Aahana Swrup
Sterlin Harjo’s ‘The Lowdown’ presents a thrilling crime show that pitches one devoted journalist’s search for truth against the foreboding threat of vicious, well-kept secrets. Lee Raybon, a self-appointed “truthstorian,” drives the narrative as the protagonist. The bookstore owner and occasional writer is known for his hard-hitting journalism, delving into the darker side of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His most recent exposé has brought to light the sordid history of the town’s most well-known and powerful family, the Washbergs. Days after the article comes out, Dale Washberg, a known black sheep of the family, commits suicide, leaving a dark stain on his brother, Donald’s, mayoral campaign.
As one too many clues point in the wrong direction, Lee becomes convinced that a greater conspiracy is afoot with the historic family at its center. However, asking too many questions in his line of work can land an investigator in the wrong kind of trouble. The FX show delves into a realistic depiction of dangerous journalistic investigation as it unravels in the historically rich region of Tulsa. Naturally, some beats of Lee Raybon’s ventures end up holding some parallels in reality.
The Lowdown is Loosely Inspired by the Career of Lee Roy Chapman
Although a largely fictional production, the genesis of ‘The Lowdown’ has some riveting roots in reality. Sterlin Harjo, best known for co-creating ‘Reservation Dogs,’ first started working on the project years ago. In the 2010s, Harjo was working with a Tulsa-based magazine, This Land Press, for which he created short video content. During this time, his paths crossed with Lee Roy Chapman, a citizen journalist and public historian who was notably involved in the local activist circles. Chapman worked on uncovering details about some of the darkest secrets that the city of Tulsa had hidden away in its history. Unfortunately, the journalist passed away in 2015 as a result of suicide.
Shortly afterward, Harjo found himself working on a feature film script inspired by Chapman’s historical work at This Land Press. Nonetheless, the timing felt off, and the project eventually took a backseat. Years later, after garnering much prominence and fame through ‘Reservation Dogs,’ the showrunner felt moved to pull out the project and rework it in the form of a TV series. Soon enough, Ethan Hawke, who was already at the forefront of Harjo’s mind for the lead role, became attached to the project. Thus, between the inciting real-life inspiration from Chapman’s life and legacy, the creator’s personal experiences as a native Tulsa resident, and a considerable bit of fictionalization, ‘The Lowdown’ was created. However, instead of mining direct inspiration for narrative beats from real life, the show only sustains thematic resonance with reality. Thus, for the most part, no actual off-screen events offer biographical influence on the show.
The Real-Life Roots Behind Lee Raybon’s Character
The protagonist of ‘The Lowdown,’ Lee Raybon, shares evident origins with the real-life journalist Lee Roy Chapman. The latter is best known for the work he did in the early 2010s with This Land Press. In the magazine, the writer disclosed the dark history of W. Tate Brady, the founder of Tulsa, Oklahoma, exposing him as a member of the white supremacist group, Ku Klux Klan. Furthermore, through his work, he revealed that Brady was involved in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a tragic attack wherein white citizens destroyed a flourishing Black neighborhood in the city: Greenwood. Reportedly, estimates suggest around 300 people were murdered in the attack. Following Chapman’s exposé, Brady’s legacy was forever changed, leading to the renaming of Brady Street and Brady Arts District.
Today, the places are known as M.B. Brady Street and the Tulsa Arts District. Since ‘The Lowdown’ isn’t a biographical retelling of Chapman’s life, these instances aren’t directly translated on the screen. Instead, the real-life citizen journalist’s spirit is captured within the character of Lee Raybon. Therefore, his journalistic spirit and dogged pursuit of the truth remain the most notable similarities between him and Chapman. Nonetheless, no other direct inspiration is drawn from the latter’s life in the service of Lee Raybon’s characterization. However, the character finds other sources of inspiration. In the show, a key aspect of Lee’s storyline revolves around his relationship with his teenage daughter, Francis, whom he shares custody of with her mother.
In a conversation with The Orange County Register, Harjo spoke about how his own life inspired this aspect of Lee’s character. “(But) Lee is also drawn from my life. I was trying to become a filmmaker, raising a young daughter, and wondering if it was worth it, and at what point was it too much, and whether I should quit. All those fears play out in Lee, too. But he knows getting to the bottom of this story is important and believes that history will absolve you for fighting for the truth, and hopefully, your daughter will absolve you someday when she realizes what you’re fighting for.” Thus, much like the show itself, Lee Raybon’s character becomes a combination of real-life references and fictionalization.
Read More: Where Was FX’s The Lowdown Filmed?
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