Ethan Hawke has been in some pretty fantastic projects over the years, but his latest role as Lee Raybon in FX’s neo-noir drama, The Lowdown, might just be one of his best yet. Lee is a journalist who finds himself reporting on a powerful family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Washburgs have a dark history, and with Donald (Kyle MacLachlan) running for governor, and his brother, Dale (Tim Blake Nelson), dying under mysterious circumstances, there are plenty of secrets for Lee to dig into. The Lowdown has everything you could want in a uniquely written series: several intriguing mysteries, plenty of offbeat laughs, and an incredibly compelling protagonist in Lee, who is on a perpetual quest for the truth.But the best part of The Lowdown is that its creator, Sterlin Harjo, has brought in several ties to one of his other beloved dramas.
What Is ‘Reservation Dogs’ About?
Harjo noted in an interview with The Wrap that The Lowdown does actually take place within the same world as his other Oklahoma-based series, Reservation Dogs, even joking that it could be referred to as the “Sterlin-universe,” but it’s easy to see why these shows draw comparisons. They’re both set in Harjo’s home state, their protagonists are scrappy yet lovable, and there’s a magical element that throws in a bit of mysticism into the narratives. His other series, Reservation Dogs, aired three seasons from 2021 to 2023 on FX on Hulu. It tells the story of a group of four Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation. One of their friends has died by suicide, and each teen is grappling with their grief related to his death. Reservation Dogs is a heartwarming tale of the power of friendship and community, but there is also plenty of humor to lighten some of the heavier topics.
Harjo’s show was beloved by critics, earning a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score. But for some reason, Reservation Dogs was criminally ignored by the Emmys each season, and couldn’t quite manage to break through to mainstream audiences. However, each of its 28 episodes is completely captivating to watch, and actually matches The Lowdown‘s vibes perfectly. In some ways, it’s even more accessible than The Lowdown because the main characters are teenagers. Their youth and naivety feel a bit more relatable than Lee’s character, and The Lowdown definitely has more of an adult sensibility to it in terms of language and violence.
‘The Lowdown’ Shares Several Fun Connections to ‘Reservation Dogs’
Harjo didn’t initially set out to link the two series together. However, a chance meet-up with actor Paulina Alexis, who played Wilhelmina Jacqueline “Willie Jack” Sampson in Reservation Dogs, created an exciting opportunity. Alexis had texted with Harjo that she was in town right at the time they were supposed to start shooting The Lowdown.In the very first scene of The Lowdown, we see Lee walking down a Tulsa street, and Alexis just casually passes by him. Harjo said, “It became this idea of — just give him the handoff, we’ll give him a nod as you walk by. It worked out so beautifully. It was good fortune. It wasn’t planned.” Willie Jack is one of the best parts of Reservation Dogs, with her tomboy attitude and dry sense of humor, so seeing her pop up in a new show (even if just for a brief moment) is incredibly fun.
After that nod to Reservation Dogs, Harjo decided to expand his universe even more. It’s not just Willie Jack’s cameo that Harjo decided to throw into The Lowdown. In Episode 2, Lee’s daughter, Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), is helping Lee use makeup to cover up some bruises on his face after he has been assaulted. Francis watches a makeup tutorial on her phone that features none other than Elora Danan Postoak (Devery Jacobs) from Reservation Dogs. This cameo is also super quick, but further cements the connections between the two dramas. For anyone who is a fan of Reservation Dogs, seeing these characters back on our screens is definitely a treat.
‘The Lowdown’ Also Shares Some Actors With the ‘Reservation Dogs’ Cast
Aside from Willie Jack and Elora popping up, Harjo also utilized several actors from Reservation Dogs. One of the more mystical parts of the series is the “Deer Lady,” who is described as a mysterious spirit who kills men. This specter, who actually exists in Native American mythology, looks like a regular woman, but has deer hooves instead of feet, and is a legend in the Indigenous culture and to the Rez Dogs. She makes several appearances throughout the series. The Deer Lady is portrayed by Kaniehtiio Horn, but in The Lowdown, she’s Samantha, Lee’s ex-wife and mother to Francis. Horn’s soulfulness comes across in both parts, and although she’s an actual person in The Lowdown, it’s easy to see why Harjo would cast her in another important role in his next series.
And then there’s Hawke himself. In the penultimate episode of Season 3 of Reservation Dogs, Hawke plays Elora’s estranged biological father. He only appears in this one episode, but his character does so much to develop Elora’s character and backstory that he becomes vital to the overall storytelling arc present in Reservation Dogs.
It’s not just the cast that’s a through line in Harjo’s writing. Both Reservation Dogs and The Lowdown have similar overall tones. With a unique setting of Tulsa, the inclusion of Indigenous characters, and the perfect blend of drama and comedy, these projects feel very different from most other television series out there. Even the exceptional music choices set them apart from typical programming, and help to create an even more engrossing storytelling style. Although Reservation Dogs has ended, it’s the perfect companion piece to watch alongside The Lowdown. If you’re already a fan of the gang from Reservation Dogs, tuning into The Lowdown is fun just to see if any of the other characters or actors will pop up in future episodes. Even if Harjo decides to keep his worlds a little more separate from now on, these series are both worth watching for Harjo’s compelling writing.
The Lowdown airs Tuesday nights on FX, and episodes are available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. Reservation Dogs is also available to stream on Hulu.
- Release Date
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September 23, 2025
- Directors
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Sterlin Harjo
- Writers
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Duffy Boudreau, Scott Teems, Sneha Koorse
