Genius (2017)

Having only seen these two hours, it’s hard to know how the series will proceed, though it is much more promising after the second installment. The series is at its best, rather ironically, when it’s not dealing with time (or jumping through it) and focuses on smaller, human moments rather than broad strokes from history.

[Ron Howard's] segment is an ungraceful arrangement of exposition and too-convenient characterizations. This becomes even more obvious when we reach episode 2, directed by British TV vet Minkie Spiro, which spends most of its time on the young Einstein and his first wife and co-genius Mileva Maric (Samantha Colley), turning her into an enthralling heroine and their relationship into something moving and fierce.

Genius may not entirely avoid the hokey pitfalls of the biopic genre, but it makes you feel smart for watching. [17-30 Apr 2017, p.19]

Based on a sampling of Genius it's difficult to recommend sticking around to the end for an idea that, alas, probably looked better scribbled on a chalkboard.

The series’ first [season] is merely serviceable.

Episodes one and two jump around to a few different periods in the Nobel Prize winner’s life, but in the early going, Genius quite doesn’t land on the most interesting time frames, or find consistently thoughtful ways to illuminate the eras it does explore.

The bifurcated structure sometimes works against the otherwise effective dramatic vision of the series. Just when you are getting into something young Albert is doing, you’re catapulted back to old Albert. That said, the performances are winning.