By Travis Johnson
The life of noted 20th Century physicist Albert Einstein gets the prestige series treatment in Genius, an upcoming 10 parter from the good folks at National Geographic.
Tracing the wild-haired brainiac’s journey from patent clerk to literal cultural manifestation of “smart”, the series is based on Walter Isaacson’s Einstein: His Life and Universe, and stars the great Geoffrey Rush as Einstein, Johnny Flynn (Lovesick) as young Einstein*; Emily Watson (The Theory of Everything) as Einstein’s second wife, Elsa; Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones) as physicist Dr. Philipp Lenard, an early role model for a young Einstein; Seth Gabel (Fringe) as Einstein’s longtime friend and confidant Michele Besso; Samantha Colley (Victoria) as Mileva Maric, a fellow student of Einstein’s during his university years in Zurich, who later became his first wife and mother to his three children; and Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men) as Raymond Geist, a consulate official in Berlin.
This should be fascinating, not just because of Einstein’s remarkable work but because of the milieu he did it in – the middle of the 20th century was a carnival of political and martial horrors, and it looks like the series won’t shy away from that (note the fluttering Swastika flags).
Genius is set to air some time in April this year.
*sadly, not the one you’re thinking of.
