Comingsoon.net noticed that, throughout the late 1990s, plenty of TV shows and feature films drew from one of the biggest news story of the decade. Check out our findings in the gallery below!
Back in the 1990s, the trial of OJ Simpson proved to be the most gripping and newsworthy event of the century. Completely changing the way the news treated celebrities on trial, the proceedings were broadcast on live television for all to see (and all to theorize about). In the end, OJ Simpson was found not guilty, but the entire ordeal was big enough to inspire all kinds of filmmakers and television showrunners.
The murder in question was horrific, of course, but the trial was just as well-known as it stretched on and on. For this reason, the OJ trial managed to inspire new stories revolving around court cases and unimaginable crimes. From David Lynch to Ben Stiller to Jerry Seinfeld to the actual prosecutor herself, Marcia Clark, these are the movies and TV shows most obviously inspired by the OJ Simpson trial.
OJ trial
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Lost Highway (1997)
David Lynch’s Lost Highway remains one of his most polarizing projects to date. Inspired in part by a creepy occurrence that actually happened to him, Lost Highway pulls its pivotal murder straight from the headlines. Lynch has been open about this in the past, and it’s clear to see his influence on the film.
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Seinfeld, "The Maestro" (1995)
As one of the most popular comedies of the 90s, it’s no surprise that Seinfeld took on the OJ trial as the basis for one of its most memorable episodes. The OJ influence is clear, but Seinfeld still manages to put his own twist on the case here.
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The Cable Guy (1996)
While some projects might draw from the actual murder itself, others seemed to be more influenced by the immense amount of coverage the trial received. That’s the case with The Cable Guy, Ben Stiller’s darkly comedic film about a cable guy who becomes obsessed with the life of one of his clients. In the background, the trial of fictional Sam Sweet plays out in bits and pieces.
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The Fix (2019)
Marcia Clark was put back in the spotlight after being popularized by the hugely successful miniseries American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson. As a result, Clark took her experience in the courtroom to craft a miniseries of her own: The Fix, loosely based on her time and involvement with the OJ trial.
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The Simpsons, "Homer Badman" (1994)
As the other incredibly well-known comedy series from the 90s, The Simpsons would’ve been crazy not to try and riff on OJ Simpson and the media coverage that came before his court proceedings. Despite maintaining a timeless feel, the show never slept on the opportunity to include some topical humor—this episode is a prime example.
