A documentary about O.J. Simpson is being called the greatest thing ESPN has ever done

Scott Davis

Jan 29, 2016, 02:52 IST

Jae C. Hong/Reuters

ESPN is going to air a five-part documentary on O.J. Simpson in June, and it's already getting a ton of hype.

The series was shown at Sundance this month to critical acclaim. Business Insider's Jason Guerrasio called it "a masterful documentary" with "explosive revelations."

Freelance writer Chuck Klosterman, who's written for the likes of GQ, ESPN, Esquire, and others, upped the ante of the hype on Thursday after viewing it.

So a few weeks back (on a podcast), I mentioned this upcoming FX show, THE PEOPLE VS. OJ SIMPSON, and I said it was awesome. And it is. [1]
- Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman) January 28, 2016

But now I've seen OJ SIMPSON: MADE IN AMERICA, a five-part documentary that comes out in June on ESPN. It will blow your mind. [2]
- Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman) January 28, 2016

When this eventually airs, it will be viewed as the greatest thing ESPN has ever produced. I almost can't believe how revelatory it is. [3]
- Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman) January 28, 2016

The five-part series doesn't concentrate solely on Simpson's trial. It covers his time at USC, his NFL career, his post-career success, and then, of course, the infamous car chase in a Ford Bronco, his murder trial, and subsequent downfall.

It's received high praise across the board. The Guardian's Brian Moylan called it "captivating"; Variety's Brian Lowry called it a "master opus" in the highly acclaimed 30-for-30 series; Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg described it as one of this year's "richest entertainment events."

But to call it the greatest thing ESPN has ever done, as Klosterman did, is serious praise. The 30-for-30 documentary series has been nominated for several awards since it premiered in 2009, with it winning "Best Sports Documentary Series" at the Sports Emmys in 2014.

We haven't seen any of the series, but the anticipation for it's June premiere is growing.