There’s a test that any narrative project about a great performer has to pass. At any point in the proceedings, do you find yourself wanting to turn it off and go watch the real subject do their thing? Bohemian Rhapsody, for instance, fails this test in many ways but particularly in its final sequence, which recreates Queen’s Live Aid set with a lot of CGI. Why not just cue up YouTube and watch Queen’s actual Live Aid performance? Now, the new instalment of Nat Geo’s Genius anthology series faces a similar problem with regards to its subject, Aretha Franklin, specifically in the sixth episode, “Amazing Grace.”

The hour-which closes out the season’s three-night run on Tuesday, with all six episodes available on Foxtel on Wednesday-attempts to recreate the live recording of Franklin’s 1972 gospel album at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church. And while Cynthia Erivo, who portrays Franklin, has an astounding voice, I couldn’t help but want to turn off the screener and turn on Amazing Grace, the 2018 documentary now streaming on Hulu, which consists of archival footage of the actual recording session filmed by director Sydney Pollack. As talented as Erivo is, Franklin herself is just a few clicks away, possibly on the very same streaming service, if you choose to watch Genius: Aretha on Hulu.

The latest instalment of the Genius anthology comes with a lot of anticipation but also a dose of controversy, with members of Franklin’s family alleging that producers refused to reach out to them in preparation. (They are cooperating with a feature film due out later this year, Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson.) Genius: Aretha isn’t disrespectful-at least not in the way that her son’s comments imply. But it also fails in its ultimate mission of honouring Franklin’s genius. Developed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, Genius: Aretha jumps back and forth in time to tell a comprehensive story of Franklin’s life and career. She is portrayed as a young girl by Shaian Jordan, while Erivo takes over when Aretha matures into adulthood. Both sing incredibly, and the most electrifying sequences are when Parks allows the music to guide the plot. But all too frequently, the dialogue scenes rely on almost goofy moments of revelation to demonstrate how Aretha is evolving as an artist. (Call it the Walk Hard curse: Anytime a music biopic makes you think of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, it’s a bad sign.)

Most egregiously, whenever Erivo’s Aretha is not singing she’s dwarfed on screen by the towering male figures around her. The first four episodes document a war for control over her life and career between her first husband Ted White (Malcolm Barrett) and her preacher father C.L. Franklin (Courtney B. Vance). When Ted exits the picture, the legacy and troubles of C.L. become even more of a burden. Vance gives a typically excellent performance, but you’ll begin to notice how much focus he takes away from Aretha herself. Similarly, the attention to C.L. comes at the expense of the development of any other important relationships in her life. For instance, her sisters, also musicians, are given short shrift, and the competition among them is hastily resolved.

Erivo, who rose to fame in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, plays Aretha with deliberate focus. She’s a woman who chooses her words carefully, but flourishes when she’s singing. And Erivo’s singing is extraordinary. She does not do an impression of Aretha, but rather an interpretation of her style. She’s incredible, but she’s also not Aretha Franklin. And that’s why I felt myself drawn to abandon Genius and seek out the voice of the legendary singer it aims to honour.

Esther Zuckerman is a senior entertainment writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @ezwrites.