Since the Coen Brothers split up to do their own solo projects, Hollywood has been trying its utmost to fill in the gap that they left. We’ve occasionally seen sparks of Coen-esque brilliance in a handful of indie features, but TV has proven to be where the spirit of the Coen Brothers’ style lives. Noah Hawley’s Fargo series is the obvious first choice, though the FX anthology show was a case of diminishing returns. However, also on FX, Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo was quietly building the case that he was the heir apparent to the Coens. And now, with the terrific second season of The Lowdown, he has confirmed that no one is doing Coens-style absurdity quite like him.
The shaggy charms of The Lowdown are on full display in Season 2, which sees Ethan Hawke’s self-described “truthstorian” Lee Raybon unearthing another shady conspiracy that goes all the way to the top of the state penitentiary system, as one missing prisoner reveals a dangerous level of corruption in a nearby town.
