Genius: Aretha (3×01) Respect Early Review

Synopsis: Desperate for a hit, Aretha travels back to Muscle Shoals in 1967 to record her first album with Atlantic Records. After suffering the loss of her surrogate mother, Little Re braves her first solo in 1953. in her father’s, C.L. Franklin, church. (IMDB)

Genius is officially back, folks! It’s been nearly three years since the series aired its second season following the life of famed artist Pablo Picasso, and now it’s back, this time covering the life of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Whether or not one is a fan of her music, one thing is for certain–you will fall in love with Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Franklin. Unlike past seasons, Genius: Aretha is airing as a four-night event, with two episodes per night leading up to March 25th, Aretha Franklin’s birthday. It’s the opportune time to get to know the Queen of Soul and her incredible and difficult journey to becoming one of the most famous soul singers of our time.

The season 3 premiere flashes back and forth between the past and the present to give viewers a better idea of the pivotal moments that shaped Franklin’s life. We start off at a concert in 1967 in Chicago where she is crowned as the Queen of Soul, much to her surprise. But getting to that point was anything but simple, as the premiere begins to reveal from that point onwards.

Much of Franklin’s childhood was commanded by her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin (Courtney B. Vance), who had a very dominating presence about him. He adored Aretha, but there was a side of him that often broke her heart, and as she grew older she came to understand that he wasn’t exactly the perfect father. The premiere also introduces us to Aretha’s two sisters, who sang backup vocals for her throughout her career. Patrice Covington and Rebecca Naomi Jones do a phenomenal job as Erma and Carolyn, respectively, and it will be exciting to see more from them.

In the premiere, we meet Aretha’s first husband and manager, Ted White (Malcolm Barrett). He’s not exactly the most supporting and loving husband in the world, and it rather seems that he was hitching along on the ride to Aretha’s fame. For one, the episode reveals that Ted and Aretha met when she was just a child, but as we flash forward to the present, it seems like the two eventually get married. Clearly, there was some understanding that Aretha was destined for great things. And then, his behavior during the episode, especially when Aretha is trying to record her first album, shows how unsupportive he really is. But the Queen of Soul is shown standing her ground, not taking any crap from any man!

The highlight of the episode was watching Franklin begin her musical career with a group of musicians she absolutely did not anticipate hitting it off with. David Cross plays music producer Jerry Wexler, who seems genuinely invested in Aretha’s talent and her ability to create the most amazing music. Seeing Cross in such a different role is jarring, but he’s off to an amazing start.

Franklin’s start at Atlantic Records is a bit awkward at first, especially given that it takes her to Muscle Shoals–a small, mostly white, town. She didn’t feel the all-white rhythm section could create the music she was looking for. But with her ability to dive deep into her music, Aretha and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section begin to create some of her most iconic music–and boy, is it thrilling to watch.

There is a lot more to be expected from Genius: Aretha in the coming episodes, and I’m excited to see more of Erivo’s stellar performance as Aretha Franklin. And it’s also worth mentioning Shaian Jordan who plays the younger version of Franklin. Never have I heard such a beautiful voice from a child, and I’m going to go ahead and say this now–this girl is going places so don’t forget her name!

All in all, Genius: Aretha is off to an amazing start, and this is just the beginning!

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