Following up your breakout hit is an immensely tall order for any creator, as you are now held to the standard of your previous work while being expected to do something completely new, lest you be known as a one-trick-pony. And when that breakout hit is the critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, and Peabody-winning television series Reservation Dogs, releasing a show on the same caliber seems borderline impossible. But luckily for fans of great television, showrunner Sterlin Harjo proves to be more than up to the task. His follow-up series The Lowdown is both a hugely entertaining neo-noir crime drama and a wonderfully layered character piece unafraid to pack a political punch, featuring the trademark blend of humour and heart that made Reservation Dogs such a revelation. The Tulsa-set show follows a stellar Ethan Hawke as bookseller, citizen journalist, and self-styled “truthstorian” Lee Raybon, who begins investigating the suspicious death of Dale Waschberg (played with a quiet sensitivity by Tim Blake Nelson), the black sheep of a prominent Tulsa family. As with any great noir, the investigation that unfolds over the course of the series is a suitably twisty and entertaining one, but the mystery proves to be merely one of the many charms of to show. 

Chief among these would have to be Ethan Hawke’s tremendous performance which is at its center. Harjo offers Hawke a superbly layered and complex character that he practically feels born to play, expertly embodying this mix of charisma and cocky self-righteousness. Lee proves to be a rich and deeply flawed protagonist; while he possesses an admirable desire for the truth, a strong sense of justice, and an earnest desire to help those without power, these traits are balanced against his reckless and at times self-involved nature. Hawke effortlessly brings all these facets of his character to life, imbuing Lee with a scrappy hangdog charm and dogged determination. Lee’s loquacious nature also plays to Hawke’s strengths. However, where Hawke truly shines is in the moments of quiet vulnerability that Lee has—particularly as the investigation goes on and he becomes increasingly tested.

Lee’s journey as he delves into his investigation brings him into contact with a whole host of characters that are brought to life by a great ensemble, like Dale’s brother and gubernatorial candidate Donald (Kyle MacLachlan), the mysterious Marty (Keith David), and Dale’s widow Betty Jo (Jeanne Tripplehorn). MacLachlan manages to intertwine Donald’s politician’s charm with a sense of danger, but gets to show a different side to him as the show progresses. Meanwhile, David’s natural gravitas is employed to great effect in the series, proving to be a more than capable foil for Hawke to play off. He also gets to show his comedic chops with a particularly laugh-out-loud scene in a later episode. As for Tripplehorn, she shines as the femme fatale figure in this neo-noir, doing especially standout work in her showcase episode. The complexity of her character really comes to the forefront here, and she is tasked with playing some big emotional swings. Other notable cast members and characters include Reservation Dogs alumni Kaniehtiio Horn as Lee’s ex Samantha, who shares a crackling chemistry with Hawke, and Indigenous acting legend Graham Greene, who has a small but powerful part in one of his final roles before his death. Peter Dinklage also guest stars as an old friend of Lee’s, turning in a stellar performance that is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. His real-life friendship with Hawke takes their scenes together to the next level. 

Amidst all the shenanigans of the investigation, the show also finds Lee juggling his parental duties towards his teenage daughter Francis, played by rising star Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Their loving but complicated father-daughter relationship proves to be the show’s emotional core and is brought to life wonderfully thanks to the easy, natural chemistry that Hawke and Armstrong share. Armstrong brings a keen intelligence to her part and easily holds her own against a veteran like Hawke, managing to balance playing Francis’s admiration of her father with her growing recognition of his flaws.

All these excellent performances are in service to Sterlin Harjo’s clear-eyed vision of the world and the story of The Lowdown. He has crafted an absolute gem of a television series which serves as a wonderfully sincere love letter to Tulsa and its people, a hugely entertaining noir mystery, and an impressively layered character piece all at once. The deftness of tone in the show must especially be highlighted, as it always manages to have clearly defined and effective emotional stakes while also being imbued with a certain lightness and humorous touch at times. There are a number of excellent comedic setpieces, particularly in the show’s earlier episodes. At the same time, especially in the later episodes where the political commentary of the show comes more into focus, the series shifts into a more serious register as Harjo deals with the weighty issues of our time. Amidst the show’s neo-noir genre trappings and comedic leanings, it also manages to offer up a nuanced examination of the costs of pursuing the truth, a deconstruction of the white saviour figure, a firm reminder of the historical injustices suffered by Native Americans, and an exploration of how such a history continues to echo in today’s world. If all this might sound too heavy, rest assured that Harjo knows how to couch all that he wishes to say within a highly entertaining and enjoyable package.

If there is to be a criticism of The Lowdown, it is that Harjo has created such a fascinating and absorbing web of characters that it seems a shame that many do not get much time in the spotlight due to the constraints of an eight episode series. For instance, Kaniehtiio Horn ends up feeling criminally underutilised by the end of this first season, while the finale ends up eliding over some major developments in the lives of the more peripheral characters of the show.

Despite these minor flaws, The Lowdown is ultimately a superbly done show that serves as a testament to Sterlin Harjo’s brilliance as a showrunner and creator. Aided by a capable ensemble led by an immaculate Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown is undoubtedly one of the best shows of the year. In the show’s finale, there is a scene where characters debate the merits of telling a story in an individual chapter as opposed to an entire book. Given the overall excellence shown across the board in The Lowdown, one can only hope that season one simply marks the first chapter of an ongoing book. But if the powers that be at FX decide that this is where the story ends, Harjo and his cast and crew can rest assured knowing that they have created a mightily impressive chapter of television indeed.

9.5/10