Television

I've now watched the first four or so episodes of The People vs. OJ Simpson, and I almost stopped after the first two. I have no idea what folks think is so fantastic about it.

I honestly think it contains the weakest performances I've ever seen from both John Travolta and Cuba Gooding Jr. ... I mean, Gooding is just terrible as OJ. He's way too small to plausibly play an NFL Hall of Fame running back. He's whiny and squeaky and immensely unlikable. Travolta swings wildly between forgetting to chug his Adderall and pitching totally unconvincing temper tantrums. 

Sarah Paulson is weak and her character shown as incompetent. Her almost nonstop stylized, affected smoking is an utterly unnecessary contrivance, and wasn't allowed inside public offices in California in the mid 90s. Sterling Brown is working mightily to portray struggling with an existential crisis but failing. Pretty much every character (except Johnnie Cochrane) is thoroughly unlikable.

Folks say it's gritty and realistic and gripping: Noppity nope nope. It's none of the above. 

So: got any binge watching recommendations, dear readers? Netflix (thx mom!) or free on Amazon Prime, please.