Getting Hooked on FX’s Crime Story
Question: Wow, that was an extremely intriguing episode of FX’s American Crime Story last night! I found it superior to the previous installments, which is ironic, because this episode didn’t feature Versace at all. (Hence, I left The Assassination of Gianni Versace off the title). I admit it is sometimes difficult to watch and enjoy, because the lead character is absolutely one of the most evil characters I have ever watched. I realize he is severely demented, but he takes his violent acts to another level.
Judith Light will almost surely receive well-deserved award nominations. What a fantastic performance! I admired her from way back in the ’80s when she was on the ABC sitcom Who’s The Boss? with Tony Danza. Since then she has portrayed countless compelling characters flawlessly. Thank you for recommending this great series. — FJ
Matt Roush: I was impressed in this episode by both Judith Light and Mike Ferrell (as her doomed, closeted husband, a real change of pace), and when I screened the series—FX made all but the finale available in advance—this was the hour that really made me sit up and take notice, as it became clear how Andrew Cunanan’s crimes were going to be presented. First the crime, then as the episodes unfold in reverse time, the backstory. (It’s even darker in the next episode when we meet two of his younger victims in relationships already in progress. All becomes clearer later, and man, is it tragic.) The Versace angle doesn’t entirely go away, because we revisit the designer (Edgar Ramirez) in parallel storylines as he is making a name for himself while Cunanan, his future assassin, is pretending to be who he’s not in a deadly cycle of narcissistic delusion. Darren Criss may be hard to watch when Cunanan is at his worst, but it’s an electrifying performance.
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