When we last saw Lee Raybon, Ethan Hawke's intrepid reporter and self-proclaimed "truthstorian," he was getting beaten up, laughed at, and shot at while investigating the death of a wealthy local. So when Season 2 opens with Lee being named Citizen Journalist of the Year at a small ceremony, it feels like a long-overdue victory. Naturally, he manages to mess it up in the most endearing way possible.
Hawke plays the entire evening with that same nervous, slightly unhinged energy that made his character so compelling in the first place. He's proud of himself, but he still doesn't know how to let a good thing stay good. That makes the premiere, "The Rupidoop," a perfect entry point for where creator Sterlin Harjo's show is now. While Season 1 blended Coen Brothers-style humor with strange mysteries, Season 2 feels like Harjo and his writers have fully settled into what makes this world tick.
With the first six of eight episodes available for review, The Lowdown Season 2 is positively spectacular. It's sharper, funnier, and more purposeful, with the mystery tightening in every episode without ever feeling overwhelming. The best part is that Lee's particular brand of chaos still leaves room for the weird people and small moments that make the show feel completely unlike anything else on TV right now.
What Is 'The Lowdown' Season 2 About?
Season 2 picks up with Lee finally getting some recognition for his investigative reporting, but any sense of normalcy disappears when he meets the mysterious Ginger (Betty Gilpin). The public defender might initially look like a femme fatale, but she admits she needs help after one of her clients goes missing. It doesn't help that she's being stalked by two men, which prompts Lee to suit up as her knight in shining armor (while also hoping she'll be his girlfriend because he's absolutely smitten). As he starts digging out of genuine concern, the investigation pulls him toward another story involving corruption, powerful people, and those who would rather he mind his own business.
Things have also changed at the Heartland Press, with Marty (Keith David) now serving as managing editor and trying, with very mixed results, to get Lee to actually work on the stories he's been assigned. At home, Lee's daughter Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) is getting older and wants more time with her dad, while Lee's ex Samantha (Kaniehtiio Horn) is now married to Johnny (Rafael Casal), a dentist who winds up getting pulled into Lee's life more than either of them probably expected.
The biggest revelation this season comes from Lee's estranged father, Lee Raybon Sr., played by the legendary Tommy Lee Jones. When "Frog" suddenly shows up in Tulsa after nearly 20 years away, it creates an immediate tension between father and son, but also between Lee and Francis, since he'd spent years claiming her grandfather had died.
Ethan Hawke Has Never Been Better in 'The Lowdown' Season 2
Hawke has always been that guy, cool and suave in just about everything he does, and easily one of our best actors. As Lee Raybon, however, he's doing something that feels completely different. There's nothing polished about this character (just wait until Episode 4), but Hawke becomes a smorgasbord of emotions: twitchy, tired, awkward, loud, and somehow still super charming. He also throws his whole body into this performance, whether Lee is stumbling through a bad situation or talking too fast out of panic. It's one of those roles where you lose sight of Hawke and start to only see his character.
It's also why Gilpin is a great match for him. The two play their characters' neuroses without ever outdoing the other, offering a yin and yang that makes their dynamic so exciting. Gilpin's funny in a very different way, which helps her scenes with Hawke feel fresh through a platonic lens, while Ginger and Lee share a lot of His Girl Friday-style banter that makes you think there's more to them together. Gilpin's expressions are also incredible, specifically in how she pushes back, gets annoyed or scared, or just reacts in disbelief that Lee is the person helping her. But there is real fear and hurt in her performance too, and Gilpin moves between those beats as one of TV's best-written women.
Jones, who is returning to TV nearly four decades later, brings a completely different rhythm to Season 2. He enters with mystery, but plays Lee Sr. as a quieter addition, which works really well against Hawke. Some of Jones' best moments come from how calmly he delivers his lines while everyone around him is reacting, which creates a nice balance between the humor and drama. But there's a striking weight in Lee and Hawke's scenes together that makes them absolutely magical. It's hard to believe they never acted together before this, but the pair are masterclasses in shaping a family portrait that is strained but still full of care.
Meanwhile, Armstrong remains excellent with her on-screen dad in Hawke. Their scenes still feel genuine and heartfelt, grounding the show's more chaotic elements. The Lowdown continues to be a standout in the crime genre, and with its sharp writing and stellar performances, it's easily one of the best shows on TV right now. If you're looking for something that blends humor, mystery, and heart, this is it. And if you're a fan of shows that only get better after season one, this is a prime example. For those who appreciate flawless crime dramas, The Lowdown is a must-watch. And with Season 2 set to return in October 2026, there's plenty of time to catch up.
