'The Lowdown': Kyle MacLachlan Breaks Down Donald's Return

The Lowdown welcomed back Governor Donald Washberg (Kyle MacLachlan) in the latest episode, “A Dog With Two Tails,” as Lee (Ethan Hawke) faced imprisonment after digging around Woodrell County for answers surrounding the mysterious events that led to inmate Mekko’s disappearance. Warning: Spoilers for The Lowdown Season 2 Episode 5 ahead!

After Lee preserved the public image of Donald’s late brother Dale (Tim Blake Nelson) in Season 1, the politician owed Lee a favor, and it turned out to be this get out of jail free card. After Donald showed up to free Lee from the clutches of Sheriff Thorne (Martha Plimpton), he crossed paths with Judge Jed Sallsman (John Hawkes), who may know a thing or two about the environment that helped foster Mekko’s disappearance.

Lee decided for both himself and Donald that they’d follow Jed around town for a tour as the “truthstorian” continued to excavate his latest story. Donald, meanwhile, didn’t want anything to do with the proceedings, which made him an unwilling participant as Jed touted his various artifacts and clued them into the prisoner work program Fresh Start. Below, MacLachlan opens up about reuniting with the cast and mixing with the newest characters from the FX dramedy.

Season 1 wrapped up Donald’s story, but he makes a pivotal comeback in Season 2 to help Lee out. How did that return come together behind the scenes?

Kyle MacLachlan: When we finished Season 1, we all had such a great time. It was really such an extraordinary experience, and I love Sterlin [Harjo]. We met at the Sundance Film Institute way back in the early days, and I lost track of him, but he reached out for the first series, and we had such a great time. He was like, “I gotta figure out a way to have Donald come back,” and so I was excited about that idea too because I just enjoyed the work process so much. It sort of stays with the story, and I think it opens the door for Donald to maybe come back again.

I love going back to Tulsa, and even if it’s just a couple of episodes, it’s such a fun character to step into because he’s a mix of all sorts of different levels, and I also think that my chemistry with Ethan in particular is really good. We have a lot of fun together, so this was great.

Do you think Donald imagined he’d ever see Lee again after Dale’s mysterious death was solved? Does he regret offering to do the “truthstorian” a favor? 

It’s funny because he likes Lee; he has a soft spot in his heart for Lee somehow, but it comes with so much baggage, and Donald knows anytime he gets involved with Lee, it’s gonna hurt; somehow there’s gonna be blood. But he can’t help it. I think that’s also how Sterlin feels a little bit, but Donald can’t help it; he has a soft spot for Lee. It all dovetails back to Donald’s brother, and that Lee actually did the right thing. So, anyone who loves his brother, Donald feels like he’s going to do him this one favor. And of course, if there is a Season 3, I don’t know if Donald comes back; it would probably be more favors, the same dynamic, which is fun to play.

Donald helps release Lee from prison, where Sheriff Vela Thorne is keeping him locked up, and he couldn’t seem less interested in Judge Jed Salisman? What was it like getting to know the new characters?

I think it’s more of a personality thing for Donald. He doesn’t like to blowhard, and he’s a bit of a blowhard himself, Donald. So when he’s up against Jed, it’s the same kind of dynamic. This guy rubs him the wrong way for whatever reason. It’s funny because I think Donald has a really good intuition that he doesn’t always listen to. He knows he shouldn’t be hanging out with Jed, but he doesn’t really know why. Lee, on the other hand, also has a great intuition, but actually digs in and figures out the reasons. Donald just doesn’t want to be bothered; he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. It’s sort of a funny dynamic as a character, to play those two things.

That’s part of the fun of this whole thing: you see people that you haven’t seen for so many years, and it’s really fun to work with them. I’ve never worked with Martha before, and when Sterlin mentioned that she was cast, I was so happy because she’s perfect; she just gives that hard-ass attitude. The beauty of Sterlin’s casting is that the characters are so wonderfully individual. It’s not often you read a script when the voice of the character is so specific. A lot of times, dialogue can almost be interchangeable, which is not great. As an actor, you want something super specific, and Sterlin just encourages us to make it our own.

What does Donald find so repellent about Jed? 

I think it’s just two personalities that clash. Both successful men, obviously, but I also think how Jed has gotten where he’s gotten is suspect. Donald’s the kind of guy who doesn’t really want to be bothered. He doesn’t really want to do the work, and yet he really means well, and he likes the position he’s in, and he is going to try and do good in his own way, but he doesn’t want to mess with anything that’s too challenging. Lee’s all about opening up these situations and getting into the muck. Donald doesn’t like to get into the muck. It’s a fun character because of these differences.

Does that make him bad at his job that he avoids the muck, especially as the episode uncovers the Fresh Start program?

I don’t think that Donald really wants to get into it; as long as it doesn’t bother us too much, we’ll be OK. But he knows in his heart that he has to do something. That’s a problem. Lee is like Donald’s conscience in some ways. It’s making him do the things that he doesn’t want to do, almost like his moral compass, which is an odd thing to say about Lee. I really hope that Sterlin is able to find a way to put them together. Is Donald good at his job? I think he’s as good as he has to be; he’s quite content to gladhand and be that kind of guy.

The Lowdown, Season 2, Wednesdays, 9/8c, FX and Hulu