The Lowdown's Finale Brilliantly Upends Assumptions
Sterlin Harjo’s Tulsa-based neo-noir The Lowdown concluded with a mix of violence, humor, and sharp twists. The final episode, aired on FX, delved into two central mysteries surrounding the story's main figures.
Unraveling Dale Washberg’s Death
The first question—how Dale Washberg died—had a relatively direct answer, providing resolution to one of the series’ long-standing threads.
Exploring Lee Raybon’s Complexity
The second question proved more intricate. Was Lee Raybon a noble seeker of truth or a misguided white savior enthralled by his own mission? Harjo, best known for Reservation Dogs, avoided simple moral binaries. Through Ethan Hawke’s vivid portrayal, Lee became both hero and antihero, a man whose obsession blurred the line between justice and delusion.
"The Sensitive Kind"
The finale’s title, shared with J.J. Cale’s song featured through Eric Clapton’s cover, also echoed the headline of Lee’s own story about Dale—and even served as the early working title of the show. This final chapter began with a haunting flashback that felt almost dreamlike: Lee in his bookstore, reading Walter Tevis’ The Man Who Fell to Earth, as Dale (played by Tim Blake Nelson) quietly roamed between the shelves.
In its conclusion, The Lowdown forced both its protagonist and the audience to confront uncomfortable truths about perception, morality, and storytelling itself.
Author’s Summary
The finale of Sterlin Harjo’s The Lowdown redefined its characters and viewers alike, blending noir tension and moral introspection into a haunting, self-aware ending.