‘American Crime Story’: What ‘Versace’ Does Better Than ‘O.J.’

It remains to be seen if The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story makes the impact its O.J. Simpson-themed predecessor did, but there’s at least one aspect it improves upon.

As riveting as The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story was, the victims of the crime in question never got the portrayals they deserve. Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are never fleshed out; they are only corpses to get the investigation and court room drama going.

The series echoed one of the main problems of the coverage of the real life trial. The media and spectators were more fascinated with O.J.’s celebrity status and the antics around the case, such as the Bronco chase and the bloody glove.

Nicole and Goldman are virtually left out of the conversation. That injustice is something that The Assassination of Gianni Versace somewhat corrects with its victim.

As shown in the pilot premiering Wednesday night, much of the time is spent on the resulting investigation of Gianni Versace’s (Édgar Ramírez) death and the hunt for killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). However, part of the story is told through flashbacks, giving viewers a feel of Versace and his story before he became a victim.

While the depiction is not perfect, it still allows for Versace to have a voice in the series and not just an echo by those seeking justice.

Versace’s family has disapproved of American Crime Story‘s version of events and called them a “work of fiction.” However, at the least this fictionalized version of the fashion icon will have a bigger role to play in the story than simply being a prop.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on FX.

Photo Credit: FX / Jeff Daly