It took more than 20 years, but we finally have another TV series that capitalizes on the rogue charm that Josh Holloway brought to Lost. It makes sense that it would come from one of the co-creators of that paradigm-shifting drama, J.J. Abrams, who, along with Walking Dead veteran LaToya Morgan, brings us Duster, the story of a charismatic mob driver who teams up with an FBI rookie to take down a powerful crime boss in 1970s Arizona. Duster isn't just Holloway's show; it begins from the perspective of Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson) as she pursues an extremely personal case within an agency and a world that are particularly hostile to a young Black female agent (in ways that become less obvious as the season progresses). But alongside the hazy, sun-soaked "it's the 70s" sheen of the visual palette and the episodes' self-contained storylines, Holloway contributes significantly to Duster's most appealing elements. His slow, measured delivery as driver Jim Ellis, as well as his ingratiating language and womanizing, are welcome reminders of why Holloway's sly castaway Jim "Sawyer" Ford was so beloved by fans.
The familiar twinkle in his eye masks Duster's shortcomings: the dull colors of its cinematography, the overly modern cadence of the dialogue (especially among Nina's colleagues). Like the oversized collars Jim wears, Holloway's performance feels comfortable and natural. Don't look for any real traces of his Lost character behind the wheel of Duster's eponymous Plymouth, though. Although Jim hangs out and gets into trouble with various scoundrels and crooks, he's actually much softer than Lost's sleazy con man with a heart of gold. Jim is a perfectly nice and respectful guy who, as it happens, works for a terrible man: the target of Nina's investigation, Saxton Higgs (Keith David). Still, Jim is entertaining, as the series builds a rich web of relationships that draw on Holloway's many facets. The most entertaining are the adversarial ones, especially when they force him to scramble to find a solution to whatever dilemma of the week is at hand.
Much of Duster's appeal lies in seeing Holloway working within this historical context, interacting with historical figures and the struggles of the decade: a corrupt union boss is as much a key figure in the first season as President Richard Nixon. (Stay tuned for more real-life and quirky supporting characters, like Elvis Presley's infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes.) This backdrop is built upon by a charming production design, filled with beautiful and garish costumes, particularly Nina's. This also extends to the soundtrack, packed with recognizable songs by Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, The Hollies, and the aforementioned King of Rock 'n' Roll. Duster has a playful feel, starting with its charming opening credits, a thrashing Hot Wheels fantasy whose funky theme was composed by Abrams himself.
David's performance as Saxton reinforces this feeling. Despite all the talk of Saxton as a volatile, ruthless maniac, David plays him with a joviality and fatherly warmth that makes Jim's faith in him (and his hesitation about betraying him) easy to understand, though there's still plenty of room for doubt. And that's not to mention that David is often hilarious in the role. There are shades of his Community character in some of Saxton's frustrated gestures and the incredulity with which he delivers lines like, "What the hell was that? Some kind of flower-power prayer?"
Besides feeling like a welcome return to down-to-earth, practical primetime characters like Jim Rockford, Duster feels like a glimpse into a different timeline where starring roles for Holloway were commonplace—a deserved opportunity to lead a series with the power of a one-liner and a smile. Whether he actually accomplishes anything truly challenging throughout this first season remains to be seen; it's simply brilliant to see the man who was Sawyer balance the gruff exterior and tender interior of a vulnerable character who makes a living doing difficult things. There's enough here to make it worthwhile to continue into a second season, and even in the first, Abrams and Morgan get plenty of mileage out of Josh Holloway, Keith David, and that bright red car.
With a colorful, 70s-style feel, Duster lives and dies by the charisma of its cast, and that's why it thrives every time Josh Holloway and Keith David are behind the wheel of their weekly misadventures. While the first half of the season struggles to find any fun in Rachel Hilson's role and ruins it with some fairly obvious writing, the plot improves every time she plays the criminal characters.
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