‘Duster' divides critics: The ‘skillfully executed' J.J. Abrams show is a ‘messy delight' akin to an ‘R-rated Hot Wheels series'
Lost creator J.J. Abrams and star Josh Holloway have reunited for Duster, a 1970s crime thriller series that debuted Thursday on Max. The project has an 89 percent at Rotten Tomatoes and a 73 score on Metacritic, with critics essentially agreeing it's a "skillfully executed" show that also serves as a "messy delight."
Abrams and LaToya Morgan co-created the series, which stars Holloway as a getaway driver named Jim Ellis, and Rachel Hilson as Nina Hayes, the FBI's first Black woman agent. Rounding out the main cast are Keith David as Ezra Saxton, Sydney Elisabeth as Genesis Saxton, Greg Grunberg as Nathan Abbott, Camille Guaty as Izzy Reyna, Asivak Koostachin as Awan Bitsui, Adriana Aluna Martinez as Luna Reyna, and Benjamin Charles Watson as Royce Saxton.
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Alan Sepinwall (Rolling Stone) raves about the project, "This should all play like hollow mimicry — less tribute than televisual karaoke. But the affection that Abrams and Morgan have for this stuff is palpable, and the style they and collaborators like director Steph Green bring to it skillfully executed."
"When Duster lets itself have fun, it's high-octane and highly watchable television," praises Allison Picurro (TV Guide). She also calls the show a "messy delight," likening it to popcorn fare.
Nick Schager of the Daily Beast also gives a thumbs-up to the show and its cast. "Duster traverses familiar terrain and yet the show ... has attitude and flair to spare. Better still, it's bursting with personality, beginning with Holloway as a ne'er-do-well with a heart of gold and a gift for using a clutch. The actor hasn't had a role this good since the island-stranded Sawyer, and he nails it, radiating the sort of neon-bright hunky charisma that turns female heads and impresses male compatriots." Schager also praises Hilson ("who has a fiery glint in her eye that speaks to her no-holds-barred determination") and "national treasure" David.
Daniel Fienberg (The Hollywood Reporter) isn't quite as enthusiastic, writing, "These eight episodes don't have much substance or meaning but Duster is like an R-rated Hot Wheels series and an entertaining star vehicle, so to speak, for Josh Holloway, Rachel Hilson and especially Keith David."
Zaki Hasan (TheWrap) notes, "Thanks to Abrams and Morgan's savvy ability to blend pulp with pathos, Duster offers a story with stakes, heart and humor."
One of the harsher reviews comes from Garrett Martin (Paste Magazine): "It occasionally loses confidence in its own characters and tone, and tries way too hard to force the sense of fun it should just naturally possess."
Sound off in Gold Derby's TV forums to let us know if you're looking forward to Duster on Max. The show airs one episode every Thursday until the finale on July 3. It will be eligible at the 2026 Emmys.
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