Skip to main content

Second part of season 1 of Netflix show ‘The Get Down’ will have fewer episodes

Sometimes less can actually get you more. In a recent interview, Baz Luhrmann, the showrunner for the Netflix series The Get Down, revealed that the second part of its first season will consist of only five episodes while introducing animations to the show.

The first season was reported to originally consist of 13 episodes, but that number was later reduced by one episode, to 12. After releasing the first six episodes in August 2016 — breaking the Netflix paradigm of complete-season releases — Luhrmann says the decision to do five episodes — for a new season 1 total of 11 — for the second half was to ensure they were making episodes for the right reasons. “We were particularly concerned with making sure, with the musical numbers and density of each episode, that we weren’t finding ourselves “padding” in material for the sake of a making a number,” Luhrmann said.

The show may be returning with less episodes, but we still may get more from Books and the Get Down Crew. Luhrmann said the finale episode of the second part of season 1 will be 75 minutes, roughly 20 minutes longer than part one finale.

One of the newest additions to the fictional Bronx-set show are animations, which Luhrmann described as being fiscally and creatively helpful. The second part of The Get Down‘s inaugural season will have multiple episodes that feature animations. “There’s only so much that dialogue is going to be able to tell you about Dizzee and Thor, because they’re not very verbal,” Luhrmann said. “Whereas in the animation, going inside their own fantasy and understanding how they are living in their own artistic fantasy, it allows you to go with them.”

Luhrmann also said “the animation was a better way of doing it financially than if you tried to do those complicated things with CG or whatever.” That is very important to a TV show that reportedly costs more than $10 million per episode to produce.

Luhrmann says he has already started working on what is next for The Get Down, and “Sony and Netflix have been very driven about having a second season.” So, we may get an announcement regarding that later this year.

The Get Down returns to Netflix on April 7.

Editors' Recommendations

Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
How to get Netflix for free
Netflix login screen

Netflix does not offer free trials. That’s unfortunate news for those of us looking to test the waters with one of the world’s top streaming platforms. Fortunately, there are a couple of backdoor methods you can use to get Netflix for free.

Will Netflix ever bring back free trials? It’s hard to say, but riding the coattails of another family member’s subscription, or cashing in on an ISP promo are a few ways to stream Netflix movies and shows without forking over any dough. Let's take a crack at it, shall we?
How much does Netflix cost?

Read more
3 underrated shows on Netflix you need to watch in February
Four people pose in front of a car for a picture in White Lines.

February marks the arrival of new TV shows on Netflix. Love is Blind, Netflix's hit reality dating show, returns on Valentine's Day with a group of men and women hitting the pods. Meanwhile, the long-awaited live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres February 22. Both series are bound to find a spot in the weekly top 10 list of the most popular shows on Netflix.

Once you move past the marquee shows, you'll realize there are hundreds of other good programs on Netflix. Many of these series are undervalued despite their dedicated audience and critical acclaim. These three underrated shows should be next in your Netflix queue this February. Our picks include a Canadian mockumentary, a sports docuseries, and a thriller from the Money Heist creator.
White Lines (2020)

Read more
Like the hit Netflix show Fool Me Once? Then watch these three shows right now
Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once.

Netflix subscribers love their thrillers. That may be why the recently released Fool Me Once is now one of the most popular shows on Netflix. In this adaptation of Harlan Coben's hit novel, Michelle Keegan stars as Maya Stern, a woman who is emotionally bereft after the death of her husband, Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage). When Maya sees proof that Joe isn't dead, it sends her down a rabbit hole as she tries to figure out why his death was faked.

Once you've finished watching Fool Me Once, you should check out these three other shows on Netflix that you should watch. All of our picks are mysteries and thrillers, but only the first show on our list, Bodies, actually adds some sci-fi elements to the mix.
Bodies (2023)

Read more