• O.J:Made In America, the 5 part award winning documentary examining race, violence and celebrity through the life of O.J Simpson is showing now on SBS OnDemand (SBS)
O.J: Made in America the 5 part documentary examines race, celebrity and their combined influence through the life of O.J Simpson. Producer/Director Ezra Edelman, whose efforts won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards - takes us back through archival footage, and the larger story of relations between the Los Angeles Police Department and the African American community.
By
Emily Nicol

9 Apr 2017 - 3:27 PM  UPDATED 9 Apr 2017 - 3:27 PM

Episodes 2-5 are ready to watch now through SBS On Demand.

Episode 2

 

A continued look at the cultural realities of life as an African American in Los Angeles, and the country as a whole. In Episode 2, opens with footage of Simpson's retirement from football in 1979, his foray into acting and marriage to second wife, Nicole Brown. Meanwhile, tensions rise between Los Angeles' black community and the city's police, climaxing with the Rodney King beating and riots following the acquittal of the four police officers charged with King's death in the early 1990s.

Episode 3

In this episode, OJ's life and his public image change forever when he is accused of murdering his estranged wife, Nicole Brown.  His arrest, attempted escape and 'trial of the century' become a media circus. With such a highly publicized and analysed trial, Edelman attempts to bring the viewer previously unseen angles and looks at shifts in thinking in those heavily involved including Ron Shipp, who was close to both O.J and Nicole and recalls Simpson telling him “I have had dreams of killing her."

 Episode 4

As all the world watches Simpson's murder trial, OJ's defence team lead by Johnnie Cochran change the focus of the trial to a racial one and accuses the LAPD and detective Mark Fuhrman of racism instead of focusing on the actual murders. In this episode, Edelman shows not only the cultural impact of this case but also the history of domestic violence in the relationship of Nicole and O.J, how that was not addressed appropriately and the crime scene photos, graphically and powerfully bringing the story back to the harsh reality of the murders at the centre of the case.

 Episode 5

 

The final episode in the documentary series begins with the non-guilty verdict for O.J Simpson, acquitting him of the murders and follows with interviews and recollections of those close to him who begin to doubt his innocence. Edelman, shows In the years that follow, a desperate man who loses his fortune following a civil trial and is arrested and sentenced in an unrelated robbery attempt. Made in America ends with O.J.’s sad entreaties to history: “Please remember me as the Juice. Please remember me as a good guy. Please.”