‘The Get Down’ had all the ingredients for a Netflix hit: a plucky cast of young gun actors including Shameik Moore, Justice Smith, Herizen Guardiola and Jaden Smith, Baz Luhrmann, Nas and Grandmaster Flash at the helm and a killer soundtrack ft. everyone from Miguel, Christina Aguilera, Zayn, Leon Bridges and Raury.
Yet, sadly, it’s collapsed like an undercooked souffle amid poor ratings and frequent production issues – and has officially been axed from the Netflix roster less than a month after the second six-episode part of S1 was released.
Baz himself has posted an emotional msg to fans of the most expensive series in the streaming service’s history (it cost at least $155 million to produce), explaining that he delayed a film he long ago committed to directing for two years in order to create The Get Down but couldn’t press pause longer.
“When I was asked to come to the center of The Get Down to help realize it, I had to defer a film directing commitment for at least two years,” he wrote. “This exclusivity has understandably become a sticking point for Netflix and Sony, who have been tremendous partners and supporters of the show.“It kills me that I can’t split myself into two and make myself available to both productions. I feel so deeply connected to all those who I have worked and collaborated with on this remarkable experience… but the simple truth is, I make movies. And the thing with movies is, that when you direct them, there can be nothing else in your life.”
Check out his full statement below:
The hip hop drama drew 3.2 million viewers in its first 31 days, which is only a teeny tiny fraction of the views Netflix’s *other* original series ’13 Reasons Why’ pulled in the same time frame, but there are still plenty of devastated fans venting their frustration on social media, so let that be a comfort to the cast and crew.
I’m so tired of seeing woke twitter complain about the lack of diversity in tv and then letting great shows like the get down flop pic.twitter.com/dH1DBu1fqu
— p (@kinkytchalla) May 25, 2017
13RW DIDNT HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO GIVE AND NETFLIX RENEWED IT BUT THEY CANCELLED THE GET DOWN AFTER ONE SEASON pic.twitter.com/bRTXj1YOab
— thrussy fiend. (@meme___mom) May 25, 2017
I’m gonna miss Shaolin Fantastic. #TheGetDown pic.twitter.com/iwfW5X3NdV
— Satu Runa?? (@SatuRuna) May 25, 2017
THE GET DOWN IS A GOOD QUALITY SHOW WITH MUSIC, BLACK/LATINO REP, LGTB REP AND AMAZING CHARACTERS WITH BOPS FOR DAYS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE
— ???? (@shyrlyrodriguez) May 25, 2017
RIP, The Get Down. We hardly knew ye.
