I was about halfway through watching the first chapter of The People Vs. O.J. Simpson the other night when a very important question popped into my head. I asked me, "Me, why are you watching this?"
When all this went down two decades ago, I paid way too much attention to the case, catching all sorts of interview shows along with the trial itself and reading most of the books. I became convinced that Orenthal James Simpson murdered two people in the coldest of blood and that the evidence proved it far beyond reasonable — or even unreasonable doubt.
I did not like the way this story unfolded in reality. It was an ugly one with bad guys not only winning but trampling over a lot of good guys in order to set a murderer free. Watching it was maddening and disgusting and it left me with a very bad feeling about justice and fairness. So I repeated to myself the other night, "Me, why are you watching this?"
It seems to be a very well-made series, though some of the casting is odd. Cuba Gooding is a fine actor but he lacks Simpson's movie star twinkle and friendly appearance which I think is essential to playing a guy who lived well off that twinkle. John Travolta looks a bit like a Muppet version of Robert Shapiro and seems like he was digitally removed from some other movie and inserted into this one. I'm not sure though that the real Shapiro wasn't the same way. And we've yet to see Nathan Lane as F. Lee Bailey, which asks the musical question, "Can a very funny, likeable actor shed all trace of his sense of humor and decency as a human being?" I am dubious.
I would certainly watch if they change things so evidence rules the day, Judge Ito doesn't let the trial turn into something that could have been staged by the Ringling Brothers, they switch Marcia Clark out for Vince Bugliosi and the jury is a lot smarter and less driven by skin color. Alas, the first chapter seemed about 97% factual, which is pretty high for one of these. So it still comes down to: Do I want to sit through this unpleasant, frustrating story again?
I don't know. I'm TiVoing the series. Let's see how far I get in the actual viewing of it. I might not make it too far past whenever Nathan Lane shows up, especially if they don't think to have F. Lee Bailey suddenly develop a conscience. And while they're at it, they could remember who's playing the role and have him perform a couple of show tunes.