It turns out not even good reviews can save a doomed show.
Earlier this year, HBO Max finally released the debut season of J.J. Abrams' crime thriller "Duster" after five years of development and production.
But less than a week after last week's season 1 finale, the streaming service has already canceled the show (h/t Deadline).
For those who might have missed it, "Duster" starred Rachel Hilson as Nina Hayes, the FBI's first Black woman agent. She teamed up with Jim (Josh Holloway), a talented getaway driver, to take down a crime syndicate boss named Ezra Saxton (Keith David).
The premise was promising, and there was plenty of talent there to make it work.
It's not like the show totally missed the mark either. On Rotten Tomatoes, season 1 scored a 92% "fresh" rating from critics and a still respectable 83% from audiences. We even praised the show, with our streaming managing editor Kelly Woo calling it "just the entertaining, action-packed ride I need right now."
But none of this was enough to save the show from cancellation.
HBO Max did not give any specific reasoning behind the cancellation: “While HBO Max will not be moving forward with a second season of Duster," the company told Deadline in a statement, "we are so grateful to have had the chance to work with the amazingly talented co-creators J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, and our partners at Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television."
Low viewership could be a culprit; it's never cracked the Nielsen Streaming TV Top 10 for original series. Or, with HBO Max moving away from the Max brand, maybe HBO saw the chance to get rid of another Max original, which, as a brand, has largely fallen flat aside from "The Pitt" and "Hacks."
It's possible the show was always doomed from the start, having to survive COVID-19 and multiple strikes. Regardless, "Duster" is officially dusted.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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