Netflix’s #1 Trending TV Show Is A Reminder To Watch Ryan Murphy’s 9-Year-Old Crime Show With 97% RT Score

The true-crime documentary American Manhunt: OJ Simpson is currently the number one TV show on Netflix, and it's the perfect reminder to watch another series on Hulu about OJ Simpson's infamous double murder trial. American Manhunt quickly became one of the best documentaries on Netflix, and its popularity reflected its quality. The OJ Simpson-focused documentary reached the pinnacle of Netflix's top ten shows list, and it could soon become one of the best true-crime shows on Netflix. It even proved that almost 30 years later, Simpson's shocking double murder trial is still capable of capturing the nation's attention.

The only problem with American Manhunt: OJ Simpson is that it ends. After just four episodes, the documentary wrapped up all of its insights into Simpson's trial and eventual acquittal. Luckily, Hulu has the perfect follow-up series to supplement American Manhunt, and it features 10 hour-long episodes that are all available to stream right now. There's never been a better time to dive into the drama of OJ Simpson's criminal trial, and there's never been a better time to start watching Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson.

After Netflix's American Manhunt Documentary, Watch Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson

American Crime Story Is A Dramatization Of American Manhunt's True Story About OJ Simpson

OJ Simpson wearing black gloves in American Crime Story

Years before American Manhunt examined OJ Simpson's trial, FX's American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson did it first, and the latter show is available to stream on Hulu. Where American Manhunt took a more analytical approach and presented the facts, backstory, and key figures of Simpson's trial, American Crime Story focused more on the drama and tensions the court case evoked in both its participants and the nation as a whole. That makes The People v. OJ Simpson the perfect follow-up to Netflix's documentary: it fills in the gaps American Manhunt's investigative tone couldn't fully convey.

Why American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson's Reviews Are So Great

The People v. OJ Simpson Has 97% On Rotten Tomatoes

Another compelling reason to watch American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson is because it has incredible reviews. The People v. OJ Simpson earned 97% with critics and 94% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's safe to say it received rave reviews. Deborah Ross of the Daily Mail wrote "The writing is sharp. It is blissfully directed, without a single wasted scene." Robert Bianco of USA Today said "Against all odds, this tightly written, sometimes stunningly performed 10-part drama avoids all those pitfalls, capturing the tenor of the time and breathing life into the participants."

American Crime Story is an anthology show. The first season, The People v. OJ Simpson, is the only one to cover Simpson's double murder trial. The following two seasons cover the assassination of Gianni Versace and the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, respectively.

Across the board, virtually all the reviews for The People v. OJ Simpson praised the show's ability to take a subject that was already intensely examined and bring it to life in a new century. Many reviewers singled out Ryan Murphy's writing and directorial style as a unique blend of drama and factual accuracy, and even more praised Cuba Gooding Jr.'s ability to live in the role of OJ Simpson. The series was also extremely well-timed: many critics noted how relevant the trial's focus on race was in 2016 and still is today. American Crime Story fired on all cylinders, and it's well worth watching.

How Accurate American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson Is To The True Story

American Crime Story Did Dramatize Some Parts Of OJ Simpson's Trial, But Almost All Of It Was Based On Actual Events

Though it is a dramatization rather than a documentary, American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson is remarkably faithful to the true facts of Simpson's court case. Part of that is due to the outlandish nature of the true facts of the trial: as Laurie Levenson, former prosecutor and law professor, put it, the entire ordeal was a "circus," (via CBS News).

"Everything about this case was different. The lawyers, how they acted in the courtrooms, the petty fights between the prosecutors and defense attorneys; the jurors, how long they were sequestered, how they got a Roger Williams concert; the media circus, and it really was a circus."

American Crime Story also paid close attention to several key details of Simpson's trial, such as the reason OJ Simpson was acquitted and other details like how long Simpson's trial lasted and who the biggest figures involved were. Executive producer Brad Simpson told Entertainment Weekly that the biggest thing they had to change about the trial was its timeline. "If we’re gonna get dinged, it’s because we have to consolidate things. It’s a dramatic retelling. We’ve consolidated time. We’ve consolidated characters. But in terms of the truth of what happened, I feel like we’ve been really honest."

Of course, however, as a drama series, American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson also had to embellish some parts of OJ Simpsons' trial for the sake of creating tension and intrigue. Perhaps the biggest changes were to Robert Kardashian's involvement in OJ Simpson's defense and to one specific moment in court. Kardashian was more of a minor player on the so-called "dream team" that made up Simpson's defense attorneys, though he's a main character in the show (via CBS). It also exaggerated Bill Hodgman's heart problems, changing chest pains in a strategy meeting to a full-on collapse in the middle of the courtroom.