I'll be honest, I've had my fair share of binge watching Netflix series, and it's something I'm not too proud of. I promised myself this summer I would cut back on the amount of time I spent staring at my computer screen devouring senseless dramas and comedies. However, when I heard Netflix came out with a new original series called "The Get Down," I just couldn't help myself.
About a week ago I was moseying, (well really I was completely lost), around Gramercy in the city. Trying not to look too lost, I leaned against a chain-linked fence covered with colorful posters while I tried to figure out where I was supposed to be going. Once I figured out what direction I was headed in, I glimpsed down at the posters and read, "Netflix Original: The Get Down." I immediately made a mental note to check out the first episode when I got home. As it goes, that night I watched the first episode, and the second, and the third, and I guess you can figure out the rest. While "The Get Down" wasn't my favorite Netflix series it definitely was one of the most interesting and unique series I've ever watched.
"The Get Down" is a scripted drama that depicts the origins of hip hop and disco through the lives of teenagers in the South Bronx during the 1970s. The series gets its name from 1970s cira slang, when "get down" meant to party and or dance. A quick history lesson is surely beneficial before watching. During the 1970s the South Bronx was in complete chaos. The borough was poverty stricken, and running rampant with drugs. Street gangs quickly formed and claimed their section of the city. It was common for street gangs to steal whatever they could from residence buildings, and then burn them to the ground. It was also common for landlords to burn their own buildings because the insurance value was greater than their current profit. So all in all, the Bronx in the '70s was not safe, or stable.
Now back to the series, each episode begins with Ezekiel, (the main character), in what we assume is Madison Square Garden rapping about his past in the Bronx. Ezekiel, or Z, raps about specific events that are to follow in the individual episodes. The opening scenes of Z parallel the "rags to riches" mentality that original hip-hop artists had. The episodes then flash back to when Z was a teenager and recount his pursuit of hip hop music. Since the series is centered around disco and hip hop, you can rest assure that there will be plenty of tunes to sing and dance along to. If you want to listen to the soundtrack on repeat you can head over to Itunes. Itunes recently released an album containing all the songs from the first part of the series. Besides the throwback and new Netflix original songs, I was also intrigued by how the editors included raw footage of the Bronx in the 1970s. The raw footage reminds viewers that "The Get Down" isn't a fictional series but something that actually happened.
While I devoured "The Get Down" like it was chocolate, the first episode has some hiccups. I found the acting in the first episode to be sub par. However, after the first episode, the talent definitely stepped it up. The first episode is long, 93 minutes long to be exact. The rest of the episodes range from 53 minutes to 64 minutes long. So if you're going to watch the series, make sure you allot yourself enough time! Finally, the first episode was extremely hard to follow, (well at least for me). Most of the characters are not properly introduced, or well-developed. The plot, at least for the first episode, is all over the place with no clear direction. However, even with the flaws of the first episode the upbeat music and overall premise of the series kept me watching.
The show may not be for everyone, but I suggest giving it a try!
