After starting its “Genius” series with biographical portraits of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, the focus turns to the Queen of Soul in the new “Genius” Aretha Franklin” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.).
Cynthia Erivo certainly has the pipes to play the iconic singer (though she seems a little diminutive for the role). Suzan-Lori Parks’ script shifts from childhood, singing in her father’s church, to her early days in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
It’s got a lot in common with Parks’ other recent screenplay “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” in that men closest to the singers are often provide the biggest obstacles. But there’s a lot of nice detail in the production — and of course, great music — that will make the four consecutive nights entertaining. Courtney B. Vance plays C.L. Franklin; David Cross is a convincing Jerry Wexler.
HBO is getting into the habit of maddening documentaries. After four hours of “Allen v. Farrow,” here’s comes six hours about Qanon, “Q: Into the Storm” (HBO, 9 p.m.). It’s worth looking into the seriously twisted conspiracy vortex that Trump and white supremacists embraced and benefited from. But filmmaker Cullen Hoback seems to have as much fun playing cat and mouse with the insufferable creators of 8chan, who soon tire with their riddles, lies and misogyny (they seem to have made their money from porn).
A two hour “American Idol” (ABC, 8 p.m.) has its Hollywood Week.
In the Australian import “The Gloaming” (Starz, 9 p.m.), Emma Booth and Ewen Leslie play detectives who confront the occult on a case.
The season finale of “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” (CNN, 9 p.m.) ends in Sicily.