When Ethan Hawke made a surprise appearance in the penultimate episode of Reservation Dogs it ended up being one of my favorite TV episodes of all time.
Co-written by Reservation Dogs co-creator Sterlin Harjo and star Devery Jacobs, “Elora’s Dad” saw Elora Danan (Jacobs) meet her estranged father (Hawke) for the first time. He introduces her to her half-siblings, and she takes him into his life, including his plans to go to college. The episode proved intimate and quietly electrifying, one of the best entries in one of the best shows in recent years. And at its heart were two beautifully grounded performances from Jacobs and Hawke.
Imagine my joy when Harjo and Hawke teamed up for Harjo’s new FX series, The Casualty . Then imagine my absolute joy when The Casualty turned out to be some of the most fun I’ve had watching TV this year.
What is The Low About?
Kyle Maclachlan and Ethan Hawke in “The Lowdown”.
Credit: Shane Brown/FX
Described as a “Tulsa noir,” the short-lived Hawke stars as Lee Raybon, a rare bookstore owner, citizen journalist, and so-called “Truthstorian” determined to put the rot in the hearts of Tulsa’s most corrupt power players. (Lee is based on the late journalist and public historian Lee Roy Chapman, with whom Harjo previously worked.)
Among Lee’s targets is the Washberg family, led by the slimy gubernatorial candidate Donald (Kyle Maclachlan). Lee uncovers the family’s connections to white supremacists in a major exposé, and just days after its publication, Washberg family member Black Sheep Dale (Tim Blake Nelson) dies under mysterious circumstances. For Lee, this can mean only one thing: he’s onto something important. So he delves into Tulsa’s criminal underbelly, a journey that could lead to a major bombshell (or more likely, serious bodily harm).
Downtown is part neo-noir, part hangout comedy, and all delicious.
Ethan Hawke and Ryan Kiera Armstrong in “The Lowdown.”
Credit: Shane Brown/FX
Lee’s investigation leads Harjo into some neo-noir fun, drawing inspiration from ’70s films like The Long Goodbye and Night Movements . Smoke-filled conversations abound, along with clandestine meetings with Dale’s wife, Betty Joe (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and Pi Marty (Keith David).
A baixaO Madcap Mystery fornece uma mudança de ritmo de Cães de reservaassim como o seu cenário da cidade. Aqui, o perigo se esconde em todos os cantos, geralmente na forma de skinheads que estão com raiva de Lee por … escrever publicamente que são skinheads.
No entanto, mesmo com sua atmosfera sombria noir, A baixa também preserva a sensação de hangout que fez Cães de reserva Tão especial, especialmente nas cenas, Lee compartilha com sua filha, Francis (Ryan Keira Armstrong). Francis passa a maior parte do tempo com sua mãe, Samantha (Cães de reserva‘Deer Lady, Kaniehtiio Horn), mas quando ela mostra interesse em ajudar Lee com o caso Washberg, quem ele é para dizer não?
A doce dinâmica de Lee e Francis urso tons dos de Elora e de seu pai: tentativas de vínculo tentadoras, mesmo quando Francis se pergunta se Lee é um insetido completo. No entanto, também é uma vitrine perfeita para A baixaA capacidade de misturar seu mistério noir com hangouts orientados a personagens. Caso em questão: uma viagem de pai e filha a um lago que funciona como uma missão para encontrar evidências importantes.
Da mesma maneira, A baixa De alguma forma, consegue capturar a ampla gama de emoções humanas, tudo dentro de sua estrutura misteriosa. Na noite de Lee, com um suspeito em potencial, o que começa como uma conexão bêbada se transforma de uma investigação para uma luta para uma discussão que divulga a alma … depois volta a uma conexão. Em outros lugares, a reunião de Lee com Frenemy Randall (Peter Dinklage) inicia uma investigação e uma homenagem à busca de almas a um velho amigo.
Tanto quanto A baixa é impulsionado pelo mistério central da morte de Dale e as relações obscuras de sua família, também é alimentada pela poesia de com quem cruzamos os caminhos. Como em Cães de reservaAssim, A baixa constrói uma comunidade de personagens fascinantes que adicionam grande quantidade de textura à versão do programa de Tulsa, do traficante de antiguidades Ray (Michael Hitchcock) a A batida de Tulsa Editor Cyrus (assassino Mike).
Ethan Hawke é um hilário curinga em A baixa.
Ethan Hawke em “The Lowdown”.
Crédito: Shane Brown / FX
No centro desses personagens está, é claro, Lee. E meu Deus, Hawke está tendo o tempo de sua vida no papel.
Hawke plays his amateur detective like a total wild card. At times, Lee is effortless, rolling through investigations like SAVAVE is his middle name. At others, he’s almost pathetic, running for his life after getting in too deep. Hawke’s maniacal laughter after Lee’s escapes or big discoveries is a forever reminder of what I love about the show: its ability to make me laugh my head off, even after watching a man get his head shot clean.
Of course, between Lee’s extremes lies a wealth of complexities that The Low takes great pleasure in not exploring. He loves writing so much that he will criticize the prose in a murdered man’s diary. He adores Francis more than anything, but occasionally puts his investigation before her. He has an ironic Confederate flag tattoo.
All of these details add up to create a fascinating new, layered TV detective story, whose adventures we’ve only just begun to explore. We hope viewers can follow in Lee’s footsteps and delve deeper into the truths at the heart of Lee himself and his beloved Tulsa community.
The Low was revised from its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. It premieres September 23 at 9:00 PM ET on FX. Episodes stream the next day on Hulu.
