The Lowdown‘s Finale Brilliantly Upends the Characters’—And Audience’s—Assumptions

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This piece discusses, in detail, the finale of The Lowdown.

The finale of Sterlin Harjo’s compelling neo-noir series, The Lowdown, which aired on FX Tuesday, revolved around two key questions. The first – how did Dale Washberg die? – had a relatively simple solution. The second was more complex. It asked whether Lee Raybon was a genuine champion of justice or a misguided individual with savior complex – a common theme among many memorable protagonists this year. However, Sterlin Harjo, the creator of Reservation Dogs, wisely avoids easy labels of ‘hero’ and ‘villain’. Ethan Hawke’s character, the eccentric “Tulsa truthstorian,” ultimately proved to be a blend of both. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, both for Lee and the audience, was discovering that the man he saw as his enemy wasn’t actually much different from himself.

The finale, titled “The Sensitive Kind”—a reference to both a J.J. Cale song covered by Eric Clapton and the working title of the show—begins with a dreamlike flashback. We see Lee in his bookstore, reading Walter Tevis’ novel The Man Who Fell to Earth while Dale browses. The novel, famously adapted into a David Bowie film, tells the story of an alien whose mission to save his planet is derailed by earthly distractions, and features a character named Betty Jo, who shares a name with Jeanne Tripplehorn’s character. The scene establishes a thematic connection, as the alien’s downfall is linked to love. Dale compliments Lee’s journalism, prompting Lee to explain his concept of being a “truthstorian”—someone who seeks the deeper meaning behind events. “You know how they say there’s more to every story?” Lee asks. “Well, that’s what I try to find.” Dale responds with a quote from crime writer Jim Thompson: “There is only one plot—things are not as they seem,” foreshadowing the complexities of Lee’s investigation.

Both Lee and the authorities are partially correct about Dale’s death. Lee discovers the official ruling of suicide doesn’t tell the whole story—possibly connected to his investigation of the Washberg family. However, he only fully understands in the end how his own assumptions about who the good guys and bad guys are have clouded his judgment. Essentially, the truth is far more complicated than anyone realizes, even for someone dedicated to finding it.

Following the strange events at the bookstore, Harjo (who also directed and co-wrote the final episode) picks up where the last episode left off: Lee suddenly appears at the One Well church, gun drawn, confronting Frank (Tracy Letts). But Lee isn’t the only one with a weapon – he quickly finds himself surrounded by armed white supremacists. He survives only because Marty (Keith David) arrives right behind him, reveals himself as an undercover federal agent, and announces he’s there to arrest Lee. Both men escape, though Marty is shot in the leg during the getaway. Throughout the series, The Lowdown has been enjoyable for its exciting and funny action, and this scene is a perfect example, showcasing David’s performance – from his blunt assessment of Lee as “insane and a complete asshole” to his hilarious reaction to a drug Lee claims is similar to Advil.

The lighthearted atmosphere at the bookstore quickly turns serious when Lee is confronted by Chutto, a Native American artist. Chutto throws a rock through the window and then angrily accuses Lee of being responsible for the death of his grandfather, the renowned author Arthur (played by the late Graham Greene). He criticizes Lee for being self-centered and dismisses any offer to help reclaim stolen land, stating that Lee’s desire for the land is the problem, not the land itself. This forces Lee to recognize his own role in a larger conflict, and how his privileged perspective has blinded him to the harm caused to others. Later, when Lee expresses surprise at seeing the wealthy philanthropist Trip Keating at a meeting, Marty bluntly points out that Keating is exactly the type of person you’d expect to find among those with harmful ideologies, further highlighting Lee’s limited understanding.

Lee made a disastrous mistake in believing Betty Jo was simply a victim in the Washberg situation, likely due to a combination of bias and his feelings for her. His trust in her proved fatal – Arthur died because Lee shared information about Dale’s will with Betty Jo, who was secretly working with Frank. Frank is also responsible for Dale’s murder, having sent two violent men to intimidate him. They ended up killing him instead. Afterward, Betty Jo made Dale’s death look like a suicide. When confronted, she claims all her actions were motivated by protecting herself and her daughter, Pearl (Ken Pomeroy). She argues she did whatever it took to help those she cared about. This situation perfectly exemplifies how white women can enable and participate in violence committed by white men against marginalized groups, including Indigenous and Black people.

