Hi all!

Today I am ranking the American Crime Story franchise. Granted, there are only three seasons, but I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions on each one. Ryan Murphy is an executive producer of this show. He also created American Horror Story (check out my ranking here). This anthology, true-crime television series, focuses on a different, high-profile case in American history. They are each presented as a mini-series, independent of one another. I’m a huge fan. Every instalment has excellent acting, a gripping storyline and expert filming. I have learnt so much about these real-life events. Without further ado, let’s get into it. Spoilers ahead!

1.) The Assassination of Gianni Versace 

In first place, we have The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The story of how and why Versace was killed, was something I knew nothing about. I had never even heard of the name Andrew Cunanan, before this season. As tragic as this event was, the details before and after the murder, were fascinating. Not only that, this instalment was beautifully shot. There were so many vivid colours, outfits, mansions and locations, you could not help but be drawn in from the opening credits. We learn a lot about Gianni, but the majority of the episodes, focus on Andrew’s life. From childhood, to adolescence, to adulthood, we are given plenty of insight into how he became the man he did. It’s obvious that Cunanan saw himself as a very important person, from quite a young age. He envisioned himself wealthy, adored and respected in society. When his ideas of grandeur didn’t match up to reality, Andrew would cheat, lie and manipulate others, to get what he wanted. The acting was phenomenal. Edgar Ramirez, Penelope Cruz, Darren Criss and Ricky Martin, delivered outstanding performances. I won’t say too much, as I don’t want to spoil it, but if you watch any season from American Crime Story, let it be this one.

2.) Impeachment 

In second place, we have Impeachment. It follows the scandalous affair between former American President, Bill Clinton and previous White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Once again, I went into this instalment knowing next to nothing. It was an event in history before my time and I had never cared much for politics anyway. However, this true-crime story really surprised and impressed me. During Bill’s term of presidency, he had sexual relations with a young girl named Monica, who was instantly taken with him. She wasn’t able to publicise their relationship, so she confided in her “friend” Linda Tripp, a civil servant working at The Pentagon, where Lewinsky was re-assigned. Unbeknownst to Monica, Linda began recording their phone conversations in order to a.) make a name for herself and b.) take down Clinton. She strongly believed she was doing her country a service, but soon realised the general population did not agree. One thing about this season, is none of the characters are likable. It made it difficult to root for anybody, but I liked that aspect. It was also highly relatable. Despite being unavailable from the beginning, Bill continued to make Monica believe she was special. She was head over heels for him, only to be ignored for weeks, sometimes months at a time. Lewinsky herself did the wrong thing in pursuing a married man. It was difficult watching her spiral out of control, when he didn’t return her calls or make any contact, for extended periods of time. I was so captivated from beginning to end. I may be biased, but I have to mention Sarah Paulson’s incredible acting as Linda Tripp. You wouldn’t even know it was her. Check it out!

3.) The People v. O. J. Simpson

In last place, we have The People v. O. J. Simpson. It’s only third, because I didn’t love it as much as the other two. However, I still highly recommend it. It follows the trial of O. J. Simpson, after he is suspected of murdering his ex-wife and her male friend. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Orenthal James Simpson was found not guilty. Even though I already knew the result, I still had hope that justice would be served. The best part of this season was the court case. It was fascinating how Johnnie Cochran and his team, were able to manipulate a jury into delivering the wrong sentence. Furthermore, Sarah Paulson’s performance as prosecutor, Marcia Clark was superb. I’m a huge fan of hers. Can you tell? I also want to commend Cuba Gooding Jr. for his role as O. J. He was erratic, aggressive and unpredictable. It was something to behold. I will admit, I was very uncomfortable watching this instalment. I went into Versace and Impeachment with very little knowledge of the events. However, I was already familiar with this story, which made it harder to witness. I cannot stand injustice, let alone violence towards women. I still highly recommend it, but note the aforementioned trigger warnings.

Thank you so much for reading! How would you order this series? 

Peace & Love xoxo