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‘Genius: MLK/X’ Delivers an Enthralling Illustration of the Civil Rights Movement and Its Leaders: TV Review


Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre's turns as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, present a stunning and complex view of the activists.

“MLK/X” showcases not just the parallel lives of these men but of their wives – Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), freedom fighters who sacrificed so much so that our country, despite its many ills, might heal some of the rot. But over eight episodes, “MLK/X” offers a refreshing, enthralling perspective that echoes the mastery of Raoul Peck’s James Baldwin-centered documentary “I Am Not Your Negro.” Beautifully stylized and utilizing modern music like Joonie’s “Timeless Love” during the Kings’ wedding reception or Tem’s “The Key” following Malcolm X’s prison release are inspired choices. As our current political climate has become increasingly more volatile, it is apparent how present history is, especially when the show turns its lens on protests and people like the white supremacist Senator Strom Thurmond (Donal Logue).

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