Scripted series · National Geographic
Genius
Martin Luther King Jr / Malcolm X. Two minds, one movement.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Aaron Pierre
Malcolm X
8 eps
Geoffrey Rush
Albert Einstein
10 eps
Antonio Banderas
Pablo Picasso
10 eps
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
8 eps
Cynthia Erivo
Aretha Franklin
8 eps
Jayme Lawson
Betty Shabazz
8 eps
Weruche Opia
Coretta Scott King
8 eps
Clémence Poésy
Françoise Gilot
10 eps
Gary Carr
Clyde X
8 eps
Hubert Point-Du Jour
Ralph Abernathy
8 eps
Malcolm Barrett
Ted White
8 eps
Ron Cephas Jones
Elijah Muhammad
8 eps
Alex Rich
Pablo Picasso
10 eps
Samantha Colley
Dora Maar
20 eps
Patrice Covington
Erma Franklin
8 eps
Rebecca Naomi Jones
Carolyn Franklin
8 eps
David Cross
Jerry Wexler
8 eps
Kimberly Hébert Gregory
Ruth Bowen
8 eps
Emily Watson
Elsa Einstein
10 eps
Shaian Jordan
young Aretha 'Little Re' Franklin
8 eps
Courtney B. Vance
C.L. Franklin
8 eps
Alicia von Rittberg
Anna Winteler
4 eps
Ralph Brown
Max Planck
10 eps
Richard Topol
Fritz Haber
10 eps
Johnny Flynn
Albert Einstein
11 eps
Michael McElhatton
Philipp Lenard
11 eps
Helen Monks
Maja Einstein
3 eps
Alistair Petrie
Heinrich Weber
3 eps
Shannon Tarbet
Marie Winteler
3 eps
Nicholas Rowe
Jost Winteler
3 eps
Catherine McCormack
Marija Ruzic-Marić
4 eps
Claire Rushbrook
Pauline Einstein
4 eps
Jon Fletcher
Marcel Grossmann
5 eps
Sally Dexter
Mileva Marić
4 eps
Lucy Russell
Frau Pauline Winteler
6 eps
Seth Gabel
Guillaume Apollinaire
10 eps
T. R. Knight
Max Jacob
9 eps
Adrian Schiller
Jaime Sabartés
4 eps
Stéphane Caillard
Geneviève Aliquot
5 eps
Sebastian Roché
Emile Gilot
5 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Genius actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Genius reads strongest on Character Depth, Emotional Weight and Serialized.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
The life stories of history's greatest minds. From their days as young adults to their final years we see their discoveries, loves, relationships, causes, flaws and genius.
The run
Seasons
4 seasons · 36 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Einstein
201710 episodes
7.7IMDbSeason one charts how Albert Einstein—an imaginative, rebellious patent clerk, who couldn’t get a teaching job or a doctorate—unlocked the mysteries of the atom and the universe. Based on Walter Isaacson’s critically acclaimed book “Einstein: His Life and Universe.”
Best episode · S01E10 Chapter Ten
Season 2 · Complete
Picasso
201810 episodes
7.3IMDbSeason two explores how the passionate nature and relentless creative drive of Picasso—a Spanish-born painter, sculptor, poet and playwright—were inextricably linked to his personal life, which included tumultuous marriages, numerous affairs and constantly shifting political and personal alliances.
Best episode · S02E03 Chapter Three
Season 3 · Complete
Aretha
20218 episodes
3.0IMDbThe third season explores Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Grammy Award winner Franklin was a gospel prodigy and outspoken civil rights champion; she is widely considered to be the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career.
Best episode · S03E01 Respect
Season 4 · Complete
MLK/X
20248 episodes
3.7IMDbMLK/X follows Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X from their formative years to their rich, parallel stories as they shape their identities and become the change they wish to see in the world; the two visionaries ultimately rise to pioneer a movement.
Best episode · S04E08 Can You Imagine
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E10
Chapter Ten
After the atomic bomb is dropped and World War II draws to a close, Einstein assumes the role of world citizen in his twilight years.
S01E09
Chapter Nine
Albert Einstein settles into life in America, but dangers abroad continue to be a threat to both him and his former colleagues.
S02E03
Chapter Three
Picasso meets his great love Franoise Gilot. Young Pablo begins his Blue Period after the suicide of his friend.
S01E08
Chapter Eight
Einstein and his wife Elsa attempt to flee Germany after the rise of the Nazis, but they face unexpected roadblocks.
S01E02
Chapter Two
After butting heads in class, Einstein falls in love with the determined Mileva Maric. Their affair raises eyebrows.
S02E06
Chapter Six
Picasso takes Françoise Gilot on vacation. Young Pablo starts cubism with Georges Braque, but is accused of stealing the Mona Lisa.
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S04E08
Can You Imagine
- Directed by Director X.
- Written by Maria Warith-Wade
S04E07
The Sword and the Shield
- Directed by Director X.
- Written by Quran Squire
S04E05
Matriarchs
- Directed by Crystle Roberson Dorsey
- Written by Sigrid Gilmer
S04E06
The American Promise
- Directed by Crystle Roberson Dorsey
- Written by Marta Gene Camps
S04E04
Watch the Throne
- Directed by Crystle Roberson Dorsey
- Written by Maria Warith-Wade
S04E03
Protect Us
- Directed by Marta Cunningham
- Written by Raphael Jackson Jr., Damione Macedon
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
- Photo unavailable
Kenneth Biller
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Jeff Stetson
Creator
Suzan-Lori Parks
Creator
- Photo unavailable
Noah Pink
Creator
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Executive producer
Diana Son
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Craig Kallman
Executive producer
Brian Grazer
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Sam Sokolow
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Rachel Shane
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Anna Culp
Executive producer
Gigi Pritzker
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Jeff Cooney
Executive producer
Gabe Polsky
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Kristen Zolner
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Raphael Jackson Jr.
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Chris Cooney
Executive producer
Reggie Rock Bythewood
Executive producer
Clive Davis
Executive producer
Ron Howard
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Alan Polsky
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Damione Macedon
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Francie Calfo
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
John Valentine
Executive producer
Anthony Hemingway
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Wendy Riss
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Quran Squire
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Maria Warith-Wade
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Marta Gene Camps
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Sigrid Gilmer
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Robert M. Williams Jr.Producer
- Gina Prince-BythewoodExecutive Producer
- Diana SonExecutive Producer
- Craig KallmanExecutive Producer
- Brian GrazerExecutive Producer
- William M. ConnorProducer
Writing
- Wendy RissWriter
- Quran SquireWriter
- Jeff StetsonWriter
- Maria Warith-WadeWriter
- Raphael Jackson Jr.Writer
- Marta Gene CampsWriter
Direction
- Director X.Director
- Crystle Roberson DorseyDirector
- Marta CunninghamDirector
- Channing Godfrey PeoplesDirector
- Anthony HemingwayDirector
Cinematography
- Mathias HerndlDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
If you liked this
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
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2013
Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
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Where our editors would send you after the credits roll.
Never stop watching
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