Netflix is doing something a little different when it comes to The Get Down, so the brand new series will be released in two parts.
One of the many, many perks of owning Netflix is that you get to binge-watch a new series all in one sitting if you have the time and the stamina. It’s a formula that works for the streaming service, which relies on the benefit of instantly providing everything you may want to watch.
So, like me, you might have been surprised to learn that The Get Down, Netflix’s expensive new series about the 1970s music scene, will be brought to you in two parts. “The Get Down season 2” wouldn’t be an accurate description, because only the first six episodes of season 1 were available as of Friday, August 12 (you can read my review here), and the second half of the series will debut in 2017.
So The Get Down season 2 will premiere next year — if you count the second half of season 1 as the sophomore season.
That’s right, we don’t even have a The Get Down part 2 release date yet. But with the first half of the show now available to stream, hopefully that date is imminent.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Netflix has done something like this, but it’s certainly still out of the norm.
The Get Down has been a highly anticipated property since it was first announced, not in the least because of Baz Luhrmann’s involvement, so perhaps Netflix is looking to capitalize on word of mouth to get people interested in the show. If it splits the season between now and next year, that gives the first half time to circulate before the second half debuts.
One of the perks of a weekly distribution for a television series is that it keeps the name of the show in the headlines and out on social media for several months at a time. With Netflix, it sometimes feels like a season premieres over the weekend to great acclaim and then nobody is talking about it next week.
But according to Vulture, there may be more behind the decision to put out the show in two parts. Production problems led to a long process and complications behind the scenes. Both Netflix and Sony wanted to get the ball rolling, and so the first half was released on Aug. 12.
Despite many reports of a full 12-episode season, co-creator Stephen Adly Guirgis also stated that they’re still trying to decide whether they want to do 12 or 13 episodes.
It’ll be interesting to see if The Get Down season 2’s release date will take a similar strategy — Or if it’ll release all the episodes at once.