In the latest episode of FX’s crime drama The Lowdown, journalist Lee Raybon’s investigation into a wealthy family’s secrets leads him to a night of dangerous revelations and unexpected alliances. Titled “Short on Cowboys,” the episode unveils the shocking truth about a daughter’s parentage and ends with a major character’s sudden death.
Lee and Betty Jo’s Wild Night
The episode centers on the unlikely and alcohol-fueled connection between Lee Raybon and Betty Jo Washberg. After Lee is caught stalking Betty Jo in his van, she surprisingly confronts him and agrees to have lunch. Their tense meeting quickly escalates into a wild day-long bender involving tequila shots at a local bar and karaoke.
The chaotic night continues at Betty Jo’s mansion, where the mood swings from flirtatious to dangerous. After watching old rodeo videos, Betty Jo produces a loaded pistol and fires errant shots into her wall and window, snapping both characters out of their drunkenness. This violent act leads to a raw confrontation where Lee pushes for the truth about her husband Dale’s death.
The Washberg Family Secret Revealed
Under pressure, Betty Jo reveals the core secret that tore the Washberg brothers apart. The brothers’ vicious argument a week before Dale’s death was not over the Indian Head Hills land deal, as Lee had believed. Instead, Donald had made a “most vile provocation” by revealing that Betty Jo’s daughter, Pearl, is actually his biological child.
Betty Jo confessed that her affair with Donald started long before her marriage to Dale. The powerful Washberg family did not approve of Donald marrying a “trailer-trash bride,” so they arranged for her to marry their gay son, Dale, as a cover. This allowed Donald and Betty Jo to continue their relationship in secret. Betty Jo became pregnant with Donald’s child and led Dale to believe he was Pearl’s father.
“The brothers weren’t fighting over Indian Head Hills at the time of Dale’s death,” Betty Jo explains to Lee. “They were fighting over Pearl, who is really her uncle’s daughter.”
This revelation recontextualizes the family dynamics, showing that Dale truly loved Pearl despite not being her biological father.
A Complicated Night and New Suspicions
After the emotional confession, Lee and Betty Jo’s night ends with them sleeping together. The next morning, Donald Washberg sees Lee leaving Betty Jo’s house during his jog, potentially sparking jealousy.
This complication raises questions about Betty Jo’s motives. While she claims she has no interest in harming Donald’s political campaign, her actions suggest she might be using Lee to make her longtime lover jealous. By keeping Lee at her house until Donald would likely see him, she ensures the politician takes notice of her new connection.
A Surprising Death Shakes the Investigation
In a parallel storyline, the intimidating enforcer Allen Murphy meets a sudden end. After attending an AA meeting where he expressed guilt over lying to his boss, Allen is shot and killed by an unseen assassin while stopped at a traffic light.
Allen’s death confirms he was merely a pawn for a more powerful, yet-to-be-revealed villain. The show’s star, Scott Shepherd, who plays Allen, noted that the shooter was played by real cowboy and character actor Ty Mitchell, whom he met on the set of Killers of the Flower Moon.
The Aftermath and Ongoing Mystery
The episode ends with Lee and Betty Jo speculating about who really killed Dale, with Donald now seeming like an obvious suspect. The final scene, however, returns to the late Dale Washberg himself, seen smoking a cigarette on his family land, a reminder that the mystery is rooted in the history of the land itself.
Lee’s investigation is now more complicated than ever, as his one-night stand with a key source blurs the line between his personal life and his pursuit of the truth.
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