Genius: Aretha (3×07, 3×08) Chain of Fools & No One Sleeps Review

For our review of the last episode of Genius: Aretha, click here.

Synopsis: Aretha steals an opportunity from her sister Carolyn; she receives a Grammy nomination but is ultimately snubbed from winning the award; she meets with Arista founder Clive Davis; Jerry Wexler leaves Atlantic Records, and he and Aretha part ways; Despite significant emotional losses, Aretha pushes herself artistically and triumphs; she begins a career at Arista with the help of Clive Davis, and in a Grammy performance in 1998, she solidifies her eternal reign as the Queen of Soul. (TVGuide)

And just like that, we’ve reached the end of this fabulous journey through Aretha Franklin’s life. While I loved the four-night event, I am saddened by the fact that we don’t have more episodes to look forward to. The Genius series has consistently been a personal favorite, so it’s always sad to see a season end, especially since the one before this was nearly three years ago.

In any case, the final two episodes of the four-night event brought justice to the story we were being told, starting off with Chain of Fools. Heading into the late 70s, disco was all the rage and despite the resistance Aretha once had to the disco genre, she inevitably gives in, if only to stay relevant with the times.

What is very interesting about this portion of Aretha’s life is her desire to do whatever she can to stay on top of her game. Naturally, over time, even the best of artists lose their appeal, but not if Aretha had anything to do with it. She went to great lengths including stealing a big opportunity from her sister Carolyn. An album that should have been Carolyn’s is taken over by Aretha, and it puts a damper on the relationship these two sisters share, but luckily, it’s not lifelong.

In fact, when she is up for a Grammy, Carolyn, along with the rest of the family gathers together and is glued to the television screens to see if Aretha won the big award. Unfortunately, she doesn’t and it hits her incredibly hard, especially since it comes at a time where she’s just had her second divorce and learns that Jerry Wexler is leaving Atlantic Records. It’s a lot to process but luckily for her, she has a new man by her side, actor Glynn Turman. Unlike the others, there is a special bond that these two share and it’s obvious from the get-go. He’s incredibly supportive and lifts her up in her time of need–and we are so here for that kind of romance!

But as Aretha continues to push through in her career and think about life after her contract with Atlantic Records, she gets devastating news–her father, C.L. Franklin has been shot in his own home.

No One Sleeps closes out this journey and picks up right where the last episode left off with Aretha learning the news about C.L. being shot. Despite their tumultuous journey as father and daughter, Aretha is struck with devastation and disbelief over the thought of losing her father. So much so that despite him being in a coma, she chooses to go back and forth between Los Angeles and Detroit to ensure she is there for the family. She remains dedicated to her father, despite him never waking up from a coma, until his death in 1984. It was a monumental loss for Aretha who got to where she was with the relentless pushing and encouragement from her father.

But despite the setbacks, we see Aretha continue to persevere and create the best music she is capable of creating. When her contract with Atlantic Records expires, she decides to join Arista Records alongside Clive Davis who takes her to new heights. This eventually brings Aretha back into the game, bigger and better than she had ever been before.

The season closes out with Aretha in her later years getting ready to perform at the 1998 Grammys, and as always, she kills it. But what ends up going down in history is when she steps in for Luciana Pavarotti who was too sick to make his performance. That night he was meant to perform “Nessun Dorma”, but instead Aretha stepped and blew the audience away with her operatic rendition of the song. This woman really could do everything–and we are forever better for it.

Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018 in Detroit, Michigan, and left behind a legacy that we will never forget. And I’m so thankful to the Genius team for bringing her story to this franchise. Her story was worth being told, and bringing it all to magnificent life was none other than Cynthia Erivo, who is definitely getting recognition for her phenomenal performance in Genius: Aretha. I’m saying it now, folks!

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