Ethan Hawke is one of the most beloved actors thanks to roles in movies like “Training Day,” “Before Sunrise,” and “Blackphone.” Now, he’s becoming a staple on the small screen as his FX and Hulu series, “The Lowdown,” has been renewed for a second season.
Variety reported the show’s renewal on January 7. The series premiered in September 2025 and comes from “Reservation Dogs” creator Sterlin Harjo. The show follows Lee Raybon, played by Hawke, who is a citizen journalist seeking to expose a local conspiracy.
In additon to Hawke, it stars Keith David, Kyle MacLachlan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Kaniehtiio Horn, Tracy Letts, Peter Dinklage, and Graham Greene.
Production on season two of “The Lowdown” will begin in the spring.
‘The Lowdown’ Has High Praise From Audiences and Critics
FX and Hulu renewing “The Lowdown” comes after the series not only had strong viewership but also solid reviews. It currently has an impressive 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. This is based on 55 reviews. The audience gave it a 77%, which is also solid.
Regarding reviews, James Jackson from The Times UK said, “This is a scrappy detective drama, a local-corruption neo-noir, a slice of Oklahoma life, a shaggy dog story, the kind of TV show that can feel almost like mood music.”
Phill Harrison from The Guardian wrote, “The Lowdown is frequently very funny; working as both a genre piece and as a character study. And yet, as with Harjo’s previous show Reservation Dogs, there’s something profoundly serious going on here too.”
Anna Yorke from PopMatters said, “In wicked times like ours, when the truth is deliberately distorted and buried for the ends of the elites, Lee Raybon might just be the hero we need, flaws and all.”
Hawke spoke to The LA Times about the role in 2025. He said, “Lee’s[his character] right up my alley. In an alternate universe, I feel like that is me.” He also called filming the first season “a lot of work but really fun.”
Ethan Hawke Has a New Movie Coming Soon
In additon to “The Lowdown” being renewed, Hawke has other projects in various stages of development. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he has been cast in the upcoming film “The Weight.”
Hawke will star in the movie alongside Hollywood legend Russell Crowe. The movie is a period piece set in 1930s Oregon. He will play Samuel Murphy, a prisoner in a labor camp eager to escape.
“The Weight” is scheduled to be screened at Sundance on January 26, 2026.
