Sarah Paulson and Courtney B. Vance are standouts.
The trial of the century is about to begin as The People v. O.J. Simpson shows the prosecution and the defense teams readying their strategies. The fact that history knows which one is the victor makes it all the more troubling to get an inside look at the games being played behind the scenes.
Full spoilers for “100% Not Guilty” continue below.
It’s been clear from the first episode of American Crime Story: Season 1 that the series is stacked with a phenomenal cast giving some of the best performances of their careers. Though “100% Not Guilty” spent its hour-plus running time showing how Marcia Clark and the DA and Johnnie Cochran and the Dream Team coordinated their courtroom strategies, this also was the episode that let each of the actors stretch their acting muscles and give some truly phenomenal performances.
Nathan Lane, Courtney B. Vance, John Travolta, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and David Schwimmer in The People b. O.J. Simpson
Sarah Paulson understands that she has more to do than just make Marcia Clark likable, and this is one of the first episodes of the show where Paulson pushes her character to be more than just the force for good. Marcia constantly misjudges the case in the lead up to the trial; she thinks that just because she is great at her job she will be able to convince the jury and the world that O.J. is guilty. But from her lack of understanding that the black women she hoped would support a battered Nicole Brown Simpson in the jury would actually support O.J. to not wanting to make the trial about race, Marcia made some big mistakes that made the trial less and less winnable for the prosecution.
As I’ve said in previous reviews, it’s much easier to note these mistakes from the vantage point of a future where we know the outcome of O.J.’s case. That said, The People v. O.J. Simpson is showing the viewer what mistakes were made over the course of the trial, and how it went from a seeming slam dunk for the prosecutors to something that slipped through their fingers. Paulson understands that Marcia isn’t always in the right even if she is doing what she believes is her best, and it’s because of that Paulson delivers one of the most powerful turns of the show.
Standing opposite her is Courtney B. Vance as Cochran. There’s been no denying from the start that Vance was giving one of the best performances in American Crime Story. Maybe it’s the extended length time of “100% Not Guilty” or maybe it’s just director Anthony Hemingway understanding that he needs to get his key characters away from the rest of the pack to develop them, but some of the best scenes in this episode were the ones between two or three characters. Cochran had one of them as he rallied a disheartened O.J. with a speech about how the former athlete was an inspiration to his fans. This shows how Cochran is a man who knows how to win a case, which makes the mutiny at the end of the episode all the more earned.
Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Courtney B. Vance in The People v. O.J. Simpson
There’s so much that I’m skipping over with the focus on these two characters: Connie Britton’s fantastic portrayal of Faye Resnick and the huge hit that her book’s release had on the case; Kenneth Choi as Lance Ito, a judge who seemed more concerned with fame than the verdict at times; the way that picking the jury became a strategic game for the prosecution and defense, and the way American Crime Story underlined the verdict of it; and the ambiguous exploration of Christopher Darden and Marcia Clark’s working and potentially personal relationship (Sterling K. Brown is another standout here). But I think ultimately “100% Not Guilty” is supposed to show us Clark and Cochran as two parallel figures, and the two most important people in this case.
The most effective scene in the episode was again a quiet one between few characters. Ron Goldman’s father Fred and sister Kim come to meet with Marcia at the DA’s office, frustrated with the fact that their family member feels like a “footnote” to his own murder. Joseph Siravo steals the scene as the heartbroken Fred Goldman, putting the responsibility at Marcia’s feet to make sure that the prosecution gets justice for Ron and also shaming the members of the audience who might only remember the O.J. case being about the murder of Nicole. It’s scenes like this that The People v. O.J. Simpson shows its excellence, as it grounds a story many people remember while also making it relevant in the present day — and often showing a side of the trial people didn’t already know.
“100% Not Guilty” had some big plot moments — particularly at the end when Johnnie Cochran takes control as lead defense attorney and the prosecution brings Christopher Darden into their team — but it’s also the best use American Crime Story has made of showcasing its incredible talent. Paulson and Vance deliver standout performances as Marcia Clark and Johnnie Cochran, and it’s clear that these two characters are the centerpieces for the story.
