RECAP: ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story’ — O.J. Evades Cops in Ford Bronco to See His Mom

The latest installment of “The People vs. O.J. Simpson” begins with O.J. evading arrest with Al Cowlings, and best friend, Robert Kardashian, informing O.J.’s lawyer, Robert Shapiro, that O.J. has evaded police and left a suicide note behind.

“Who the hell signs a suicide note with a happy face?” Shapiro asks.

Everyone is freaking out. O.J.’s lawyers. The prosecutor’s office. Fans who are just now learning that O.J. is the number one suspect in the double homicide. Police release the description of the white Bronco to the public and warn that anyone assisting O.J. will be prosecuted. To mitigate this bad light, Kardashian and Shapiro, hold their own press conference because they’re worried that O.J. is looking more and more like a guilty man for running away. At home, the Kardashian kids are chanting their father’s name. “Kar-dash-i-an, Kar-dash-i-an,” while he reads parts of the suicide note.

Meanwhile, on the 405, police spot the Bronco and pull up behind it. Ride or die pal, Al, tells police about O.J. in the backseat with a gun to his head, then pulls away. This begins the slowest car chase ever known to man.

Kardashian then drives over to visit O.J.’s family to tell them the terrible news that O.J. has killed himself, but first he lets out a good scream and gives the steering wheel a smack-down. A family member of O.J. shouts out, “Look,” and points to the television showing the Bronco on the highway.

The cops are allowing the Bronco to drive along the freeway, unbothered and unencumbered, like it’s a beautiful spring day. Marcia Clark is about to become unglued. Why isn’t anyone shooting out the tires? She’s told because all eyes are watching, since the basketball playoff coverage was interrupted, there can’t be a shootout on national TV.

With nine cop cars and seven helicopters tailing the Bronco, and thousands of fans cheering on O.J., Al calls 911 to explain that O.J. just wants to talk to his mom one more time before turning himself in. The police grant his wish and clear the way for Al to drive to Brentwood.

Speaking of an irate Marcia Clark, she calls Detective Vannatter to ask why the Bronco, which was impounded and marked for evidence, was released to Simpson. Turns out, there are two white Broncos. The detective said, “Cowlings worships O.J. so much, he bought the identical car.”

On location, a reporter speaks to a group of men who are standing on an overpass, waiting to cheer for O.J. when he drives by. Why are they supporting him? Racial tensions between the cops and black communities, that’s why. Same goes for Johnnie Cochran and the neighbors of Christopher Darden, all of whom are cheering for O.J.

When O.J. and Al make it back to his house, O.J.’s son, Jason, runs out of the house begging for his father to put down the gun. Al spots a gunman in a tree and negotiations grow tense. At this time, the live broadcast ends and many are left to speculate if they will ever see their football hero walk into that police station.

In the end, it was his friend, Kardashian, who convinced O.J. to get out of the Bronco, leave the gun behind, and come into the house. O.J. says to police surrounding him, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, guys.”

O.J. is able to call his mother on the phone before being driven away in the back of the police car, ending the episode. As a friend, was it wrong of Al to help O.J. evade police? Or would you have driven him straight to the police station?

 

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