Kyle MacLachlan carries David Lynch’s influence into Sterlin Harjo’s The Lowdown

Ethan Hawke’s new FX thriller The Lowdown, created by Sterlin Harjo and airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FX with next-day availability on Hulu, has drawn early notice for a sensibility that seems to echo David Lynch. Kyle MacLachlan, whose career began under Lynch’s watch on Dune and Blue Velvet, told The New York Post that the presence of Lynch’s spirit is audible in Harjo’s approach as well as in the series’ mood. MacLachlan recalled that David Lynch was not only a director but a creator of a world, and that world’s influence lingered in him long after their collaborations. Lynch died in January at 78 after a battle with emphysema, and MacLachlan said the experience of working with him left an imprint that’s recognizable in Harjo’s set and in the way the cast interacts on screen.

The Lowdown centers on Lee, an eccentric bookseller in Tula, Oklahoma, who moonlights as a sleuth trying to expose corruption tied to the powerful Washberg family. Hawke’s Lee becomes entangled with the Washbergs—Betty Jo and the conservative, ambitious Donald—while private investigator Marty (Keith David) tracks Lee’s moves. It’s a setup that invites a Lynchian cadence, combining offbeat humor with a tension that lingers beyond the surface of each scene. The cast also includes Jeanne Tripplehorn as Betty Jo Washberg, a rodeo-queen-turned-character who drives a key portion of the plot. On screen, the energy surrounding the project feels buoyant and collaborative, a trait MacLachlan notes as a through-line from Lynch’s sets to Harjo’s.

David B. David, who has more than 400 acting credits and previously appeared in Hawke’s The Good Lord Bird, said he’s long harbored a wish to play a television detective, and The Lowdown grants that wish in a way that feels natural alongside Hawke. “And, I love Ethan, and getting a chance to play with him was also a bonus,” David said, underscoring the ease of collaboration that marks the series’ dynamic. The ensemble’s chemistry, MacLachlan implied, reflects a shared sense of discovery on set—an atmosphere that Lynch built into his own productions and that Harjo—whose earlier work with Reservation Dogs is noted for its exuberant, joyful energy—continues to cultivate.

Tripplehorn, who describes her character as a rodeo queen-turned-wronged matriarch, faced a different challenge: avoiding overblown caricature while still preserving the larger-than-life quality of her role. “As an actor, when you find out your character was a former rodeo queen, hello! I mean, it’s kind of all right there,” she told The Post. Yet the actress admitted she initially worried about playing the part too big, a fear that dissipated once she redirected her approach to stay true to the tone Harjo and Hawke are shaping. “I kept landing on the Cowboy Channel. Who knew?” she said, revealing how real-world rodeo imagery helped calibrate her performance. After consulting the costume team, she realized the character could be bold without tipping into caricature, a balance that helps The Lowdown sit firmly within its contemporary cultural moment.

Harjo’s The Lowdown leverages a cast that spans generations, with MacLachlan’s Donald Washberg anchoring a family dynasty that’s both corrupt and captivating. The show’s premise—how a small-town exposé collides with a powerful local lineage—feels designed to draw out a tonal mix of mystery, satire, and human texture. The FX project’s rhythm, as described by its stars, emphasizes the “joyful” energy on set, a key element that MacLachlan ties back to Lynch’s own process. He suggested that Lynch’s environments were always designed not merely to follow a script, but to invite improvisation and discovery—an ethos he sees mirrored in Harjo’s direction and in the way the Lowdown’s community interacts with the material. The on-set atmosphere appears to reflect a philosophy of creative openness—an environment where ideas can evolve in real time, and where performances grow richer when given space to breathe.

The show airs weekly on FX with a streaming window on Hulu, a scheduling choice that aligns with contemporary viewing habits and the platform’s emphasis on character-driven, long-form storytelling. The collaboration between Hawke, MacLachlan, Tripplehorn, and David signals a convergence of veteran sensibilities with Harjo’s newer, sharper-edged take on American regional storytelling. The project’s success will likely hinge on its ability to maintain a balance between character-driven drama and the winking, offbeat tonal notes that draw connections to Lynch’s most enduring works. The cast’s reflections, captured during press interviews, suggest a program that honors its influences while pushing forward with a distinct, modern voice. The Lowdown’s blend of a quirky detective premise, a potent family saga, and a vibrant on-set energy positions it as a notable entry in the current landscape of Culture & Entertainment.

As Harjo and Hawke propel the series through its first season, the conversation around The Lowdown will likely continue to revolve around how the show negotiates its influences and how the cast uses them to shape new television mythology. MacLachlan’s remarks about Lynch—about the director’s hands-on approach and the environment he fostered—offer a window into the kind of collaborative energy that Harjo is cultivating on set. The result, based on early reviews and the actors’ reflections, may be a show that feels both familiar to fans of Lynch’s work and refreshingly new in its own right. With The Lowdown’s Tuesday 9 p.m. timeslot on FX and Hulu the following day, viewers have an opportunity to see how these threads converge on screen, and whether the series can sustain its momentum as it builds its own identity within a landscape saturated with prestige television.

[Image credit: FX Networks/Courtesy Everett Collection adds visual context to the ensemble and heritage connections guiding the show. The final act of the season will reveal how deeply Harjo’s world diverges from or converges with Lynch’s legend, and whether MacLachlan’s reflections on the set become a lasting blueprint for future collaborations.]