‘Genius’ Showrunner: ‘Hopefully’ Next Season Will Feature Female Genius

TCA 2018: Or maybe it’ll be Leonardo da Vinci

Genius Picasso Antonio Banderas
Nat Geo

Nat Geo’s “Genius” has gone 2-for-2 featuring European male geniuses — when will the fairer sex get their fair shot? That is a question that came up Saturday at the show’s Television Critics Association press tour panel.

“While we certainly intend to and hope to tell stories about women, we didn’t restrict ourselves in that way,” showrunner Ken Biller said in response. “We decided, you know, ‘How do we follow Einstein? What is the next big story we can tell?’”

Albert Einstein was the subject “Genius” Season 1, earning an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for actor Geoffrey Rush. This coming run is about Pablo Picasso, played by Antonio Banderas (pictured above).

“Because of what history has written, there are a few iconic geniuses in the world that are really undeniable,” Biller continued, citing his first two “geniuses” — and also Leonardo da Vinci, who sounds like a shoe-in for another year. “While at the center of our show we have these iconic figures, we have taken great pains and taken great pleasure, in fact, in exploring the equally brilliant women that surround [them].’”

Still, we can do better here.

“Hopefully for the next season we’ll find a woman to explore,” Biller concluded.

Ten-part event series “Genius: Picasso” premieres in April on National Geographic Channel.

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