Instagram/@ethanhawke
The much beloved actor-director Ethan Hawke launched a forthcoming FX series with a teaser almost elegantly simple in nature. Ethan Hawke shared a promo shot on the social media urging all and sundry to tune to the premiere on 23 September. The shot goes to affirm the said shows as Hawke’s next television venture after yet another series of special-series successes.
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Hawke’s announcement was very straightforward and almost mystifyingly charming as only Hawke could make it. “If I were you, I’d series this show,” he said, referencing the premiere date. That was early. No description, no big names, no plot-y details. That is raw Hawke: confident, scintillatingly vague, and very charming.
From such an announcement, his fans in the comments exploded in excitement. A Tulsa native added special congratulations: “Huge Congratulations, Homie!!! Thanks for giving Tulsa a voice for the true and a huge gift.” This points to the series having some connection to or filming in Oklahoma, which is fascinating background for the project.
Others arose though, opposing. “Would love to. Sadly, that network is owned by Disney. Cant do it,” came a comment as the usually eager discourse goes about media consolidation and consumer choice in this streaming-era.
International supporters put in their own bids. “If it gets here in Italy, I will series it for sure!!” exclaimed one from Italy. You can see his name has pull across oceans.
Thus, some of the comments bear testimony to stirring excitement across the fans. “Counting down the minutes until it comes out I’m so excited,” exclaimed one eager fan. Another spoke plainly: “I series anything you do, can’t wait!” These few comments capture the faith Hawke’s fans have in his work, cultivated over decades.
Mentions of Keith David and Kyle in the comments could very well be indicators of the possible cast, though FX has not come out and disclosed the full cast list yet. Throughout his career, from the Before trilogy all the way through his more recent Shakespearean work, Hawke has cultivated excellent ensembles.
Others found humor in pondering the announcement: “If I had a boat, Id go out on the ocean,” perhaps reacting to the conditional Hawkins issued. Another user said: “oh yeah you changed outfits!!” suggesting this might not be the first promotional material he has shared for this series.
The title ‘The Lowdown’ does bring some sort of intrigue. One fan suggested, “Theme track should be Boz Scaggs Lowdown,” referring to the 1976 classic. Whether the series will draw from the song, or just a shared phrase, remains to be seen.
Hawke lately has indeed mostly been active in television affairs, earning critical acclaim for ‘The Good Lord Bird’ and ‘Moon Knight.’ Another dip into the series suggests that it allows him to find yet another creative outlet besides community in vast storytelling that television format offers.
A premiere on September 23rd courts a very late fall-season television production that traditionally is competitive but also hotspot for new series. If FX keeps true to its promise of excellent programming, then Hawke’s series is bound to shine.
Like many other ventures of his, Hawke appears to prefer to let his work do the talking, and preemptive explanations are scanty at the best of times. The way in which Hawke teased his work is set to stir frenzy in many of his followers who will gladly trust his artistic direction wherever it takes him next.
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That he continues to keep them invested in any of his artistic ventures is testament to one of the biggest assets he has: the trust people put in him. Whether ‘The Lowdown’ becomes a critical favorite or just another fascinating chapter in this already fully told story of an extraordinary life, Hawke’s fans will be on board for the ride.
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