While Netflix is great for finding hidden gem movies and watching seemingly endless episodes of “The Office,” it has also found a niche in creating original television series, producing hits such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black.” Continuing its streak of binge-worthy series, Netflix recently released “The Get Down,” and added a new chapter in the story of drug lord Pablo Escobar in “Narcos.”
“The Get Down”
Taking place in the late 1970’s in the the Bronx, “The Get Down” follows a group of teenagers going through the perils of life. The deal with conflicts arising from sex, drugs and money, but finding solace in creating music. Living in the age of disco music, the group is taught a new way to twist music by using turntables to scratch records and integrate poetry, helping create the birth of modern-day rap. The show also has many side plots and highlights social issues such as politics and religion.
Although there were four different directors that helped produce this new series, the most notable is Baz Luhrmann, director of “Moulin Rouge!” and “The Great Gatsby.” His style can be noticed throughout the series with visually in-your-face sequences of clips and the use of bright lights. The show also incorporates real news clips from the late 1970s throughout the series, in an effort to help viewers feel immersed in the period.
Along with visually stunning cinematography, the soundtrack is catchy with classic disco hits in addition to a few original songs made for the show. With the first season being broken up into six episodes –– the first episode being an hour and a half while the rest are an hour –– you won’t be surprised if you finish the series in a few days.
“Narcos” Season 2
Centered on two main characters — drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and DEA agent Steve Murphy — the mostly Spanish language television series “Narcos” quickly caught popularity when it was released in 2015.
Although most of the show’s dialogue is in Spanish, forcing some viewers to read English subtitles, the storyline is darkly enticing and exciting. While most of the time reading subtitles can be a headache for viewers, it’s not a problem in “Narcos” because the content of the show is attention-grabbing. Unless you can speak fluent Spanish, looking away from the series to check your phone will cause you to miss out on key plot developments.
The show does a great job at humanizing the terribly inhumane Escobar. Viewers almost want him to succeed while he’s out doing downright criminal activities such as selling cocaine, committing homicide and paying off political figures.
Much like “The Get Down,” “Narcos” also uses actual news footage throughout the series to show viewers the story holds true to the real life of Escobar. With high-intensity action and the American police hot on Escobar’s trail, season two picks up right where season one left off. As viewers watch Escobar spiral deeper into his own insanity in season two, they are left with one burning question: what’s going to happen to Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria and his legacy?
