The People vs. OJ Simpson

[Incandenza]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

His speech before the North Carolina court in the Furhman hearing was great.

Speaking of period accuracy, I was bothered during one scene (when Cochran was driving with his daughters), you could see a Prius in the background. Though that wasn't anything major. Also, all of the aerial shots of the courthouse show a park next to it that was only finished within the past 5 years.

[Jon]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

If that Cochran driving scene is the one I'm thinking of (where the policeman gets him out of the car) then I think it was a flashback scene to the 70s. So... even worse period gaffe, I guess.

I heard this interview with the writers last night. Fascinating. Interesting to note that they had always written for films before; this was their first TV job. As they say, the demise of the mid-budget Hollywood film has driven many creators to TV. Although I think the whole 'golden age of TV' is overstated, there's no denying that this worked so much better than if it would have been a 2 hour film.

[Incandenza]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

I'll admit that it's likely only a small group of obsessives that would have noticed the Prius, and it was only visible through the Cochran character's car and in the background.

[steveeeeeeeee]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

Furhman arriving at court in last night's episode was superb. I know he gets some stick for his acting ability, but Gooding's facial expression as Furhman walked into the court was laugh out loud brilliant.

[jason voorhees]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

No apologies needed re: Cuba Gooding Junior.

I thought his performance worked. In the scheme of the entire show, of the mechanics of why the show worked so well (Shakespeare vs Fellini in my book,) is that OJ wasn't the centerpiece.

Again, it's not a role like that one dude who did Tony Blair in every Tony Blair biopic, or Jaime Foxx as Ray Charles. OJ is so unlike any human we've seen, that no one could have done a perfect job. OJ is weird. You can't be that joyful, that engaging, that fun to watch and want to be around, and be as violent a sociopath as it gets if you don't have 80,000 screws loose. Gooding did a wonderful job in capturing the darkness and confusion of him.

OJ was weird and cartoonish in the trial. (Like I said on fb, it's disturbing at how often I find myself making the OJ trying on the gloves face as I get older.) I mean, if not Cuba, what other actor could have possibly captured this nonsense?

In the end, if Schwimmer and Cuba looked a little out of their depth, it's because OJ and Kardashian were out of their depth. It's Los Angeles.

If anything, the show was a triumph of showing the real people of Los Angeles, and what happens when they come up against the fugazis of the entertainment industry. OJ didn't have to be the center of the story, because Johnnie Cochran and Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden and Mark Fuhrman already are there.

[Flynnie]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

Incandenza wrote: His speech before the North Carolina court in the Furhman hearing was great.

Speaking of period accuracy, I was bothered during one scene (when Cochran was driving with his daughters), you could see a Prius in the background. Though that wasn't anything major. Also, all of the aerial shots of the courthouse show a park next to it that was only finished within the past 5 years.

I noticed that too. If you want really pernickety, there's one juror who is consistently wearing a red 49ers hat with a logo that didn't come into existence until 1996:



I probably notice this stuff because any hints of OJ's SF roots are vanishingly small (basically limited to him saying the first famous person he met was Willie Mays) so them getting it wrong bothers me.

But I'm glad they put their budget towards the actors. I mean the guy who plays Fred Goldman has basically one speaking part so far - I'm two episodes from the end - and they're paying him to sit in the background for most scenes. But the guy who plays him, Joe Siravo, is a pretty well established character actor. So he couldn't have come cheap for who he is. And the scene with Marcia Clark where Fred Goldman talks about his son was worth every penny.

[WOM]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

jason voorhees wrote: I mean, if not Cuba, what other actor could have possibly captured this nonsense?

I'd have gone with a complete unknown. He could have looked have looked more like OJ or not at all and it wouldn't have mattered. As long as the vessel was empty enough that you could project OJ onto it, you'd have been good. Every time Cuba comes on screen, you're like "Hey, there's Cuba!". Compounded by the wrong look, the wrong stature, the high pitched whining and such. Gah.

In the end, if Schwimmer and Cuba looked a little out of their depth, it's because OJ and Kardashian were out of their depth. It's Los Angeles.

Nah, Cuba's just a shit actor but nobody wants to say it. He, somehow, won an Oscar and has done exactly nothing since then. And Schwimmer will always be Ross....playing Ross. The same fate the befell Kramer and will befall Sheldon.

[Incandenza]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

Sheldon was God in the Broadway production of "An Act of God", based on the Tweet of God account, and that was a big hit. He did a lot of stage acting previously, it wouldn't surprise me if he went back to that.

[WOM]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

Yeah, he'll have to break type completely. If it weren't for the dumptrucks full of money he's making, I'd feel bad for him.

[Squarewheelbike]

The People vs. OJ Simpson

Brilliant series, and quality ending, but I can't remember the last time my jaw dropped so much when they revealed Mark Fuhrman now works for Fox News!