Before we say goodbye to DUSTER, let’s just get a few things off our chest. It didn’t need to go. Yes, J. J. Abrahms has always had a polarizing effect on anything he touches. You either love what he does or you don’t. DUSTER, though, perhaps because it had a co-creator in LaToya Morgan, was a keeper. I was always suspicious of the title once I saw Bad Robot was behind it, and that was further compounded by the little press this show was getting. Holloway or Hilson weren’t exactly pounding the circuit with interviews, were they? Nor was Abrahms. They struggled to get the show done, and I guess we were lucky they didn’t burn off the series as fast as they could have. From Abrams’ HBO deal, this was the only work that moved forward, and now it is off the the scrapyard.
HBO did release a statement to Deadline that reads, “While HBO Max will not be moving forward with a second season of Duster, 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. We are tremendously proud of this series led by Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson and we thank them along with our cast and crew for their incredible collaboration and partnership.” And, the production house WBTV said to the same outlet, “J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan delivered a thrilling, multi-dimensional crime drama in Duster, with textured characters that took the audience back to the 1970s in a new and innovative way. Those characters were brought to life by a wonderful team led by Josh, Rachel, and an extremely talented ensemble cast, along with an expert crew behind the scenes. We are incredibly proud of the show, and while we wish this journey could continue, we are thankful to our partners at HBO Max for the opportunity to tell Jim and Nina’s story.”
So why end it? Certainly, it must be because not enough mainstream viewers caught the show. Yes, the critics liked it, and yes, it’s niche fans loved it too, but not enough of the mainstream viewers, as tracked on Nielsen ratings, and such, caught onto it.
They certainly can’t use the excuse that it costs too much to make because so does THE WHITE LOTUS. Nor can they say that being a period drama chewed up production costs because so does THE GILDED AGE. Even though the trusty red Duster could rev up its engines, the show could not. Poor marketing, stiff competition, or whatever, did not help in getting the right demographics to watch the show. We all know full well that the TV business is a tough one, and if you can’t get the viewership numbers on the prize, then it is going to stall out on you. And, we all know, Zaslav and his operation are quick to cut just about anything if it is not running full throttle.
Now, for what it is worth, there is a Change.org petition to save the show. Greg Grunberg, who played the field office superior, Nathan Abbot, is said to have signed. It won’t hurt to sign if you are so inclined. It is not that the powers that be at HBO Max are going to change their minds, but who knows?
Perhaps Bad Robot can move the production to Netflix or elsewhere? There is, of course, a bit of a cliffhanger to resolve, right? Yeah, well, don’t bet your car keys on it. We’ll just chalk up DUSTER as one of the many one-and-done series out there. It just goes to show you that despite acclaim, if the right amount of viewers from the right demographics aren’t engaged, the vehicle will get junked!
Thanks, DUSTER. I, like many, enjoyed the ride and the weekly title credits.
DUSTER is still parked on HBO Max, for now.
