Emily the Genius

Emily Jones has just been declared a genius - her test scores are off the charts, her parents are overjoyed, and her father Simon, the judge, proudly shows her his courthouse and dreams of the day she might follow in his footsteps. Then Miss Adelaide quietly delivers the truth: the scores belonged to another student, and Emily's are only a little above average. Unable to bear disappointing her family, Emily keeps the mix-up secret and begs to take the advanced exam anyway. With Eugene and Matthew's reluctant help, she crams history, science, math, and government into one exhausting week... until she falls asleep in a corner of the library and the whole story comes out. When Simon finds her, Emily admits that being a genius made her feel good enough to be like him - and he assures her his love was never riding on a test score. Emily takes the exam, misses the advanced classes, and discovers that what drove her all along wasn't brains at all. It was love.

Found on Clanging Cymbals...and the Meaning of God's Love Album 54 · 12 episodes

The run See every episode

0693 The Amazing Loser A musical scavenger hunt through Odyssey puts Barrett's teamwork - and his priorities - to the test when winning and doing the right thing pull in opposite directions.

0694 Anger Mismanagement When a classmate steals the spotlight on her friend's homecoming float project, Olivia must learn what to do with her anger before it costs her more than she realizes.

0695 Forgiving More...or Less When a school recording project goes sideways and a broken machine goes unconfessed, young Camilla discovers that forgiving others is a lot trickier than it sounds.

0696 You're Two Kind A student's offer to help a struggling classmate is tested when kindness, secrets, and hurt feelings collide over a class project.

0697 A Penny Earned When free-spirited artist Penny can't find a job in Odyssey, her friends scramble to help her find work before she's forced to move back home.

0698 Never for Nothing When Matthew questions why anyone should keep showing kindness to people who don't deserve it, his grandmother-in-town Lucia's story of a childhood friend who believed love is never wasted begins to reveal an unexpected answer.

0699 Emily the Genius When a school aptitude test labels Emily a genius, her family's newfound pride sets her on a path she'll do anything to stay on.

0700 How to Sink a Sub When Katrina takes over a middle school literature class, her high standards spark a student rebellion - and Olivia must decide whether to trust her friend or follow the crowd.

0701 Unbecoming Jay When a scheming Jay pawns off his visiting cousin on an unsuspecting friend, an unlikely friendship blooms - and Jay can't leave well enough alone.

0702 Childish Things Burned by a past betrayal, Penny turns to a body-language book to instantly judge who she can trust - and starts seeing deception in everyone around her.

1 of 3 0703 The Labyrinth An undercover agent's sting goes sideways in London, leaving him framed, hunted on all sides, and saddled with a streetwise young orphan who knows too much.

2 of 3 0704 The Labyrinth Framed as a traitor and hunted in London, Jason races to uncover what his enemy has planned for a gathering of world leaders at the British Museum.

3 of 3 0705 The Labyrinth Held captive by criminals with a deadly bioweapon hidden inside museum antiques, Jason must find a way to stop an attack on visiting heads of state before the exhibition opens.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 4 more roles

4 supporting roles

Rhonda Adelaide Barbara Niles Simon Jones Joel McCrary Dorothy Jones April Stewart Whit's End Patron Samuel Buhler

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Bob Hoose Writer · Director · Producer Christopher Diehl Sound Designer Dave Arnold Executive Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 2 min

The Jones family receives astonishing results from Emily's school aptitude test: her writing and reasoning scores are extraordinary, and she appears to be a genius. If she places in the highest group on a follow-up exam, she can enter advanced classes and gain an advantage toward future scholarships. Her parents are thrilled, and Matthew proudly calls her a female version of Eugene.

The news changes the way everyone treats Emily. Her mother tells nearly everyone she meets, while Simon gives his daughter a special tour of his courthouse chambers. Emily enjoys seeing the demanding study behind his work as a judge and imagines that she might someday follow him. Simon's pride creates a new sense of connection between them that she treasures.

Then Miss Adelaide privately reveals an error. Emily's scores were confused with those of Lori Jones. Emily has actually scored only a little above average and is not required to take the advanced exam. Unable to face her family's disappointment, she persuades Miss Adelaide to recommend her for the test anyway and keeps the mistake secret.

Emily asks Eugene and Matthew to help her learn an enormous range of subjects in one week. They warn her to tell her parents, but she insists that success will be a gift to them and proof that she can live up to their hopes. She studies history, science, mathematics, and government until she can barely stay awake.

Her parents notice her exhaustion but misunderstand its cause. Believing she is working to make the most of her exceptional scores, they give her a music player to help her study and repeat how proud they are. Their praise increases Emily's fear that the truth will make her seem unworthy.

One night, Emily leaves home to study at the library and falls asleep in a hidden corner as the building is about to close. Matthew tells her worried family where she is and explains the mix-up. Simon finds Emily and asks why she hid the truth. She admits that for a little while, being a genius made her feel good enough to be like him.

Simon assures Emily that his love and pride do not depend on a test, a career, or any imagined future. He wishes he had never made her feel otherwise and reminds her that her own effort is worth honoring. Emily still chooses to take the exam because she wants to discover what her hard work can accomplish, and Simon promises to frame the result whatever it says.

Emily does not qualify for the advanced classes. Instead, Miss Adelaide invites her to teach other students how to prepare for the state tests because her passion and persistence are remarkable examples. Emily declines; she knows the one force behind her determined effort cannot be taught as a study method. It is love.