‘The Get Down’: The Cast Reveals What Could Have Happened in Season 2
When IndieWire spoke with Justice Smith, Herizen Guardiola and Shameik Moore in the lead-up to “The Get Down” Season 1, Part 2, Moore mentioned that he thought the show would probably go three seasons, tops.
“I think we should keep it short and simple, and make it an iconic thing,” Guardiola added.
READ MORE: Netflix Cancels ‘The Get Down’ — Read Baz Luhrmann’s Goodbye Message to Fans
She probably didn’t mean this short, however. Netflix’s decision to cancel the ’70s hip-hop drama, revealed today, doesn’t necessarily come as a huge shock, given how expensive the show was to produce, but it is a bit of an aberration for the streaming giant (which tends to give its shows more of a chance).
Here’s what we’re missing out on: the next evolution in R&B music, as the show would push further toward the future. While the cast already went through an extensive training process to understand the intricacies of rap and hip-hop, that training would serve as a foundation for Season 2 set several years later. “It would come to the ’80s… So we’d have to train on ’80s music,” Smith said.
Plus, while The Get Down Brothers already have a lot of dancing in their repertoire, we would have seen a whole lot more of it. “They would probably start B-boying a little bit more,” Moore added. “Probably. Shao would be from behind the tables, eventually.”
All of them were conscious of the fact that should the show proceed, they’d eventually age out of the roles. “We can’t play ’90s and 2000s [versions of our characters],” Moore said. “We already look old. And like I have a cool beard.”
“We’re already playing like 16, 17, 18-year-olds and we’re in our 20’s,” Smith said. “Like how long can we–“
Guardiola interrupted him. “I think I’m gonna look like this for a ton.”
But here’s the real tragedy of this cancellation: While the story is told in flashback by future Zeke (Smith), who’s found massive success as a hip-hop artist, we’ll never get to find out what happened to Mylene (Guardiola), Shaolin Fantastic (Moore) and the other Get Down Brothers. When we spoke, they weren’t able to hint at a potential future for their characters because they hadn’t been told.
“Shao could be dead,” Moore said.
“But yeah, you don’t know!” Smith said.
“‘Cause you’re on like stage, like–” Guardiola said.
“Reminiscing about the old days,” Moore said.
Guardiola had a pitch for that: “It would be nice if you’re on stage at the end of– If there’s like a Season 5 or something, at the end of everything, you see Shao in the wings, in the back.”
“That’d be dope,” Smith said.
“I would cry. I would cry,” Guardiola said. “I would be like, ‘Yes! They made it true!'”
Unfortunately, for Shaolin and Mylene the future will forever remain uncertain. “The Get Down,” you will be missed.
“The Get Down” Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix.
Stay on top of the latest film and TV news! Sign up for our film and TV email newsletter here.
