The Assassination of Gianni Versace - Episodes 1-5 Review
This review/discussion of American Crime Story is spoiler-free!
American Crime Story interested me since it's initial release as an anthology series with O.J. Simpson's story in The People vs. O.J. Simpson. I never got around to looking into that series before the announcement of the new season focusing on the story of Gianni Versace and his killer Andrew Cunanan. Since the first season of American Crime Story, anthology crime series have been flooding the media wavelengths to follow on its success in one way or another. The truth of the matter is that in most cases, the original in the best version of something and I believe that is holding true for this type of series. FX found a formula with Ryan Murphy that has worked well and I am pumped up to talk about the first half of this second season of American Crime Story.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace is truthfully a rather misleading show. The story that was originally depicted in the previews and ads for this series focused on the glitz and glam of Versace and his family, but what we have so far received from this show is a heavy focus on the man that killed Gianni: Andrew Cunanan. For me, I am actually kind of glad they chose to take this route with the series for the main reason that I really didn't know much about this case outside of the few details that have become common knowledge. I wouldn't venture though to say that I don't feel at least slightly disappointed by the lack of Gianni and some points. For the first two episodes it really feels like he is the main character but as the show goes on he falls farther and farther into the background. So for the first five episodes, a good story that isn't what was advertised.
For characters, there's really only two people that I think need true discussion. The first of which being Gianni Versace himself, played by Edgar Ramirez. For me, casting a real person can sometimes be extremely challenging if they're in the recent memory of people. I immediately thought of this when I was looking into this series, but I am so happy to say that Ramirez has an uncanny resemblance to the man that is Gianni Versace. He plays him with a kindness and cares that the real man had, something you don't necessarily expect from a mogul or high wealth person. But, the true power of this show comes in that of Andrew Cunanan, played by Darren Criss. The truth of the matter is that Darren Criss may be one of the best portrayals so far this year in his work in this character. Andrew Cunanan is a complex man who believes he deserves to be among those living the high life. I'll talk more about him in the next chapter but I simply stated: Criss has done some of the best work of his career in this role.
So, in this first five episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace, the majority of time has been spent with Andrew Cunanan. The weird thing though is that the series is working backward. Ryan Murphy made the choice to actually start at the point we all wanted to see: the killing. Almost immediately we are treated to the death of Versace, and from there we go back in time. Each episode goes farther and farther back, which is one of the most interesting tactics I have ever seen on a TV show. At episode 5 though, I feel we have hit the point in which we can't go back any further, and will return to near the killing and return our focus to post killing and pre killing. If there was one thing though that I really wanted to give praise to, it was this idea of going backward and seeing Cunanan go from a killer to just a sick man in love, and I ate up every minute of it.
For these first five episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace, I really haven't felt like I was watching the show that I expected. Focusing more time on Andrew Cunanan was the smart choice for the show because it seems they're treating Gianni as more of a one-note type of character who only acts in a specific way. I can't help though, that with what I know of Cunanan, that we are going to have a moment in which the rug is pulled out from under us. This is a sickening human being, and I believe we need to start seeing his reality comes crashing down. Regardless though, I have thoroughly enjoyed what I got to watch and hope that the series continues its power through the end of the season!
