Recap: The Lowdown "Tulsa Turnaround"/"The Sensitive Kind" Season Finale

 

Will Lee finds Dale's killer? Here's a quick recap of the final two episodes of The Lowdown.

"Tulsa Turnaround"

The conflict over the land escalates violently as Lee tries to find a way to help Arthur and Chutto secure the will from Dale. However, the corporate players are moving fast. Frank meets with Betty Jo regarding the will, then takes matters into his own hands by paying Arthur a significantly smaller amount than he paid Betty Jo for her information.

Frank, understandably, is losing his patience with Arthur. But just when Arthur is about to hand him the will, he pulls a gun and prepares to shoot him, but the confrontation turns deadly in the opposite direction. Lee arrives at the scene only to discover that Arthur has been killed.

Meanwhile, Marty discovers that Mark’s work at One Well is part of a plan for "Adonai City," a racially exclusive community they intend to build on the land that Dale planned to return to Arthur.

Marty then witnesses a shocking act of violence: he hears screams and sees a man running—tarred and feathered—who ends up at the hospital. Marty calls Lee, and the two meet. Knowing the severity of the situation, they head to Arthur's place. The investigation leads them to chase Frank toward the One Well headquarters. Lee goes inside, spots Frank, and pulls a gun, loudly accusing Frank of being a murderer and attempting a citizen's arrest. The episode culminates in a dangerous standoff with Mark’s armed people.

"Tulsa Turnaround" was a compelling and exciting episode from start to finish. The narrative was expertly woven, featuring Mark's passionate, fear-mongering preaching and Donald's absurd reenactment of the 1889 Land Rush, which was appropriately interrupted by protesters. The tense scenes between Arthur and Frank were deeply unsettling and kept me on edge, even knowing the tragic outcome.

Additionally, the interactions between Lee and Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) were truly special. The touching moments—like Lee forgetting her Parent-Teacher Conference—reveal her long-standing admiration for him, even as she subtly tries to assist him with the case.

The standout performances by Graham Greene, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Ethan Hawke were exceptional, backed by strong, tight writing. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

"The Sensitive Kind" Season Finale

The season finale picked up immediately where the previous episode left off: Lee is in a dangerous standoff with Mark's men, guns drawn, trying to make a citizen's arrest on the killer, Frank. When Marty rushes in, he creates enough of a distraction for Lee to escape. However, Mark's crew opens fire, leaving Marty with a gunshot wound to the leg. Lee races Marty to a vet clinic and successfully helps treat the wound.

Lee makes a final, desperate visit to Betty Jo, who still refuses to take responsibility for Arthur's death. This pushes Lee to reveal the truth about Dale's murder. Betty Jo, Frank, and Allen had directed Allen to simply scare Dale into selling the land. Instead, Allen hired white supremacists who actually shot Dale, forcing Betty Jo to cover it up as a suicide.

Lee then approaches Donald, who insists he knew nothing about the true nature of his brother's death. Lee offers a deal: Donald must reject "The 46" and honor Dale's final wish to gift the land to Chutto, who would then sign it over to the Osage Nation. Donald agrees, and this act of good faith leads to his election as governor.

Lee publishes a different article than the one he presented to Donald about Dale's death, this time honoring Dale's memory. The remaining villains face justice: Mark and his associates are arrested, while Bonnie kills Frank for the murder of her son.

At Sam's wedding, Lee suggests to Francis that it might be best for her to live with her mother and stepfather, but Francis reassures her dad that he is a good man. Lee leaves the wedding only to find his van broken down, forcing him to walk home. He is determined, however, to make everything as normal as it could ever be.

"The Sensitive Kind" was a season finale that skillfully wrapped up the mystery of Dale's death, which surprisingly involved two people close to him. By the end of the episode and the series, the main character, Lee, appears to be in a much better place than he was at the beginning, especially with his relationship with his daughter and others close to him.

Ethan Hawke delivers another strong, nuanced performance, especially opposite Keith David in the early scenes; their dynamic, even with Marty injured, was hilarious and good-humored. Kyle MacLachlan delivers a commendable performance, offering some redemption for his character by showing how he evolves from an ethically compromised figure to a trustworthy one.

While the series has a satisfying, complete ending, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets renewed for another season. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more of this world. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

What did you think of the finale of The Lowdown? Did you find the ending satisfying, and would you want to see another season that continues Lee's journey? Leave a comment.

You can catch all eight episodes of The Lowdown available on Hulu.