The Lowdown is, by necessity, a more limited undertaking [than Reservation Dogs] that nonetheless succeeds on its own terms. Like Rez Dogs, it’s kinetic. Both shows mix humor, philosophy, and principled outrage, riding the roller coaster of daily life in a world of stunning beauty and glaring injustice instead of conforming to any prepackaged TV format.
The Lowdown isn’t just in conversation with those influences [Jim Thompson, Coen brothers, David Lynch and Raymond Chandler], but also, in compelling ways, Harjo’s Reservation Dogs.
Fast, funny, clever, and imbued with an old-school paperback crime fiction spirit, it’s an exceptional work of pulp poetry, and the year’s best new show.
Just as a viewer might suspect the plot will go one direction, Harjo gives the story an unexpected, shocking turn. It’s a potent mix that makes “The Lowdown” a welcome addition to a short list of TV’s best current series.
As in “Reservation Dogs,” plot is secondary to character, which in major and minor roles has been beautifully conceived and executed. (You can just sit back and enjoy the people without worrying too much where any of it leads.) .... The important thing is to watch.
FX’s “The Lowdown” proves that in addition to being a master storyteller, Harjo is just as skilled at assembling an equally dynamite cast and crew who, together, have delivered one of 2025’s best new series.
Though The Lowdown wears its influences on its sleeve—think Shane Black’s The Nice Guys, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, and pretty much any Coen brothers movie—it never comes off as derivative. That’s because it’s steeped in specificity, from the production design (you may want to pause scenes in the bookstore to read the spines of vintage paperbacks) to the world-building. Every character on the show feels realized, even if we only see them in glimpses.
While Harjo has gone on record to say his influences for the show range from films like “The Long Goodbye” to shows like “Atlanta,” The Lowdown also exudes a particularly Lynchian vibe. Maybe it’s the presence of Kyle MacLachlan, or the number of coffees consumed at the diner, but this latest Harjo creation invokes “Twin Peaks” in the very best ways.
At its heart, The Lowdown is a story that wants the viewer to care about the truth as much as its main character does. It's fearless and gonzo, easily one of the best new shows of the year, and it's made even better for the time it arrives in, with trust in the media rapidly sinking and respect for writers at an all-time low. By putting a determined, if eccentric, journalist at its center, The Lowdown feels like an old-school story with a very modern spirit.
A crackling genre story and a captivating saga unto itself. Brimming with daydreamy peculiarities yet grounded in the details of the daily grind, “The Lowdown” is a crowd-pleaser and weirdo’s delight all at once.
Well,I feel like a targeted audience here, and that`s my problem: Hawke against MacLachlan in a socially conscious Retro Neo-Noir with lovely set -design, sarcastic dialogue and a superbly curated playlist? Willie Blake Nelson kills himself before the titlecard? Comfort food for Xer like me. And it is. And it`s extremely well done. But something is missing here, something strange, something new, some twist, some new thoughts about good and evil, corruption etc. I feel well fed.
I'm just one epidode in. I get those Better Call Saul meetsKinky Freedman withsome general Jeff Bridges like vibe thrown in. It's a bit early to call but I feel it will only get better. The sevnties rock meets soul "Exile on some Tulsa Main Street" type music is also sets the right tone. I have seen the whole first season by now. I turned a bit more political correct than I expected and the music the soundtrack began to lean more towards country and J.J. than I would have liked but I see no reason to change my score. It's a cool show.
This show hits every woke trope possible and is unbearable as a result, from casual conversations where it's implied that the entire room agrees that all ranchers are rich and racist, to contrasting the main character as giving a P&J sandwich to a bum. I wish I could get paid to write and direct my silly, hateful wet dreams into a movie like this smug director.
