The strength of a great film or television series isn't just about the star; it's about the bench. Think The Sopranos , Goodfellas , Reservation Dogs , or Pulp Fiction : unforgettable storytelling comes alive when magnetic secondary characters make the story richer.

The Lowdown , FX's new eight-episode drama streaming on Hulu, gets this balance exactly right.

Yes, Ethan Hawke is the anchor, but the show thrives because he's surrounded by an ensemble of scene-stealers: Killer Mike, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Cody Lightning, Kaniehtiio Horn, Michael Hitchcock, and Tim Blake Nelson, who plays Dale Washburn, the man whose death sets the whole twisted mystery into motion.

Hawke plays Lee Raybon, a Tulsa "truthstorian," part bookstore owner, part stubborn citizen journalist. He's a guy who

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