‘The Lowdown’ Creator Sterlin Harjo on the Bittersweet Finale, Tulsa’s Lessons for America, and Ethan Hawke’s Dual Power
Sterlin Harjo, creator of the FX series “The Lowdown,” discusses the emotional Season 1 finale and what stories from Tulsa can reveal about America today. The episode “The Sensitive Kind,” now streaming on Hulu, ties together themes of truth, guilt, and justice.
Uncovering Truth and Power
Journalist and bookstore owner Lee Raybon, played by Ethan Hawke, calls himself a “truthstorian,” a term that reflects his belief in uncovering Tulsa’s hidden past as a moral mission. In the finale, Lee discovers that a white supremacist church has funneled bribes through a land deal to back gubernatorial candidate Donald Washburg, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan.
The Washburg Family Secrets
Donald’s brother, Dale (Tim Blake Nelson), a reclusive man whose death was ruled a suicide, had tried to leave the disputed land to his Native friend Arthur (Graham Greene). But Donald’s associate Frank (Tracy Letts), without Donald’s knowledge, arranged a violent intimidation that led to Dale’s death and murdered Arthur afterward.
From Exposure to Change
Rather than publish his explosive findings, Lee chooses another path. He uses what he knows to persuade the guilt-ridden Donald to transfer the contested property to the Osage Nation. In doing so, Lee transforms his investigation into an act of restoration instead of revelation.
“He can break your heart while making you laugh,” Harjo says of Ethan Hawke’s performance, capturing both the sorrow and humor that define “The Lowdown.”
Lessons from Tulsa
Harjo’s story intertwines local reckonings with universal themes of justice and redemption. It portrays how facing buried histories can lead to reconciliation if truth is handled with empathy and purpose.
Author’s Summary: Harjo’s finale transforms a dark mystery into a story about truth, guilt, and healing, showing how painful revelations can become acts of justice and renewal.