnt there way more than enough for Ito to pull the plug?  Seems like that would have been the right call at the time.  Too much hanky panky from both sides.  Digging up stuff on jurors, subpoenaing a screenwriters notes for a theory, anonymous letters and of course the Ito/wife/Mark F angle. 

 

[Courtjester]

I think everybody in the cast has ranged from good to great with the exception of Travolta. He's been pretty bad throughout. 

I have to say I started this show sort of making fun of the over the top performances,  but as it has gone on, wow, it would be hard to pick who has done the best job.  

 

[TobiasFunke]

Best casting decision is Mrs. Nordberg from The Naked Gun as the foreman of the jury.

 

[RBM]

I have to say I started this show sort of making fun of the over the top performances,  but as it has gone on, wow, it would be hard to pick who has done the best job.  

Clark, Cochran, Darden and Bailey are all terrific. Travolta and Schwimmer are still a very tough watch. 

 

[Capella]

Travolta on this show is one of the best things in television history. 

 

[RBM]

What's more disturbing to the ears....Travolta saying "Johnny" or Schwimmer saying "Juice"?

 

[jamny]

The worst casting is Cuba Gooding Jr.

 

[Capella]

The worst casting is Cuba Gooding Jr.

Yea but OJ really hasn't had much to do in 7 or 8 episodes. Strangely he may be the 5th or 6th most important character. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Best casting decision is Mrs. Nordberg from The Naked Gun as the foreman of the jury.

Great catch here by TF.

per imdb: "28 years after portraying the wife of O.J. Simpson's "Nordberg" in "The Naked Gun (1988), Ms. Beaubian portrayed juror Armanda Cooley on the O.J. Simpson trial in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016)."

 

[jamny]

Yea but OJ really hasn't had much to do in 7 or 8 episodes. Strangely he may be the 5th or 6th most important character. 

Yeah, I'm glad he doesn't have a bigger role. His voice is so whiny. I can get past the difference in appearance if he at least sounded a little like him.

 

[Statorama]

How in the hell was this case not a mistrial?

Ito lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvved him some camera time.  He obviously should have recused himself when his wife's involvement on the Furman tapes came to light.

By all accounts he was/is a pretty terrible judge.  Read his bio, this wasn't the first big case he screwed up.

To be fair though, this was the first trial that was a wall to wall television/media event.  It would be hard for anyone to not get swept up in the drama of it all, but Ito was particularly ill-equipped to handle the circus.

 

[Willie Neslon]

I understand the need to dramatize the behind closed doors stuff because nobody except who was there knows exactly what happened.  The question is why do they have to make stuff up for the courtroom scenes when we know exactly what happened?  The Fuhrman stuff this week: darden never walked out like that. Cochran wasn't the attorney who questioned Fuhrman, Fuhrman had his own attorney with him on the stand whispering in his ear telling him what to say, Shapiro never called the team together to ask that final question.  They do stuff like that and for me it kills the credibility of the show. Why not just do the courtroom stuff like it actually went down?  Why dumb it down and portray it inaccurately?
 
As far as people saying Gooding was the worst casting of the show, I disagree.  If you listen to the real OJ when he gets animated he goes into that high-pitched, whiny, raspy voice.  Gooding nails it.  Yes, physically he's not a match but there are plenty of other actors who don't match physically with who they're playing. Travolta towers over the real Shapiro. Nathan Lane is something like 5'4".  I think the questioning of Gooding's casting is because OJ was the only actual celebrity at the time of the trial.  We knew him for years. Everyone else was a nobody so an exact physical match isn't required.
 
As far as why there was no mistrial, I would guess it was because nobody wanted one.  Not the prosecution, defense, judge or da's office.