Ethan Hawke and Sterlin Harjo Team Up for Gritty New FX Series The LowDown

Sterlin Harjo is back with a brand-new series, and this time he’s pulling us into the dark Tulsa underbelly with The LowDown. The official trailer just hit, and it wastes no time setting the tone for an eight-episode dive into obsession, corruption, and the messiness of chasing the truth.

At the center of it all is Ethan Hawke, pulling double duty as star and executive producer. Hawke is Lee Raybon, a “truthstorian” who runs a rare bookstore and is obsessed with unearthing the corruption of Tulsa’s seedy underbelly and peeling back layers of power that most people would rather leave untouched. It’s a dangerous line of work, and it comes at a cost.

Lee’s relentless sleuthing keeps him away from his teenage daughter, Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), who has inherited his curiosity and wants to follow him into the chase. His ex, Samantha (Kaniehtiio Horn), has had her fill of Lee’s reckless obsessions but can’t deny his devotion as a father. Their fractured family becomes the heartbeat of a story that’s as much about relationships as it is about unraveling conspiracies.

The series kicks into high gear when Lee publishes an exposé on Tulsa’s powerful Washberg family. Soon after, Dale Washberg (Tim Blake Nelson), the family’s black sheep, turns up dead in what police are quick to call a suicide. But Dale left behind clues that point to a bigger, more dangerous truth—one Lee can’t resist chasing. The deeper he digs, the more he uncovers about the Washbergs’ tangled web of power. Betty Jo (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Dale’s widow, seems suspiciously close to Donald Washberg (Kyle MacLachlan), a gubernatorial candidate, raising more questions than answers.

And then there’s Marty (Keith David), a mysterious figure who appears when Lee least expects him. With his refined charm and sharp mind, Marty seems to know more than he lets on and his interest in Lee’s investigation makes him either an ally or a threat.

With eight episodes of tightly woven Tulsa noir, The LowDown promises to be a gripping ride. Sterlin Harjo, known for blending sharp cultural commentary with heartfelt storytelling, brings his signature touch to the pilot as both writer and director. The powerhouse executive producer team includes Harjo, Ethan Hawke, Ryan Hawke, and Garrett Basch, with FX Productions backing the project.

If the trailer is any indication, The LowDown is a story about obsession, family, and the messy pursuit of truth in a city built on contradictions. Harjo has already proven with Reservation Dogs that he can shift the cultural landscape of television. With The LowDown, he looks ready to leave his mark and redefine noir for a whole new generation.

The Lowdown premieres on FX on Tuesday, September 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season.