How to Watch Genius: MLK/X

The Spool Staff
November 21st, 2024

Just a few days after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National Geographic is set to premiere a new season of its award-winning anthology show Genius, this one titled Genius: MLK/X. The eight-episode series will take a look at the roles Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) played in pioneering justice and democracy in America.

Though MLK and X famously disagreed on their approach (the former championing non-violence, the latter believing it could be used for good), they both dreamt of the same peace for everyone. According to the Nat Geo press release, Genius: MLK/X aims to show how the two—despite only officially meeting once—actually fueled one another in galvanizing the public into action.

Where to watch Genius: MLK/X

The fourth season of Genius will premiere on the National Geographic channel on Thursday, February 1, at 9 pm ET/PT. Two episodes will air that day, and they’ll be available to stream the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

There are three ways to watch Genius: MLK/X: live on National Geographic TV or the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Genius: MLK/X on Hulu

“What is Hulu?” – said no one after the year 2010, but here is a refresher and a link to subscribe:

Hulu

Hulu may be on the cheaper side at just $7.99/month, but the on-demand streaming service boasts an ever-growing catalog of original series like The Handmaid’s Tale, primetime hits like Modern Family, and BBC imports like Killing Eve. It’s also where you’ll find FX’s critically acclaimed titles like Atlanta, Fargo, and Reservation Dogs. Hulu runs on ads, but if you can’t stand commercials, you can go ad-free for $17.99/month.

Genius: MLK/X on Disney+

Like Hulu, Disney+ is quickly rising to be the streamer of choice in the US, but in case you’re not subscribed yet, here’s a rundown:

Disney+

The on-demand streaming service Disney+ gives you access to thousands of films and TV shows not just from Disney itself, but from partner studios like Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, National Geographic, and ABC. It's a giant umbrella of content for a fairly reasonable price of $7.99/month with ads and $13.99/month without, but if you want even more, Disney+ offers premium add-ons you can stack to your plan, as well as the famous Trio bundle, which gives you Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ at a discounted price.

Genius: MLK/X on National Geographic

Finally, you can watch Genius: MLK/X on the National Geographic channel without cable on one of these cord-cutting services:

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is a streaming service that offers everything from live TV, local channels, on-demand films, sports packages, and even premium cable networks like HBO and Starz for an additional fee. Its plans, which start at $70/month, are on the pricier side of live TV, but that’s because it offers unlimited DVR and streams on top of at least 75 channels, depending on the plan you pick.

Fubo

Designed for the ultimate sports fan, Fubo is an on-demand and live TV service that streams games from multiple leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and the Premier League. You can get up to 215 live channels on your lineup, which includes coverage on RSNs and local stations, though you might have to pay extra if you want premium entertainment channels like Starz and Showtime.

Hulu with Live TV

Combining the best of streaming and cable, Hulu with Live TV pairs Hulu’s original programming like Only Murders in the Building, imports like Normal People, and licensed ABC shows like Modern Family with live TV channels like CNN, CBS, and TCM to give you an all-in-one TV package. The plans start at $77/month (with ads), but for an additional fee, you can upgrade to a bundle that removes commercials and throws in Disney+ and ESPN+ to the mix.

YouTube TV

Often dubbed as the best cordless replacement to cable, YouTube TV is a live TV streaming platform that gives you access to more than 100 channels, sporting events, local channels, unlimited DVR space, and up to three simultaneous streams. But what really gives YouTube TV its edge is customization; depending on your needs, you can easily add premium channels like HBO, sports channels like NFL Redzone, and Spanish channels like Unimas to your preferred lineup.

DirecTV Stream Ultimate

DirecTV Stream Ultimate is the second-biggest package offered by DirecTV Stream. With it, you get up to 160 channels (up 40 channels from the previous tier) across entertainment, sports, and news. That’s almost any channel you can think of—from TBS and USA; to ESPN and CBS Sports; to CNN and BBC News; and so much more. You get it all, plus tens of thousands of on-demand titles for the price of $109.99/month (saving you roughly $40/month from the package after it), so if the budget allows, it's worth trying the Ultimate plan yourself.

