Netflix Gets The Best True Crime Documentary Series Ever Made
Netflix just added O.J.: Made in America to its streaming library, just in time for the doc to hit major search trends due to the controversial football star’s recent death at the age of 76. The docu-series spans five episodes, each running just over 90 minutes.
The filmmakers dive into the details of O.J. Simpson’s landmark 1995 trial, which some have called the trial of the century. A theatrical version premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016, winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming.
A Deep Dive Into O.J. Simpson’s Life
O.J.: Made in America offers one of the most comprehensive looks into the life and legacy of O.J. Simpson, who was a revered athlete with the NFL for years before being accused of committing a gruesome double homicide. While the jury found O.J. not guilty of murder, the consensus of the public remains that he committed the crimes and was acquitted due to politics and social pressures of the time. The O.J. trial rapidly became mired by racial divides, as the nation was still reeling from the Rodney King beatings and subsequent race riots that impacted the Los Angeles area.
Part Of ESPN’s 30 For 30
O.J.: Made in America was created and directed by Ezra Edelman, who has built his entire career on sports journalism and documentary deep dives. Edelman previously helmed such projects as Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, and served as a producer on 30 For 30. Edelman also directed a season 2 episode of the Apple TV+ original Ted Lasso, and is currently listed as a producer on an upcoming Barry Bonds documentary, which is poised to narrate the story of the baseball legend.
O.J. Simpson Refused To Take Part In The Documentary
To create the expansive documentary, Edelman conducted several interviews over the course of 18 months and edited together hundreds of hours of archived footage of NFL games, media coverage of the O.J. trial, and additional insight from key players. Members of O.J. Simpson’s defense team, prosecutors, NFL teammates, and friends and relatives of the football star appeared in the documentary, each painting a picture of the man they know on a personal level. Before concluding his work on O.J.: Made in America, Edelman reached out to O.J. Simpson himself, though the retired football player, who was incarcerated for an unrelated crime at the time, never responded to the request.
100% Rating On Rotten Tomatoes
Edelman was hailed for his ability to cover a multitude of evergreen topics with his research, which centered on race relations in America and the nature of policing, rather than just providing more coverage of the landmark case. Today, O.J.: Made in America touts a staggering 100 percent fresh critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most well-reviewed documentaries in recent memory.
Binge Now On Netflix
Those interested in learning more about the recently-deceased NFL retiree should be sure to look up O.J.: Made in America on Netflix today. Just be sure to clear your schedule beforehand, as the series is incredibly binge-worthy, despite its expansive run-time.
