FX has done it again. Sterlin Harjo’s The Lowdown blends offbeat humor, family drama, and political conspiracy, with Ethan Hawke excelling as a journalist whose obsession threatens his personal life. Quirky, uncomfortable, and heartfelt, the series had me hooked by the finale.
FX’s The Lowdown takes time to click, but once it does, there is plenty to appreciate. Created by Sterlin Harjo, the eight-episode drama follows Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), a Tulsa journalist and bookseller who investigates stories powerful people would rather keep buried.
When businessman Dale Washberg dies by suicide, Lee suspects something more sinister. His investigation draws him into family secrets, a land dispute, political maneuvering, and a conspiracy involving wealthy businessmen, racial prejudice, and the proposed Adonai City project.
What makes the series work is not simply the mystery—it is Lee himself. Charismatic, stubborn, and frequently frustrating, he follows his instincts far more than he considers the consequences. He has a talent for finding trouble, even when his family and friends are left to deal with the fallout.
The first two episodes establish the show’s eccentric tone. Lee is messy, impulsive, and abrasive, making him difficult to warm to at first. But that roughness is part of his appeal. He is not a polished reporter who always knows the right thing to do; he is a complicated man whose pursuit of the truth repeatedly clashes with his responsibilities.
As Dale’s death becomes connected to a larger conspiracy, the series grows more compelling. Hawke brings plenty of personality to Lee, while the supporting cast gives the story a strong foundation. The humor is often dark and uncomfortable, helping distinguish The Lowdown from a conventional crime drama.
Harjo is less interested in a neatly organized investigation than in the strange people, damaged relationships, and competing interests surrounding the case. That approach can make the story feel scattered, but it also gives the series a distinctive identity.
As important as the conspiracy is, Lee’s relationship with his daughter, Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), provides the season’s emotional center.
Lee’s parenting leaves plenty to be desired. He is so consumed by his investigations that he often fails to recognize what Francis needs. His intentions may be good, but his priorities are frequently misplaced, and the show is willing to portray him as a lousy father when he deserves it.
That makes their quieter scenes especially effective. In “Dinosaur Memories,” Lee rents a new apartment to keep Francis safe, yet his investigation keeps pulling him into danger. Francis gradually proves that she has inherited his instincts, particularly when she saves Dale’s mysterious letter after Catalina burns the missing books. She is observant, resourceful, and capable of making her own decisions.
Their relationship is equally effective in “This Land?,” when Francis tells Lee about Allen’s death while trying to avoid school. Lee gently but firmly sends her back where she belongs, capturing the tension between their extraordinary circumstances and everyday responsibilities.
Their relationship is not magically repaired by the finale. Lee still has work to do, but he begins to understand that protecting Francis requires more than good intentions—he has to show up for her. That development is one of the season’s most satisfying threads. The mystery gets Lee into trouble, but Francis gives us a powerful reason to care about what happens to him.
The investigation expands from Dale’s death into a struggle over valuable land in Indian Head Hills. Donald Washberg and Frank become entangled in efforts to acquire the property, while Lee uncovers connections to wealthy businessmen, political influence, and a campaign targeting the Native American community.
The proposed Adonai City project reveals the conspiracy’s ugliest dimension: an effort to establish a racially exclusive community on land Dale intended to return to Arthur and, ultimately, the Osage Nation.
This is where The Lowdown becomes more than an eccentric mystery. Its humor does not diminish the seriousness of the subject; instead, the characters’ absurdity makes their behavior even more unsettling. Donald’s theatrical reenactment of the 1889 Land Rush is ridiculous, but the protests surrounding it highlight the real history being exploited for political gain.
The series effectively connects individual corruption to a broader system of greed, prejudice, and institutional power. The characters are not merely fighting over property; they are fighting over history, ownership, and whose interests those in power are willing to protect.
The conspiracy occasionally becomes complicated enough to threaten the show’s focus, but it gives Lee’s investigation genuine stakes and makes his determination increasingly dangerous.
One of the strongest episodes is “This Land?,” which focuses on Lee and his estranged former business partner, Wendell (Peter Dinklage). Wendell’s annual visit to honor their late friend Jesus forces both men to confront the guilt surrounding his death. Their conversations are tense, but beneath the arguments lies a friendship that still matters.
Dinklage brings humor, frustration, and vulnerability to Wendell, making the pair’s reconciliation feel earned. Their decision to repair their friendship provides an emotional counterweight to the conspiracy. It also reminds us that Lee’s biggest problems aren't always the people he investigates; sometimes, they are the relationships he's damaged.
