TVLine’s Performer Of The Week: Ethan Hawke

THE PERFORMER | Ethan Hawke

THE SHOW | FX’s The Lowdown

THE EPISODE | “Tulsa Turnaround” (Oct. 28, 2025)

THE PERFORMANCE | Hawke shines as Lee Raybon, a truth-seeking citizen journalist living in Tulsa, Okla. The actor has consistently soared throughout, accentuating the character’s rough-and-tumble nature as he fumbles his way through life and finds danger at every turn. While Lee’s goals are admirable, his methods are sloppy. But all of his antics are a hoot, at least when he’s not getting abducted or shot at.

In the penultimate episode, Hawke made us cackle from the jump, as he forced his editor to take his hat off because “the hat’s my thing.” (The actor’s tiniest of quips go a looong way.) Lee promised he’d deliver the Pulitzer Prize-winning piece after a quick “five-min-er,” then proceeded to lay down for a nap on the guy’s couch. What could play as obnoxious in lesser hands came off as oh-so-cool, the actor continuing to charm and dazzle us throughout all of Lee’s shenanigans.

Later, Lee suavely convinced a lawyer to help him prove ownership of Native land to the dementia-stricken Arthur. Despite his propensity to fly by the seat of his pants, hearing the character proclaim his need to do something about an injustice once again peeled back his many layers. And after botching a cameo at a parent/teacher conference, Lee told his daughter that he was going to parent her by “showing you what a good man looks like.” The actor’s teary-eyed delivery was full of conviction and love, showing us that even despite his fallibility, his intentions were pure.

Hawke switched gears to raging fury after discovering that Betty Jo’s loose lips led to Arthur’s murder. The actor’s wild man grew even wilder as he unleashed on his former fling’s voicemail. It all culminated in a showdown with the murderer at a church where Lee pulled a gun on, well, the entire parish. To outsiders, he may simply look like a maniacal townie. A mere opportunist, even. But thanks to Hawke’s steady hand, Lee has become one of our favorite new characters of the TV season, one whose rough-around-the-edges approach often overshadows his kind, altruistic heart. And that’s the truth.

Scroll down to see who got Honorable Mention shout-outs this week…

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HONORABLE MENTION: Justine Lupe

From the moment Noah’s friend Lenny rejected her early in “Nobody Wants This” Season 2, Morgan set out to prove — to herself and to the world — that she was a “real person.” Unfortunately, that quest led her into a toxic relationship with her therapist. Early on in the finale, Justine Lupe brilliantly let her facial muscles work against each other as Morgan tried to convince herself this was what bliss felt like — even as panic crept in over having accepted Dr. Andy’s proposal. Later, when she took Lynn’s advice, trusted her gut, and psyched herself up to end the engagement, we saw a woman reclaiming her agency in real time. At that moment, the Morgan who once sought validation from others finally recognized she deserved better, and Lupe was dynamite in portraying that evolution, delivering a cathartic payoff that felt both earned and deeply human. — Ryan Schwartz

HONORABLE MENTION: Zoe Perry

Has enough time passed for Mary Cooper to move on? There’s no definitive answer, of course. Grief looks different on everyone. But upon her return to “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” George’s widow found herself confronting that question while facing the very vocal objections of her firstborn son. In turn, Zoe Perry delivered an emotionally astute performance that captured Mary’s quiet turmoil as she tried to reconcile love lost with life still yet to be lived. Over dinner and as she washed the dishes, you saw her wrestle with discomfort. When she walked in and out of the café, unsure whether she was ready to date, her face betrayed every ounce of her nerves. When Mandy asked her mother-in-law who sent her flowers, you could see her battle shame. And when she prayed to God, you witnessed a woman struggling to accept that part of her heart was missing — and that her guilt was keeping her from letting someone fill it again. Just like her real-life mother — TV’s original Mary Cooper, Laurie Metcalf — Perry has a gift for finding both the humor and the heart in a complex moral dilemma. We can’t wait to see what she does as this storyline continues. — R.S.

HONORABLE MENTION: Pepi Sonuga

Fact: Whenever you see Pepi Sonuga’s name in the “9-1-1” credits, you know you’re in for a banger of an episode. This was reaffirmed on Thursday when she returned via flashbacks to rehash another of Athena’s darkest moments from her earlier days on the force — all while present-day Athena was fighting for her life in outer space. Sonuga has become so believable as Athena’s younger counterpart, mastering both her unwavering strength and undeniable presence, it’s actually chilling sometimes. Sonuga especially shined during her shared scenes with Angela Bassett, as Athena’s past and present selves met in a liminal space for an emotional conversation. We felt every bit of younger Athena’s pain, desperation and hopelessness as she sought wisdom from her future self, while perfectly curated tears (another skill she’s mastered!) rolled down Sonuga’s cheek. We eagerly await Sonuga’s next appearance on the show — with all condolences to present-day Athena, who will have to relive yet another trauma. — Andy Swift

Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!

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