'The Get Down' Season 2 News, Updates, Spoilers: Upcoming Instalment Already Awaiting Green Light; Everything You Need To Know About the Hiphop Drama
Amid all the sleeper hit "Stranger Things" hype, another Netflix television series steals the spotlight: Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Guirgis' "The Get Down," a musical drama set in the South Bronx. It follows a ragtag group of teenagers amid the birth of hip-hop during the 1970s, and explores deeper themes such as corrupt bureaucracies and rising violence in their communities.
"The Get Down" featured six hour-long episodes, starring Justice Smith (who plays Ezekiel Figuero), Shameik Moore (Shaolin Fantastic), and Jaden Smith (Marcus Kipling). Its pilot episode had been heavily criticized, but quickly gained momentum in its next five episodes. The artistic flair of Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) is quickly apparent in the show: gaudy, frenetic and pastiche.
So while you're busy pining away for Stranger Things (Season 2 is still far off ahead, people!) maybe it's time for you to catch up on this equally amazing series from Netflix! Here's everything you need to know about "The Get Down," from Season 1 happenings to its upcoming second season.
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Extremely relatable characters
"The Get Down" is essentially the narrative of hiphop seen through the eyes of the young Ezekiel (Smith), a high school drifter who's in love with Mylene Cruz (Herizen Guardiola). With him are his friends, who dance along to the tune of Latin music, ballroom, and disco, and discover for themselves what it's like to live in the 70s.
While The Get Down's cast and characters themselves are diverse (African-American, Hispanic), the storylines they bring along with them are incredibly relatable: a disgraced drifter who's still a little wide-eyed about the possibilities of the world, a young girl seeking escape from her extremely religious parents, nerdy teenagers, and a charming sociopathic political animal.
Luhrmann's flair and style
If you like Luhrmann's flashy, gaudy style, then "The Get Down" is for you, regardless of whether or not you're a fan of hip-hop or musicals in general. After all, Moulin Rouge! and Romeo+Juliet weren't box-office hits for nothing, because it's this distinctive style that sets his work apart from other directors. And if you don't, well, no need to fret: he only directs the pilot episode, which critics have panned for its jumpy editing.
Season 2 possible storylines
Because of the success of the first season, "The Get Down" is also likely to get the green light for a second season. According to executive producer Nelson George, the show will likely do a time jump into the early 1980s - the era of Prince, Michael Jackson, the rise of crack and the collapse of disco.
However, Luhrmann seems to be hinting at an early exit from "The Get Down," saying he would eventually want to move on to other projects. He admitted to looking for a younger director "capable of carrying the torch," though he did say he'll stick around to the end or at the least, until his work is done with the series.
Convinced of this new series? Watch "The Get Down" on Netflix!
