A circus of characters

Sharp writing and mesmerizing performances elevate ‘The People vs. OJ Simpson’

FX’s “American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson,” based on Jeffrey Toobin’s book “The Run of His Life,” dramatizes the 1994-1995 arrest, escape, re-arrest, and trial of former NFL and movie star OJ Simpson (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) for the murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown and waiter Ron Goldman. Much of the case is common cultural knowledge, as details of the trial were reported nonstop to millions of households. Commentators during the trial frequently referred to the media omnipresence as a “circus,” and the involved parties were an eccentric cast of characters under an enormous tent of scrutiny. 

For viewers who already know the beginning, middle, and end of a story, character insight is crucial to making it newly engaging. A weaker creative team would copy and paste the original “circus” to present an entertaining, but still rote version of events. The team behind “The People vs. OJ Simpson” understands that when you ground the characters, you elevate the drama. 

Case in point: the near-miraculous casting of Courtney B. Vance as defense attorney Johnnie Cochran. 

Johnnie Cochran’s leadership role on the defense team and his emphasis on race during the trial is regarded as key in the eventual acquittal of OJ Simpson. The criticism came quickly and mercilessly. His co-counsel on the defense team Robert Shapiro (John Travolta, going full sleaze) claimed the so-called race card came from “the bottom of the deck.” 

Pundits and opposing prosecutor Christopher Darden (Sterling K. Brown) were also nonplussed by the strategy. What viewers watching the trial loved about Cochran was how unflinching he was in the face of constant critique. He commanded the courtroom with savvy, wit, and charm. He made the trial must-see TV.

In “The People vs. OJ Simpson,” Vance repeats history. His courtroom scenes are just as electric as were Cochran’s, but it’s the show’s quieter moments where Vance truly shines. 

Creators Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski mix in scenes showing Cochran as a husband and father. He is a man who gets fussy about what tie gives the right impression and nervously paces his office when preparing for the phone call that will change his life. Through slight physical and verbal changes, Vance allows brief glimpses into the troubled soul beneath the bombast. 

In the cold open of the fifth episode, “The Race Card,” Cochran is pulled over by a white police officer while driving his two daughters to dinner. For a while, Vance feigns polite confidence. He’s annoyed but reserved as he explains to his daughters the proper conduct for dealing with a police officer. But when the officer questions the daughters, the façade crumbles. Vance’s tone sharpens and his features harden. His daughters watch as he’s handcuffed against the car. Cochran tells them it will be all right, but Vance’s eyes, caught between them and the white onlookers, betray a hint of fear. The controlled persona becomes starkly vulnerable and human. 

Meanwhile, Sarah Paulson gives prosecuting team lead Marcia Clark a naiveté that blinds her from the trial’s sexist undercurrent. Sterling K. Brown as Darden, put in the difficult position of opposing Vance, maintains quiet resilience. 

The show’s production design is flawless, the tonal shifts are fluid, and its themes carry weight. But it’s the sharp character work that makes the show such a resounding success. “The People vs. OJ Simpson” offers viewers something they didn’t get in 1994 and ’95: a peek behind the curtain into the public characters’ private lives, making it the most compulsively watchable new series of the spring.

For more from Landry, read his review of 'The X-Files' reboot.