Sling TV with All Extras

Sling TV offers Orange, Blue, and various specific package options like Sports and Entertainment extras if you want to bling out on extra channels. Orange offers 34 channels including Disney Channel and ESPN, while Blue offers a little more at 42 channels including MSNBC and Fox News. Each go for $40/month, but together go for $55/month with 46 channels. Plus, you even get $25 off of your first month, making Sling TV (and its various extras) one of the most affordable plans to consider.

Sling TV

Slings TV is a relatively affordable and wide-ranging live TV streaming service that has three main plans: the family-friendly Sling Orange, the sports-and-news-focused Sling Blue, and the comprehensive Sling Orange + Blue. The latter has a total of 46 channels, including IFC, TNT, and MGM, plus cloud DVR and simultaneous streams. You can also add multiple add-ons, like the Sports Extra, the News Extra, and the International Extra, to enhance your base package.

Fubo Elite

If you're a sports fan looking to cover all your bases, Fubo Elite has more than 256 channels and 130 live events that cover sports of all kinds, from basketball to cricket to golf. Channels include ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and FS2, beIN Sports, NFL Network, all the BIG Networks, and more. Depending on where you live, you should also have all the major local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. Even though Fubo Elite is a notch above the basic tier, with unlimited DVR and simultaneous screens, it still notably does not have Turner channels like CNN, TNT, and TBS.

DirecTVStream Optimo Más

DirecTVStream's Spanish-language plan boasts a hundred channels, including major networks like Univision and Telemundo in select markets, and plenty of Hispanicized favorites like Nat Geo Mundo, CNN es Español, and Hogar de HGTV. At $80/month, Optimo Más is a lot pricer than other Spanish plans like Fubo Latino, which goes for about $35/month, but it generally has more channels (in Spanish and English alike) and offers great features like three simultaneous streams and unlimited DVR. Unlike with DirecTV cable, you can easily cancel your subscription with the contract-less Optimo Más if you're not satisfied.

Spectrum TV Stream

Spectrum TV Stream is the internet provider's most affordable TV plan yet. At $40/month, it offers cable channels like CNN, TCM, and Disney, but notably, it does not include sports and local channels in its catalog. For that, you'd have to look at Spectrum's other plans, like Spectrum TV Choice. TV Stream is only available for Spectrum internet users, and to date, it has yet to offer a free trial. It may not sound like it has a lot going for it, but TV Stream is actually a great option for Spectrum customers looking for leaner (read: sports-less) TV packages that can conveniently be paid along with the internet.

Where to stream past seasons

Each season of Genius is dedicated to a pioneer of an era. Season 1 was about Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush), season 2 Pablo Picasso (Antonio Banderas), and season 3 Aretha Franklin (Cynthia Erivo). Normally, you’d be able to watch them on Hulu, but for whatever reason, they’re currently unavailable on the platform.

Our guess is that there might be some temporary backend issues as Genius prepares to be available not just on Hulu this season, but on Disney+ as well. In the meantime, you can check both platforms regularly until the show returns.

Hulu

Hulu may be on the cheaper side at just $7.99/month, but the on-demand streaming service boasts an ever-growing catalog of original series like The Handmaid’s Tale, primetime hits like Modern Family, and BBC imports like Killing Eve. It’s also where you’ll find FX’s critically acclaimed titles like Atlanta, Fargo, and Reservation Dogs. Hulu runs on ads, but if you can’t stand commercials, you can go ad-free for $17.99/month.

Disney+

The on-demand streaming service Disney+ gives you access to thousands of films and TV shows not just from Disney itself, but from partner studios like Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, National Geographic, and ABC. It's a giant umbrella of content for a fairly reasonable price of $7.99/month with ads and $13.99/month without, but if you want even more, Disney+ offers premium add-ons you can stack to your plan, as well as the famous Trio bundle, which gives you Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ at a discounted price.