“Old Indian Trick” is another standout, expanding on the Washberg family’s history and the origins of the land dispute. Lee’s confrontation with Donald heightens the tension, while the revelation about the land’s original ownership gives Arthur’s storyline greater significance.
The late Graham Greene’s performance as Arthur is especially memorable. His quiet authority makes the character’s connection to the land feel central to the series’ conflict, and knowing that this was his final performance adds a bittersweet quality to his scenes.
The final stretch turns the land dispute violent. In “Tulsa Turnaround,” Frank attempts to secure the will that could determine the property’s future, but the confrontation ends with Arthur’s death. Marty also discovers that Mark’s work at One Well is connected to the Adonai City scheme.
Lee eventually finds Frank at One Well’s headquarters and attempts a citizen’s arrest—a reckless but fitting choice for someone who has spent the season pursuing the truth regardless of the consequences. The season escalates in danger and political tension, with increasingly desperate characters.
The finale, “The Sensitive Kind,” picks up after the standoff. Marty helps Lee escape but is shot in the process. Lee then uncovers the truth about Dale’s murder: Betty Jo, Frank, and Allen wanted to frighten Dale into selling the land, but Allen hired white supremacists who killed him. Betty Jo subsequently helped cover up the murder by making Dale’s death look like a suicide.
Lee later confronts Donald and offers him a chance to reject the proposed “The 46” project and honor Dale’s wish to give the land to Chutto, who would transfer it to the Osage Nation. Donald agrees, a decision that helps pave the way for his election as governor. Mark and his associates are arrested, while Bonnie kills Frank for murdering her son.
The finale also gives Lee a measure of personal resolution. At Sam’s wedding, he suggests that Francis might be better off with her mother and stepfather, but Francis reassures him that he is a good man. Lee has not solved all his problems, but he is beginning to understand that his relationship with his daughter matters as much as the stories he pursues.
His van breaking down on the way home provides one final reminder that his life will never be orderly. Still, he walks home determined to make things as normal as possible—a fittingly understated ending for a series filled with conspiracies, violence, and political corruption.
Hawke gives Lee the right combination of charm, stubbornness, and self-destructive energy. He makes the character entertaining even when his decisions are infuriating, which is essential for a series that repeatedly follows him into danger.
The supporting cast is equally important. Dinklage adds emotional depth, Armstrong gives Francis intelligence and agency, Greene brings quiet authority to Arthur, and Kyle MacLachlan makes Donald fascinating by balancing his public image with his private ambitions. Keith David provides welcome humor in his scenes with Hawke, helping prevent the series from becoming relentlessly grim.
The ensemble also sells the show’s unusual tonal balance. One scene can be funny, the next uncomfortable, and the next unexpectedly touching. That mixture will not work for everyone, but it gives The Lowdown a distinctive voice.
The Lowdown is not a perfectly constructed mystery. The conspiracy occasionally becomes tangled, and Lee’s investigation can feel chaotic before the larger picture emerges. But the series has something more valuable than a tidy plot: a distinctive voice, a terrific lead performance, and relationships that give the mystery emotional weight.
The show gradually reveals Lee’s vulnerabilities beneath his abrasive personality. He is a flawed journalist and an imperfect father, but he genuinely believes the truth matters—even when pursuing it costs him relationships, security, and peace of mind.
The series’ themes of land, power, prejudice, and institutional corruption give its conspiracy weight beyond that of a conventional crime story. By the finale, Lee hasn't become a different person, but his relationships with Francis and Wendell are stronger, and he better understands what he risks when he puts another investigation ahead of everything else.
That is a satisfying place to leave him, even if the door remains open for more stories.
The Lowdown is a quirky, darkly funny, character-driven mystery that occasionally gets messy but rarely feels ordinary. Ethan Hawke is terrific, the supporting cast gives the story real depth, and the season builds toward a finale that delivers both answers and emotional payoff.
If you enjoyed Reservation Dogs, there is plenty here to appreciate, though Lowdown has a darker, more politically charged identity of its own. It is not simply a story about a journalist solving a murder; it is about the people he hurts, the history he uncovers, and the uncomfortable truths powerful people would rather keep hidden.
I would absolutely watch another season. Lee Raybon still has plenty of trouble left to find—and knowing him, he will probably find it before it has a chance to find him.
Have you watched The Lowdown? Did you find the mystery satisfying, and would you like to see Lee return for another season? Let me know in the comments!
You can stream all eight episodes of The Lowdown on Hulu. The new season premieres Wednesday, October 14, at 9/8c on FX and will also stream on Hulu.
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