Hip-hop musical drama “The Get Down” recently returned for the second part of its first season on Netflix. Part 2 doubles down on the show’s heightened reality in a fantastic way. The seventh episode, “Unfold Your Own Myth,” reminds us why this show is so enthralling.
This episode, which kicks off Part 2, takes place in 1978, a year after the finale of Part 1. The Get Down Brothers and Mylene Cruz’s disco group are becoming more successful, but tensions rise as they try to navigate their new lives.
“The Get Down” succeeds because it is so many different things at once. It is best known for being a historical look at the rise of hip-hop and disco in the late 1970s, but it is also one of the best portraits of being a young artist. Few shows capture the camaraderie and sheer joy of making art as well as this one.
“Unfold Your Own Myth” doesn’t work unless you’ve seen all of Part 1, but it is a great treat for fans of the show. I didn’t realize how much I missed Ezekiel “Books” Figaro until I saw him writing his college essay.
One of my favorite things about “The Get Down” is its stylistic bravery. There is no technique that co-creator Baz Luhrmann is afraid to try. Past episodes have used martial arts sound effects and stock footage to great effect.
“Unfold Your Own Myth” frequently uses comic book-style animation. Those sequences convey important plot information and affect the live action parts of the episode. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a cartoon version of Jaden Smith as a bug monster.
The smallest moments on “The Get Down” are the most entertaining. A shot of the villainous Cadillac responding to some cocaine is hilarious. Figaro’s joy at Cruz’s success is adorable.
The cast continues to be excellent. Justice Smith is a great lead as Figaro. Shameik Moore is charismatic as Shaolin Fantastic.
There aren’t a lot of new characters in this episode. Jeremie Harris of “Legion” is pretty good as record executive Shane. I’m looking forward to seeing Renée Elise Goldsberry play Misty Holloway.
“The Get Down” isn’t perfect. Julia Garner’s character can be annoying at times, and some of the stock footage sequences aren’t as vibrant as I would hope.
But when it works, “The Get Down” is better than most TV shows. “Unfold Your Own Myth” isn’t the best episode of this show so far, but it does whet my appetite for the continued adventures of Figaro and his friends. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some bingewatching to do.
