Ethan Hawke is dusting off his cowboy boots, hat, and bolo tie for season two of FX’s The Lowdown. This time around, Hawke’s Lee Raybon, a citizen journalist and self-proclaimed “truthstorian” in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has his sights set on a new investigation involving two confirmed murders and the entire sheriff’s department. It’s a conspiracy theory that’s “so hot, it’s on fire,” Lee enthusiastically says in the official trailer, determined to get to the bottom of the case. As if he doesn’t already have enough on his plate, Lee is thrown off by the arrival of his estranged father, Lee Raybon Sr., played by Tommy Lee Jones, in the legendary film actor’s first major TV role in years. Betty Gilpin, a familiar face from acclaimed series like Widow’s Bay and GLOW, also joins season two as a public defender.
The official synopsis reads:
Lee lives and works in a rare books store tucked in the heart of Tulsa – a local refuge and unofficial community hub. While Lee’s no idealist, he’s fiercely committed to exposing corruption and unearthing the city’s hidden rot, even when it puts him at risk. As the season begins, Lee’s recent story on the life and untimely death of Dale Washberg (as seen in season one) earns him a local citizen journalist award. Unable to process things going well for a change, Lee self-medicates and, unsurprisingly, makes a less than stellar showing at the ceremony. But his wildly unfiltered speech grabs the attention of beautiful and brash public defender Ginger (Gilpin), herself a crusader for truth.
Ginger and Lee team up for a case involving one of her clients’ mysterious disappearance from a state penitentiary, and as the journalist gets more involved in the investigation, he’s pulled away from spending quality time with his teenage daughter, Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), whom he co-parents with his ex, Samantha (Kaniehtiio Horn).
The Lowdown returns with a two-episode premiere on October 14 at 9 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu. The remaining six episodes of season two will air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET. You can watch the trailer below.