‘The Lowdown’ Creator Sterlin Harjo on the Season 1 Finale
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains plot details from “The Sensitive Kind,” the Season 1 finale of “The Lowdown,” streaming on Hulu.
The Story and Its Setting
Journalist and bookstore owner Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), the central figure of “The Lowdown,” describes himself as a “truthstorian,” a term he coins to express his mission of uncovering Tulsa, Oklahoma’s hidden histories. In the Nov. 4 finale of the FX series' first season, Lee exposes a dark conspiracy involving a white supremacist church and political corruption.
Key Plot Points
- Lee finds evidence that a land deal was used by a white supremacist church to bribe gubernatorial candidate Donald Washburg (Kyle Maclachlan).
- Donald’s late brother, Dale (Tim Blake Nelson), a closeted eccentric who died in a suspicious “suicide,” had intended to leave land to his Native friend Arthur (Graham Greene, in one of his last roles before his death in September).
- Donald’s associate Frank (Tracy Letts) secretly hired goons to intimidate Dale, resulting in Dale's death, and later killed Arthur.
Lee's Decision and Impact
Despite uncovering these grave secrets, Lee chooses not to publish any of it in his final article about the wealthy Washburg family. Instead, he uses the knowledge to persuade a guilt-ridden Donald to return the land to the Osage Nation, turning his investigation into a meaningful resolution.
“Lee Raybon likes to call himself a ‘truthstorian,’ a made-up title that nonetheless speaks to how he views unearthing the buried secrets of Tulsa as a higher calling.”
“Instead of printing the explosive revelations, Lee leverages a grieving Donald into giving the land back to the Osage Nation.”
Author's summary: Sterlin Harjo’s “The Lowdown” finale blends sharp social critique with personal redemption, highlighting Tulsa’s hidden truths and the power of using knowledge for justice.