‘The Get Down’ Returns With Much Melodrama

It’s been eight months since we all got down with ‘The Get Down’, marvelling at its unique take on the decline of disco and the origins of hip-hop with musical mastermind Baz Luhrmann in the mix.

Six episodes in and recently premiering part two of the first season, ‘The Get Down’ returns to pick up a little further than where it left off. Catching up with Ezekiel ‘Books’ Figaro, DJ Shaolin Fantastic, The Get Down Brothers and Mylene Cruz and The Soul Madonnas, the five-episode update finds the ensemble still in the Bronx but doing the damn thing.

Somewhat.

Mylene’s strict pastor father is letting her sing but only if the music is wholesome or the gig is a fundraiser for the church and The Get Down Brothers have a standing gig and a real chance at ruling Les Inferno despite Cadillac’s obsession with clinging to disco for dear life.

Continuing in its juxtaposition of the realities and history of the Bronx through archival footage, part two adds animation to the performance extravaganzas, documentary snippets, melodrama and flash forwards in a way that seems more superfluous than functional.

The same can be said for a scene near the end of the season in which Mylene steps into her own at a club called Rubicon which seems lifted right off a Moulin Rouge storyboard.

Erratic, abbreviated and plot holey to the max, Part 2 pays far less attention to narrative and believable character development in favour of a striking series of set pieces and much melodrama.

Losing some of the first season’s gravity and focus on the nascence of hip-hop, Part 2 nods at the LGBTQI community, the Bronx’s burgeoning drug scene and even sexual abuse without delving into the issues in a manner that serves up any real repercussions save the show’s take on the stricture of the church.

The cast, however, makes do.

Elevating their clunky dialogue and underdeveloped characters through some great performances, Part 2 highlights the talents of Shameik Moore, Jaden Smith, Herizen F. Guardiola and Justice Smith who all seem worthy of centre stage.

See this to get to the end of the song, even though the final caption and cut to ‘Rapper’s Delight’ may not leave you entirely in tune with how we got there.

‘The Get Down: Part 2’ is now streaming on Netflix.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.