Josh Holloway and J.J. Abrams’ Duster show after 15 years of Lost was incomplete, did not get audience despite critics’ praise
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One More Bus
The dust had barely settled on J.J. Abrams and Josh Holloway’s collaborative project when HBO Max pulled the plug.
After just one season, “Duster” will not be returning to our screens, leaving fans of the creative duo disappointed, even fifteen years after they collaborated on “Lost”.
What went wrong?
Despite strong critical acclaim and positive audience reviews, “Duster” failed to garner enough viewers to justify a second season.
The cancellation leaves “The Pitt” as the only remaining original series in HBO Max’s current lineup.
Hollywood’s respectful goodbye
HBO Max expressed gratitude in its farewell statement: “While HBO Max will not be moving forward with a second season of Duster, we remain incredibly proud of the series under the leadership of Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson.” Warner Bros.
Television expressed similar sentiments, praising the “exciting, multi-faceted crime drama” that took viewers back to the 1970s.
The Show That Almost Succeeded
Announced in 2021, “Duster” followed FBI agent Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson), the bureau’s first Black female agent, who recruits getaway driver Jim Ellis (Holloway) to help her take down a dangerous crime boss played by Keith David.
The period crime drama had all the elements for success, but somehow failed to find its audience.
Lost Connection
For Holloway, the project was a “Jerry Maguire moment” when Abrams called with the pitch: “You’re a fixer for the mafia in 1972.”
The actor was immediately drawn to it, telling EW, “There’s nothing like it on TV right now. It’s like a mix of Pulp Fiction and Starsky & Hutch.”
Creative Trust
This wasn’t Holloway’s first reunion with Lost’s producers. He previously worked with Lost co-showrunner Carlton Cuse for three seasons on “Colony.”
Reflecting on these partnerships, Holloway shared, “I think they call me because they know my work ethic is very strong… We’ve done great things, so we’re like, ‘OK, we can work together again.'”
While fans won’t get to see where Jim and Nina’s story goes next, the short-lived series joins a growing list of critically acclaimed shows that couldn’t survive in the competitive streaming landscape.