# Genius (2017)

> A biographical anthology that dramatizes the discoveries, loves, and flaws of history's great minds, from Einstein and Picasso to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/61356

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 36
- Episode runtime: 43 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Kenneth Biller, Noah Pink, Suzan-Lori Parks, Jeff Stetson
- Network: National Geographic
- Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Aaron Pierre, Antonio Banderas, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Cynthia Erivo, Jayme Lawson, Weruche Opia, Clémence Poésy
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5673782/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: serious, intimate, melancholic, sincere

## What critics say

Acclaimed by audiences in its early seasons for its performances and ambitious biographical storytelling, with later seasons rated markedly lower.

## Synopsis

Genius (2017-2024) is an American biographical anthology series created by Kenneth Biller, Noah Pink, Suzan-Lori Parks and Jeff Stetson for National Geographic. Each season dramatizes the life of a famous thinker or artist, moving from the young adulthood of its subject to their later years. The first season follows Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush) through his discoveries, marriages and intellectual rivalries, while Antonio Banderas plays Pablo Picasso in a later season that explores his loves and creative ambition. Later seasons turn to Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), with Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz. Each season is built from a dense web of personal relationships, public causes and the private flaws that shadow great achievement. The tone is serious and handsomely mounted, with a prestige historical feel that leans on character drama rather than spectacle. Fans of The Crown and Ray will find resonance in its portraits of famous lives seen from the inside. Its four seasons form a collection of separate stories rather than one continuing arc, and the show ended on a note of unfinished business after its cancellation.

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