Betty Jo raises a good point when Lee insists he’s always acted with the best intentions. She questions whether consistently negative outcomes negate the goodness of an action. Lee has relentlessly pursued the truth, but at what price? Is it acceptable for even groundbreaking journalism, the kind that could make a writer famous, to cause serious harm to someone who is otherwise making a positive impact?

It turns out the man Lee desperately wanted as his enemy, Donald Washberg (Kyle MacLachlan), was genuinely unaware of Dale’s murder, believing it was a suicide. When Lee brings Donald to meet with him at Cyrus’ (Mike ‘Killer Mike’ Render) office, he forces the candidate to confront the Black voters he’d ignored during his campaign. We learn Donald’s plan to sell Arthur’s family’s stolen land to One Well (which Lee calls a “psycho Nazi church”) wasn’t malicious – he simply didn’t ask how he got the deal. “I didn’t want to know,” Donald confesses to Lee, clearly devastated by his part in protecting Betty Jo and unknowingly acting as her informant. “I thought I could fix things after I won the election… I hurt people. I hurt my brother.” Lee responds with understanding: “I’ve hurt people too.”

Donald wasn’t the enemy in Lee’s story, and Lee wasn’t a true hero. Both men were ultimately good people who ignored facts that would have complicated their goals. Lee wanted to publish an article about the death of Dale Washberg, but he now understood it would unfairly damage Donald’s campaign by suggesting he’d knowingly taken a bribe. Remembering conversations with Chutto and Betty Jo, Lee decided to prioritize a greater good over simply reporting the truth. He made a deal with Donald: Donald would return land stolen from Arthur’s family, who would then transfer ownership to the Osage Nation. Donald publicly announced this decision alongside Osage leaders and musicians, also promising to respect tribal sovereignty. He confidently told Trip, “There are more tribal citizens than CEOs,” a clear dismissal of corporate interests.

In a quick, almost unnoticed moment, Donald receives a warm hug from Pearl, who has just learned he is her father. This mirrors a similarity between him and Lee: both have focused on their own goals at the expense of their daughters’ well-being. However, the finale shows Lee starting to improve as a parent. Last week, he walked out of Francis’ parent-teacher conference, then frustratingly explained his actions, stating he wouldn’t be the type of father who attends all of her sporting events. He declared he’d rather teach her what a good man looks like and how to pursue her dreams. Francis’ heartbreaking response – “I just want you to be my dad” – highlighted how everything always revolved around him. This week, we see she got through to him when he attends her reading and listens to the story she wrote about his separation from Francis’ mother, Sam.

As the exciting events of the story come to a close, he manages to put aside his negative feelings toward Sam’s fiancé, Johnny, long enough to be there for Sam and their daughter at the wedding. (The choice of Leonard Cohen’s “So Long, Marianne” for the wedding song is particularly striking, perfectly capturing the bittersweet emotions of watching someone you still love marry another person.) In a final act of kindness, he gives Francis his blessing to move in with Sam and Johnny permanently, telling her she deserves a secure home. While Francis isn’t completely sure, the important thing is that the decision is hers, not his.

Lee’s growth shows in his choices – prioritizing his daughter, choosing a gentler story with “The Sensitive Kind” over a darker one, returning land to the Osage Nation, and promising support to Oklahoma’s tribal nations. He’s moving away from making his loved ones simply supporting players in his life, allowing them to share his interests even if he doesn’t always fully share theirs. As Dale pointed out, being sensitive isn’t about being weak; it’s about being observant and perceptive. Many who fight for what’s right lack this quality, blinded by their own self-importance. They often prioritize ideals over people and trust their gut feelings even when facts prove them wrong.

While the finale wasn’t flawless, I was ultimately very moved by the show’s message. Donald’s sudden redemption felt a little rushed, and I wished the storyline for Marty, with his internal struggles highlighted by his unsuccessful date, had been wrapped up more fully. Overall, The Lowdown convincingly argued for the importance of empathy and understanding. The show made a powerful point that while prejudice and greed have existed for centuries – from historical figures to modern extremist groups – so does inherent goodness. However, goodness isn’t something anyone can simply take credit for, like Europeans did with Indigenous lands. It requires consistent effort, collaboration with diverse perspectives, and a genuine commitment to developing the sensitivity needed to create positive change.

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2025-11-05 07:07