FX’s crime drama The Lowdown keeps getting better with each episode. The fourth installment, titled Short on Cowboys, brings shocking family secrets to light. Ethan Hawke leads the cast as Lee Raybon, a bookstore owner who moonlights as an investigative journalist in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sterlin Harjo, the creator behind Reservation Dogs, brings this noir-style thriller to life with a strong supporting cast featuring Keith David, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. The show takes inspiration from journalist Lee Roy Chapman and his controversial paper, The Land Press. This October 7, 2025 episode, directed by Macon Blair, pulls back the curtain on the Washberg family’s darkest secret.
What Did Lee and Francis Discover in Dale’s Letters?
Lee partners with Francis, the teenage daughter of the murdered Dale Washberg, to read through her father’s private correspondence. The letters paint a sad picture of Dale’s life and his relationship with his brother.
Dale wasn’t good-looking and relied on his brother Donald for pretty much everything. The brothers were close, but something changed right before Dale died.
The letters mention a most vile provocation that tore the brothers apart. Dale never explained what happened, leaving Lee to figure it out on his own.
Before his death, Dale was writing a novel called The Dustbowl Kid. He also mentioned someone tried to kill him once before, which Lee thinks connects to Blackie and Berta’s failed hit job in Skiatook.
Is Pearl Really Dale’s Daughter?
Here’s where things get messy. Pearl, who everyone thinks is Dale’s daughter, turns out to be his niece. She’s actually the daughter of Betty Jo and Donald, Dale’s brother.
The affair started before Betty Jo married Dale. This wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment thing. The whole marriage was planned by the Washberg family to hide Dale’s real life.
Dale was gay, but his family couldn’t accept that. They needed him married to look normal in their conservative community. Betty Jo served that purpose perfectly.
The Washbergs wouldn’t let Donald marry Betty Jo because they didn’t think she was good enough. But for Dale, who wasn’t really interested in women anyway, she was the perfect wife on paper.
Why Did Betty Jo Marry Dale If She Loved Donald?
Betty Jo’s marriage was basically a business deal wrapped in wedding clothes. She got to be a Washberg, Donald got to keep seeing her, and Dale got cover for who he really was.
Betty Jo lied to Dale about Pearl being his daughter. This let her keep sleeping with Donald while playing the role of Dale’s devoted wife. Everyone knew their part and stuck to it.
For years, this arrangement worked. Dale got his freedom, Donald got his woman, and the Washbergs kept their reputation clean. I think this shows how far some families will go to protect their image.
How Did Lee Get Betty Jo to Reveal the Truth?
Donald tries to shut down Lee’s investigation by suing the Heartland Press and getting a restraining order. He wants to keep the family secrets buried no matter what it takes.
He also offers Betty Jo ten grand to leave the mansion quietly. Big mistake. This just makes her angry and more willing to talk to Lee about what really happened.
Betty Jo catches Lee tailing her and calls him out over lunch. She’s mad about how he wrote about her in his paper and how he acted at Dale’s funeral.
But even while she’s angry, she admits she cared about Dale. She talks about how much their daughter loved him. This conversation shows Betty Jo isn’t just some gold-digger.
Lee switches up his approach. Instead of pushing hard, he takes Betty Jo out for drinks at the Jack of Clubs. The tequila starts flowing and people start talking.
Lee tells her about losing his wife Samantha. Betty Jo opens up about going from being a Washberg to being yesterday’s rodeo queen. They both have wounds they’re nursing.
What Happens Between Lee and Betty Jo?
Things get heated between Lee and Betty Jo as the drinks keep coming. They end up back at her place, the same mansion Donald wants her out of.
Betty Jo talks about the night Dale died, saying she was asleep. Then she pulls out Dale’s gun in this weird, flirty moment while Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On plays loud.
The alcohol and emotion break down Betty Jo’s walls. She finally tells Lee the truth about Pearl not being Dale’s daughter. After that confession, they end up in bed together.
This complicates everything. Is Lee really into her or just using her for information? That’s the question hanging in the air the next morning.
Who Killed Dale Washberg?
Lee and Betty Jo eat breakfast together the next day and talk about who might have killed Dale. Lee doesn’t think Betty Jo did it anymore after spending the night with her.
But if it wasn’t her, then Donald looks pretty guilty. He had every reason to want his brother dead. The affair, the secret kid, the fight right before Dale died.
Still, Lee knows better than to jump to conclusions. When something looks too obvious in a murder case, it usually is. There’s more to this story.
If Donald didn’t pull the trigger, who did? Maybe it ties back to those land deals in Indian Head Hills? Or Dale’s book The Dustbowl Kid that he never finished?
That earlier failed hit on Dale’s life still needs explaining too. Was someone else after him all along? Did they finally succeed the second time around?
What Does This Mean for Lee’s Investigation?
Sleeping with Betty Jo wasn’t Lee’s smartest move professionally. He’s supposed to be investigating this case, not getting personally involved with the witnesses.
This could blow up his credibility if anyone finds out. Plus, Donald’s already got that restraining order on him, making it harder to dig around.
Learning about Pearl changes things though. If the Washbergs kept this secret for decades, what else are they hiding? This family has layers of lies built up over years.
Someone tried to kill Dale before and failed. Lee needs to figure out who wanted him dead and why they kept trying until they got it right.
Lee should probably watch his back. The Washbergs have power and money all over Tulsa. Poking around in their business could get him hurt or worse.
The Bigger Picture
This episode shows how personal lies and public corruption mix together in small cities. The Washbergs represent old money that’ll do anything to stay powerful and keep up appearances.
Dale’s murder isn’t just about one dead guy. It’s connected to land deals, political dirt, and family problems that go back years. The show keeps exploring truth versus lies.
Lee isn’t your typical good guy hero. He drinks too much, lies to people to get info, and doesn’t care who gets hurt along the way if he gets his story.
But you can’t help rooting for him because he’s trying to expose real corruption. I like that the show doesn’t pretend Lee is perfect. He’s flawed and makes bad choices constantly.
More surprises are coming as the season winds down. Nothing in Tulsa’s rich circles is what it seems. Families hide terrible secrets, upstanding citizens break laws, and finding truth comes at a cost.
Lee’s barely started uncovering what’s really happening in this city. The Washberg murder is just the tip of the iceberg, and diving deeper might drown him.
