American Crime Story poster

American Crime Story

★ 8.4 103K votes 2016–2021 3 seasons · 29 episodes Ended FX
True crimeReal cases, told as documentary or drama.This show: 9/10AnthologyA new story or cast with every episode or season.This show: 8/10Social commentaryDeliberate critique of how society works.This show: 8/10LegalCourtrooms, lawyers and the machinery of the law.This show: 7/10Event miniseriesPrestige limited television built as an event.This show: 7/10Real historyReal historical events and figures woven into the story.This show: 7/10Ensemble castMany characters carrying equal weight.This show: 7/10
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Starring
Sarah PaulsonAnnaleigh AshfordSterling K. BrownKenneth ChoiBeanie FeldsteinChristian Clemenson
Written by
Scott AlexanderLarry KaraszewskiSarah BurgessTom Rob Smith
Starring
Sarah PaulsonAnnaleigh AshfordSterling K. BrownKenneth ChoiBeanie FeldsteinChristian Clemenson
Written by
Scott AlexanderLarry KaraszewskiSarah BurgessTom Rob Smith
Ratings per Episode
246810
Votes per Episode
02k3k5k6k

American Crime Story Episode Ratings Heatmap

AvgE1E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9E10
S18.68.58.18.18.58.58.98.58.59.19.1
S28.08.27.78.08.37.77.77.58.38.4
S37.97.57.67.67.68.08.48.38.28.27.7

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About

"True scandals reimagined as sharp character drama"

American Crime Story is an anthology series that dramatizes real, headline-making American scandals, with each season tackling a different case: the O.J. Simpson trial, the murder of Gianni Versace, and the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. It blends prestige-drama craftsmanship with soapy, propulsive storytelling, mixing courtroom tension, media frenzy, and intimate character studies. The tone swings from pulpy melodrama to genuinely moving tragedy, carried by strong ensemble casts and sharp, empathetic writing. It's binge-friendly and consistently engaging, though the quality and focus shift noticeably from one season to the next.

Watch it for

the transformative ensemble performances that humanize infamous real-life scandals.

Maybe skip if

you dislike shows retelling real tragedies with dramatized, occasionally uneven storytelling.

Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.

All Seasons

The People v. O.J. Simpson2016
8.639K108h 23m
Season one takes you inside the O.J. Simpson trial with a riveting look at the legal teams battling to convict or acquit the football legend of double homicide. Based on the book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin, it explores the chaotic behind-the-scenes dealings and maneuvering on both sides of the court, and how a combination of prosecution overconfidence, defense shrewdness, and the LAPD's history with the city's African-American community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace2018
8.024K98h 14m
Season two examines the 1997 murder of legendary fashion designer Gianni Versace outside of his Miami Beach mansion by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, interweaving storylines involving the lead-up to the murder and the criminal investigation that includes a nationwide manhunt for Cunanan.
Impeachment2021
7.912K1010h 3m
Season three tackles the Bill Clinton impeachment scandal and unravels the national crisis that swept up Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp as principal characters in the country’s first impeachment proceedings in over a century.

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Sarah Paulson Linda Tripp, Marcia Clark
Annaleigh Ashford Paula Jones, Elizabeth Cote
Sterling K. Brown Christopher Darden
Kenneth Choi Judge Lance Ito
Beanie Feldstein Monica Lewinsky
Christian Clemenson Bill Hodgman
Cuba Gooding Jr. O.J. Simpson
Margo Martindale Lucianne Goldberg
Bruce Greenwood Gil Garcetti
Edie Falco Hillary Clinton

Crew

Scott Alexander
Larry Karaszewski
Sarah Burgess
Tom Rob Smith

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