The first season of FX’s crime drama The Lowdown reached its conclusion on November 4, 2025, with an episode that finally solved the central mystery of Dale Washberg’s death. The finale, titled “The Sensitive Kind,” revealed that Dale’s death was not a suicide but a murder covered up by his own wife, Betty Jo. The investigation by the show’s main character, Lee Raybon, exposed a complex web of greed, land deals, and a white supremacist church, leading to an unexpected resolution that prioritized justice over a sensational headline.
The Final Confrontation at One Well Church
The finale opened with Lee trapped in a dangerous situation. He had followed Frank into the One Well Church, a gathering place for armed neo-Nazis, and attempted a citizen’s arrest. Surrounded and outgunned, Lee was saved by his friend Marty, who posed as a federal agent there to arrest Lee. The ruse created just enough confusion for the two to escape the church under a hail of gunfire, though Marty was shot in the leg during their getaway.
This tense action sequence gave way to a moment of reckoning for Lee the next morning. Chutto, the grandson of Lee’s late friend Arthur, threw a brick through the window of Lee’s bookstore. He confronted Lee, blaming him for his grandfather’s death. Chutto accused Lee of thinking only of himself, a criticism Lee had heard from others throughout the season. This confrontation served as a pivotal moment, forcing Lee to see the real-world consequences of his obsessive pursuit of the truth.
Betty Jo’s Secret and the Botched Intimidation Plot
Lee’s next move was to deliver Dale’s personal letters to his daughter, Pearl. This action successfully provoked Betty Jo, Dale’s widow, to agree to meet with Lee. During their conversation at the Philbrook Museum of Art, Betty Jo’s mask of innocence finally slipped. She confirmed that Dale’s death was a murder, not a suicide.
The truth was that Betty Jo, motivated by greed and her affair with Donald, had conspired with Frank. Frank had hired two goons, Blackie and Berta, to intimidate Dale into supporting a lucrative land deal. Betty Jo’s role was to unlock the kitchen door to let them into the house. However, the plan went horribly wrong, and the intruders accidentally killed Dale. To cover her tracks, Betty Jo staged the scene to look like a suicide.
The True Motive: Land and a White Supremacist Plan
The motive for the crime was tied to a parcel of land known as Indian Head Hills. Lee discovered that Dale had learned the land was stolen generations ago from the family of Arthur, his Native American friend. Dale had decided to do the right thing and leave the land to Arthur and Chutto in his will. This act would have ruined a secret deal Donald was making to sell the same land.
The buyer was Pastor Mark of the One Well Church, who planned to use the land to build a segregated, whites-only community for his congregation of ex-convicts. The sale, brokered by Frank at an exorbitant price, was essentially a bribe to influence Donald once he became governor. Donald claimed he was unaware of the murder, but he admitted to looking the other way because the deal benefited his political ambitions.
An Unexpected Resolution and Personal Growth
Armed with the full story, Lee faced a difficult choice. He could publish an explosive exposé titled “The Murderers of Dale Washberg,” which would destroy Donald’s campaign and satisfy his own ego as a “truthstorian.” Instead, he chose a different path. Lee used his knowledge as leverage, confronting Donald with a recording of Betty Jo’s confession. He struck a deal: in exchange for not publishing the full, damaging story, Donald would honor his brother’s original wish and give up the land.
Donald agreed and held a press conference to announce that the Indian Head Hills would be returned to its original owners. Chutto, who had no desire to own the land that had caused so much death, immediately donated it to the Osage Nation. This act fulfilled Dale’s true intention. Lee then published a different article, a tribute to Dale titled “The Sensitive Kind,” which focused on the man’s character rather than the scandal of his death.
The finale also showed progress in Lee’s personal life. He attended the wedding of his ex-wife, Sam, and supported his daughter, Francis, by putting her needs first. In a significant act of maturity, he gave Francis his blessing to live full-time with her mother and stepfather to ensure she had a stable environment.
Justice Served Outside the Courtroom
While the legal system failed to hold Frank accountable for Arthur’s murder, he did not escape punishment. Bonnie, the mother of one of the goons who was killed, shot Frank in broad daylight. Pastor Mark was also arrested, putting an end to his church’s dangerous plans. Betty Jo was left with nothing, her daughter choosing to stand with Donald, while she was seen alone singing tearful karaoke.
Creator Sterlin Harjo described this nuanced ending as “the most beautiful way to end the season,” noting that it was a more realistic resolution where Lee had to set his ego aside to do what was right. For Lee, being a “truthstorian” ultimately meant understanding that sometimes the greater good is more important than the headline.
Also Read: The Lowdown Episode 8: Everything You Need to Know About the Season Finale
