The Lowdown follows Lee (Ethan Hawke) in his journey to make ends meet and expose the truth of corruption in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. What stops him from his goal is a kooky cast of nefarious personalities who would like nothing more but for Lee to be moved out of their way. Still, Lee keeps hunting, knowing that something is wrong with the perspective Governor Donald Washberg (Kyle Mclachlan) and his family.
What makes The Lowdown so magnetic — and a show I want to keep watching after this pilot — is its interesting and new characters. Showrunner Sterlin Harjo and his team have done an amazing job to create people who reflect a unique community and thus, are all unique characters. Each actor has a really interesting dynamic with Lee — and Lee himself is always compelling to watch. We root for him, knowing that he is trying his damn best to make sure the truth is out while also tensing up at the thought of his daughter becoming involved in the trouble he constantly gets himself into. Every character has a distinct way of speaking, thanks to excellent dialogue and performers who came to match that energy. During the Q&A, Sterling mentioned the goal of creating community and I think he certainly nails it with how these characters interact with one another and the humour that is brought out in that. It’s an excellent piece of writing, thus far.
The world of Tulsa is also drawn sharply with great costumes with strong details and production design with colours and names that reflect this part of the southern United States. Lowdown is a show that stands out from the rest and is a noir that you should check out this Tall.
The Lowdown is playing at TIFF ’25. For more information, click here.
