Duster - Season 1

In Duster, Josh Holloway takes us back to 1970s Arizona in his Plymouth Duster. As a crime lord's chauffeur, he becomes an FBI informant. The question is, will that work out?Rachel Hilson takes on the role of Nina Hayes, the first Black female FBI agent. However, things aren't easy for her within the FBI, and she has to work hard to actually get a job. She refuses to be fobbed off, however, and succeeds—at her request—in being sent to Arizona, where she will investigate the local crime lord Ezra Saxton (Keith David).

While facing considerable resistance within the local FBI office, she tries to gather a small circle of people around her to build a case against Saxton. The other outsiders within the FBI office rally behind her, and she sets her sights on Jim Ellis (Josh Holloway) to become her informant.

Duster takes us back to the 1970s and is clearly an homage to the crime series and films of that era. The series' visual presentation, the sets, and the powerful soundtrack undoubtedly contribute to this.

Ellis has worked as a driver for Saxton for years. He is fiercely loyal to him, partly because his father and brother also worked for the criminal until his death. It takes considerable persuasion from Hayes to get Ellis to agree. However, she knows enough about Ellis and Saxton to pressure him and make him doubt his decision. Ultimately, she convinces him to help her.

Together they pursue Saxton, often revealing that the line between good and evil isn't always clear. Many of the characters turn out not to be quite who they appear to be, and the question remains: who can you ultimately trust to do the right thing?



At the time of writing this review, it's already known that Duster won't be getting a second season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it so much that it's definitely worth a review.

Duster takes us back to the 1970s and is clearly an homage to the crime series and films of that era. The series' visual presentation, the sets, and the powerful soundtrack are largely responsible for this. So, you'll definitely find beautiful cars, dusty roads, cowboy boots, and exciting chases here.

The acting is also excellent. Holloway, known to the general public from Lost, plays a role that's tailor-made for him. On the one hand, he's charming, which makes you want to trust him and give him everything, but on the other, he's incorrigibly opportunistic. You keep wanting to give him another chance, even though you know beforehand that he's going to disappoint you. We've seen him do this before as Sawyer in Lost, and J.J. Abrams clearly hasn't forgotten that.

But Hilson's performance shouldn't be overlooked. She plays her role with gusto and is certainly not overshadowed by Holloway. The result is beautiful dialogue between the two, and the way you see FBI agent Hilson grow as an agent is wonderful to watch.

The series' final plot is a bit on the thin side. There's plenty going on, and there are a few plot twists (which you often see coming from miles away), so it's still easy to watch. A bit more depth, however, wouldn't have been amiss. Unfortunately, the plot twist/cliffhanger presented in the final minutes doesn't make up for this.

Duster has become a series that, despite its flaws, I would definitely have given a second season. Nevertheless, I don't regret watching it for a moment. A wonderfully old-fashioned 70s story, visually beautiful and with strong acting, that's very enjoyable to watch.