When J.J. Abrams envisioned a muscle car racing toward a desert phone booth under very bad circumstances, he knew he needed the perfect collaborator to bring this gritty tale to life. Enter LaToya Morgan, whose creative synergy with Abrams would birth a series that burns rubber and sets everything it touches on fire. Their choice of the cherry red 1970 Plymouth Duster wasn’t just about aesthetics. Morgan sees it as the perfect “hero car” with personality. A peak example of American heavy metal, for sure, but also an underdog muscle machine with limited glory days—much like the freedom from resentment that our characters are chasing. “They only made it for about six years… we wanted something really iconic for this show,” Morgan explains, comparing it to Bond‘s Aston Martin or McQueen’s Mustang.
Set in the sun-scorched Southwest of 1972, Duster follows the high-octane spinout between a smooth-talking getaway driver and the FBI’s first Black female agent. As Morgan notes, “1972 in particular, you’ve got like, oh, God, just like a whole cornucopia of things happening politically and culturally.” It’s a story where loyalty meets justice, where the roar of engines mingles with the whispers of change, and where the open road becomes both an escape route and a pathway to destiny or a getaway from it.
This cast is prime. It operates like an elite pit crew, each member bringing their specialized skills and personality to the race. Josh Holloway slides into the role of Jim Ellis with the ease of a seasoned driver, bringing a breezy charm that disarms faster than his character’s quick hands. Rachel Hilson is tenacious but vulnerable as the trail-blazing Nina Hayes, infusing her groundbreaking FBI agent with the kinds of hero characteristics we want to root for. A woman whose drive is fueled by the raw wound of her father’s loss. Asivak Koostachin as Awan, a Navajo FBI agent, who brings a steady hand and a happy-go-lucky smile to the mix. While Keith David as the formidable Ezra, and Sydney Elisabeth as Genesis round out this multicultural ensemble alongside Adriana Aluna Martinez as baby girl, Luna.
The casting creates a web of perspectives that enriches the realness of the show and makes you curious about how dirty or good these people really are. Oh wait, I forgot about Corbin Bernsen as Jim’s daddy, and Gail O’Grady as the evil stepmother he hates. If this cast doesn’t make you giggle, despite the bloody antics—well, your giggler is broken.
Duster digs deep into the complexities of crime and procedurals, but also of father-daughter relationships: Nina’s mission shaped by her father’s absence, Jim’s protective bond with his “niece” Luna, and the powder keg dynamic between crime boss Ezra and his daughter Genesis—each relationship crackles with the strain of resentment and lies. You also have to appreciate this show’s sense of humor behind the scenes. For example, actress Adrienne Barbeau plays the widow, Evelyn, while Mikaela Hoover portrays a younger Adrienne Barbeau from the 70s. I giggled more—I like meta winks like that one. I also like that when Nina gets frustrated, she does push-ups or the fact that Awan will fight you if you disrespect Superman.
During the first three episodes, there’s a hint that a romance might blossom between Nina and Awan. I want it, precious lambs. Give it to me. I might sound a little grabby, but that’s only because that whiff of love makes me fear for his life. J.J. and LaToya, you better not kill that man. We need a little more romance in our lives.
Duster is a high-octane crime drama with a winking wit that blends Quentin Tarantino‘s signatures with a style similar to Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. The series navigates the gritty landscape of 1970s crime with swagger but without losing its deeper narrative about people and how revenge can give life purpose or take life from you. The attention to period detail creates an immersive experience that transports viewers to an era where machismo ruled, women overcame, and technology didn’t block human connection. After three episodes, I might not be completely charmed—something in the storytelling hasn’t fully hooked me yet—but Duster makes me want to see how far “life a quarter mile at a time” could go in the 70s. With music and a cast this good, turn the radio up. I’m here to see where the road goes.
Start watching Duster now on HBO and HBO Max
