With a series of announcements, Netflix also released a new trailer for The Get Down: Part II. The musical drama focuses on the music scene in the 1970s, detailing the transition from disco to hip-hop as told by aspiring teenagers from the Bronx. It focuses on two rising groups, The Get Down Brothers, led by Ezekiel Figuero, and The Soul Madonnas, lead by Mylene Cruz. It is created by Academy Award nominee, Baz Luhrmann, and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Stephen Adly Guirgis. Part II begins a year after the first season, in 1978.
The last trailer was upbeat, but this one is much more grim. The drama continues, but the stakes are raised as record label giants come in to barter the two groups’ potential. The Get Down’s continued success comes with Shaolin Fantastic’s continued dealings with local drug lords. Tensions rise in both Zeke and Mylene’s families, and the groups entering the commercial industry puts their relationship at risk. The question of who is benefiting from the music is brought up again and again, and the main characters’ dreams remains on shaky ground.
Each episode is filled with exciting music and gorgeously accurate visuals, but that comes with a hefty price tag. In efforts to replicate the atmosphere for the time, each episode is estimated to cost about $16 million, with the entire twelve episode season at about $190 million. The Get Down has gained some success, but is not one of the top ten shows on Netflix, raising some concerns. However, it performs well in certain demographics, drawing in large numbers of Hispanic and African-American viewers, as well as fans of hip-hop. It has been praised for its visuals, but criticized for its slow pacing. Hopefully the large amount of drama this season has packing will not only raise the stakes for the characters, but for the viewers as well.