It is with absolute giddy admiration and excitement to present a review of one of the most satisfying dramatic comedy series ever created in the Lowdown, currently on Hulu. One of Ethan Hawks’ most important works touching upon his western sentiments as a Texan himself in Tulsa. The story checks all the most intriguing boxes like corruption, racism, predatory capitalism, classism, redemption, friendship, loneliness, parenting, literature, gender equality, cultural appropriation, empathy, charity, and political vigor but most of all it tackles personal substance and how it’s effected by society. Hawke brings his usual gritty muckraking intellectual Greenwich Village hippy to a small town making a mountain out of careless corruption as so beautifully shot in the final scene; his failing bookstore in the shadows **** city in the backdrop. Tulsa, as the series touched on, was once a booming black city, a triumph of post-civil war reconstruction until mass murderous race riots filled the streets with blood and despair. Hawke’s character as if an afterthought is there to pick up the pieces in a modern era bent on forgetting its roots and respect for Native Americans. Hawke’s, Lee Raybon, is a comical Don Quixote of journalists touting a new brand of “truthstorian"-ism he holds on to and cherishes as his own identity, one the new world of alternate realities should instill. His acting as always entrenched in nervous thrill and bravery is surpassed in one scene by the teenager, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who plays his daughter, Francis. “Don't patronize me by saying I’m not old enough to know you are good" a hero for the people as Lee wrestles with his indulgent dangerous passions wanting desperately to be a good example for his daughter but perhaps from a far not so close that she would see his warts and constant pot smoking I’d add. Perhaps the only flaw in the writing was neglecting to point out how he deals with stress as a reporter that lays it all on the line for the Lowdown nature of ultimate justice and equity. The acting overall aims for the heavy heart. A bevy of great performances like a final tearful swansong by a regretful, Jeanne Tripplehorn, the poetically stringent acts by Keith David, and Peter Dinklage, all relating to a masterful reconciliatory grace from the echoes of Tim Blake Nelson. Where are the Lee Raybons’ today? How soon we forget the massive corruption and insider trading that’s setting up a massive economic crash, turning cities on hills into tear gassed trenches for powershifting whims. The cruelty of public policy lost in headline news pushing talking points that entertain. The tattered notions of justice crumbling and decaying without repetition. The action-packed thrilling Lowdown climaxes with the importance of sensitivity as the strongest proponent of democracy. Bravo, Sterlin Harjo, whose timeless heart graced us with this series and others like Reservation Dogs, always striving to help us understand our reality, which can never change despite the greed and corruption that enslaves us all.
Another thoroughly engrossing series by the best creator in Oklahoma. This one is a mystery chock full of lived-in characters who each steals their own scenes and leave you wanting more. Includes some of the best performances ever from very notable actors.
I just watched the first season finale. It was a great one. I love the tone of the show. You get a few very good laugths, the writing is great, and nothing feels rushed or dragged. Only good things to say about it, really.
Ethan Hawke plays a Tulsa bookstore owner who sidelines as an investigative journalist. After a man kills himself (Tim Blake Nelson), the trail to his death involves a corrupt politician (Kyle MacLachlan) and more. In many ways, this is a typical neo-noir, but what helps it stand out is the characters. In addition to Nelson, who’s quietly quirky, Hawke creates a guy who’s more a mess than a success and there are others who add to the appeal (including Peter Dinklage). Creator Sterlin Harjo is best known for his enjoyable series “Reservation Dogs” and this has a darker approach with a witty lining. He’s created a pulp world with plenty that goes wrong and engaging characters to keep it interesting. (Review based on six out of 8 one-hour eps)
I've seen two episodes and am still waiting for things to improve. There isn't anything 'natural' in the writing or characters. It seems these 'stereotypical' characters are being forced down our throats. I have yet to see a genuine moment involving Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke). Yeah - he always parks his van on top of the curb... HOW QUIRKY!. Yeah - he's a bit of a deadbeat (who isn't?), Yeah his relationships amount to his wife/daughter/friends tolerating his continuous bad choices... WHY? What does he really have to offer? The 'bad' guys are cartoonish and the supporting actors are right off the 'we need this... casting sheet'. There seems to be a potentially interesting story/mystery behind the scenes it is just being masked by an unwelcome 'style' that must be the director's wet dream. Again - nothing genuine going on. Update: watched episode 3 and turned it off half way through. geez, how many times can one guy be snuck up on and hit over the head? I have tobelievethey sit in the writer's room and try to figure out how Lee can have the crap kicked out of him each episode. it isn't entertaining. also,after30 minutes of showtime we had about 5 minutes of thingshappening...I'm done.
Sign in to write reviews, reply to threads, and like content.