Turn the beat around
Baz Luhrmann has been accused of promoting style over substance in "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo+Juliet," but his pump-up-the-volume approach works splendidly in "The Get Down," a jubilant new series celebrating the 1970s transition from disco to hip-hop among America's restless youth. Each episode plays out like a big-budget music video, but never at the expense of the characters, notably Ezekiel (Justice Smith), a talented Bronx teenager ashamed of his poetic abilities, and his puppy love, Mylene (Herizen Guardiola), who is ready, literally and figuratively, to shed her church robe for a different calling. Magical.
Now streaming on Netflix
Taxicab concessions
"Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food," the latest excursion by the Minneapolis foodie, kicks off with Zimmern relying on the kindness — and taste buds — of cabdrivers in Rio de Janeiro. As always, he's an affable dining companion, although his samba dancing could use a little work. Upcoming pitstops: Bangkok, Berlin and Nashville.
8 p.m. Tue., Travel Channel
None but the brave
Anyone who views pop stars and athletes as heroes should check out "My Last Days," a documentary series celebrating people who live life to the fullest despite terminal diseases. First up: Claire Wineland, a 19-year-old with cystic fibrosis, who will win you over whether she's sneaking out of the hospital to attend a Bernie Sanders rally or getting up the courage to give a TED talk. Top that, Justin Bieber.
8 p.m. Wed.-Fri., WUCW, Ch. 23
Neal Justin
