THE LOWDOWN: SEASON ONE
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Keith David, Kaniehtiio Horn, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Kyle MacLachlan, Scott Shepherd, Macon Blair, Tim Blake Nelson, Tracy Letts, Killer Mike, Cody Lightning, Rafael Casal, Paul Sparks, Peter Dinklage, Graham Greene, Tisha Campbell, and Michael Hitchcock
Creator: Sterlin Harjo
QUENTIN
Though not perfect, mostly due to a central mystery that often falls to the wayside, The Lowdown still works extremely well as a shaggy dog story, effortlessly coasting on a blend of dingy neo-noir vibes that recall Thomas Pynchon, Elmore Leonard, and The Coen Brothers. There are full-throated homages to Inherent Vice, Jackie Brown, and The Big Lebowski (among others), all of which are convincingly brought home by Ethan Hawke’s lived-in performance. The parade of quirky side characters — played by talents ranging from Killer Mike to Peter Dinklage — and the terrific 70s Americana soundtrack only add to the pulpy fun.
ROBERT
FX has a successful history of producing compelling crime comedies, starting with the underseen Terriers through the prolonged run of Fargo. The Lowdown is the latest, worthy addition to the portfolio, with Ethan Hawke channeling his best combination of The Dude mixed with Fletch as our protagonist investigator. He must deal with power hungry politicians, Southern Belle femme fatales, and encroaching step-parents as he struggles to prove that the truth matters above all else. The acting is superb, the soundtrack is intoxicating, and the visual tapestry of Oklahoman urban griminess adjacent to prairie stillness is striking. Forget it, Jake, it’s chicken-fried Chinatown.
AMARÚ
Ethan Hawke is having a helluva year playing charming sad sacks, but instead of the mesmerizingly sad lyricist in Blue Moon, he exemplifies the words that Killer Mike so eloquently put together in episode one of The Lowdown: “A white man who cares, the saddest of the bunch.” The show mirrors his character’s wild brand of sadness. Flawed, unpredictable, funny yet mind-blowingly confounding, socially charged, and chaotic, all of which makes for both an entertaining and cautionary tale. Hawke, alongside a star-studded “that person” cast, delivers on a tumultuously fun first season.
