It helps that Aretha Franklin’s extraordinary expertise was matched by an equally dramatic life, one during which she dealt with disappointing males and labored with civil-rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. The first class begins with her father, Pastor C.L. Franklin (Courtney B. Vance), a philanderer who, an affiliate notes wryly, loves Saturday night time in addition to Sunday morning.
Aretha additionally marries younger to a household pal (Malcolm Barrett), who could be each jealous and abusive. Seeking to handle her profession, his type continuously works in opposition to her, including to the roadblocks erected by race and resistance to her singing, as she says, the way in which she feels it.
Record executives, at first, do not know what to do with her, earlier than she finds an ally in producer Jerry Wexler (David Cross). Yet even he wants some prodding and pushing to respect her inventive selections, together with her want to supply her information.
“Genius” additionally does a superb job in showcasing Franklin’s music, and at eight episodes (to play over 4 consecutive nights), there’s loads of time for it, with Erivo — a Tony winner for the musical “The Color Purple” — belting out the tunes in a way that evokes the Queen’s type whereas nonetheless making them her personal.
“I’m not afraid of hard work,” Aretha says throughout an early assembly. “I hope that’s clear.”
Deriving its episodic subtitles from Franklin songs, “Genius: Aretha” is a testomony to that tough work. And like the very best musical biographies, it enhances an appreciation of Franklin’s life and profession, with an ease and style that makes it look simple.
“Genius: Aretha” premieres March 21 at 9 p.m. on National Geographic, with episodes out there the following day on Hulu.
