Duster Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Jim’s Got Whiplash, and Nina’s Got Jim

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Duster Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Jim’s Got Whiplash, and Nina’s Got Jim


Jim Ellis is riding the emotional roller coaster from hell — and he’s gripping the wheel with white knuckles.

Duster Season 1 Episode 3 puts Jim through the wringer as his allegiance to Ezra Saxton starts to fray. 

One minute, Sax is a surrogate father offering toasts and bar fights in biker joints. The next, he’s name-dropping Paris Gilford — the very same woman Wade said to call if you ever needed C4.

Duster Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Jim’s Got Whiplash, and Nina’s Got Jim
(Ursula Coyote/Max)

For Jim, that changes everything.

But while his eyes are finally opening, Nina’s stalled out. Her investigation into Saxton has hit a wall, and her latest detour — a non-sanctioned, unsupervised visit to a knife-wielding Leland Breen — yields more chaos than answers.

Jim Can’t Unhear What He’s Heard

Jim spends most of the episode trying not to believe Nina. Even with a forensic report confirming Joey’s van was rigged with C4, he’s still defending Saxton. He’s still loyal.

He’s still unwilling to believe that the man who gave him a car and a career could have put his brother in the grave.

And he’s not alone. His father asks him to warn Nina away from Sax in the investigation. Protecting family is what they do. And Sax? He’s family.

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

But that blind spot takes a hit. While driving Sax to his big Tucson meeting, Jim watches his former mentor fumble through toasts with Russians, wax poetic about The Flamingos, and confess just how deeply he misses Joey.

It’s moving — genuine, even. No wonder Jim can’t face the possibility of his betrayal.

And then Sax brings up Paris Gilford. Just casually. Like she’s not the woman Wade said could get you anything explosive.

That moment flips a switch. Jim makes a call to Paris from a pay phone under Sax’s name and asks for “the same equipment she provided for the Joey Ellis job.”

The tone in his voice when he says it? Ice cold. Jim may not have full proof yet, but by the end of the episode, it’s clear he’s no longer looking to exonerate Sax — he’s looking to confirm the betrayal.

And that, more than anything, makes this episode sing.

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

Meanwhile, Nina’s in a Holding Pattern… with Knives

Poor Nina. She’s a hammer with no nail, and when every lead hits concrete, her energy — so bold and determined in the premiere — begins to crumble.

Her attempts to get answers from a clearly unstable Leland Breen result in one of the most bizarre (and tense) sequences of the series so far.

The moment he holds a knife to her throat, you can feel the show tipping into its grindhouse absurdity. Most of us would have gently slipped away when he spoke in pie and kitchenware. But not Nina.

Is he helpful? Not exactly. But he does mutter something about ” the numbers,” which will likely prompt Nina to start chasing a whole new mystery.

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

At least she gets a reprieve from Abbott breathing down her neck. His wife likes “the idea” of Nina, a Black agent working in a roomful of stupid white men. So now he’s pushing protocol while quietly rooting for her to shake things up.

Even Awan, her one reliable partner, begins to waver — until she nearly disrespects Superman, and he draws the line. And that Velcro wallet? How could you not fall for Awan in that moment?

Their back-and-forth remains a highlight, and his loyalty never feels in question, but Nina is clearly burning through her goodwill faster than she’s turning up leads.

She plays Jim like he’s under her thumb, but without him, her whole case implodes.

Sax Is Smooth Until He Isn’t

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

Ezra Saxton continues to be the show’s most charismatic enigma.

One minute he’s reminiscing about Joey, getting emotional over “You’re No Good,” and bonding with Jim during a biker bar brawl that ends in cartoon violence. The next, he’s raising red flags so big they could blanket the desert.

Watching Sax in action, it’s easy to understand how he’s stayed protected all these years. He plays the patriarch card beautifully — fatherly when it suits him, tough when it doesn’t.

But those moments when the mask slips? They’re stacking up. And Jim is finally starting to see it.

Keith David plays the part perfectly. I’m just as confused as Jim, in part because of David’s performance. The other part? My inability to identify with people so cruelly two-faced. Every time, I hope for the best. Disappointment is a good friend.

Music as Mood, Again

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

And if Sax’s charm offensive is working on Jim, the music does the same to us. The soundtrack remains one of Duster’s biggest strengths.

The Flamingos, The Staple Singers, and Betty Everett all make appearances, each one perfectly timed to punctuate emotional swings or add comic flair.

The music doesn’t just support the tone, it sets it. Whether it’s a soulful drive or a fight scene played for laughs, the songs are as central to Duster as the Duster itself.

Seriously, the moment Sax lights up over “You’re No Good,” singing along while Jim stares daggers at the radio, it tells us everything we need to know. The man might be charming, but he’s not off the hook.

Notes from the Glovebox

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

Wade might be a retired criminal with a Rolodex full of bombmakers, but he’s still trying to keep Jim from going full-blown anarchist.

His shovel-toting support may be unconventional, but it hits. He wants to show up for Jim in ways he didn’t for Joey — and for a show like Duster, that kind of flawed father-son loyalty lands.

Charlotte, of course, just wants a heads-up before her matinee performances get interrupted. Fair enough.

Gail O’Grady is a scene-stealing gem. Between the martini, red sequins, and cheeky grind on Bernsen, she’s giving camp and commitment in equal measure.

Izzy’s boyfriend David (Matt Lauria) is likely more than just background casting. Could he be the surgeon who saved Royce’s life? If so, this triangle of family, medicine, and mobbed-up karma could get twisty fast.

And then there’s Royce. That emotional breakdown over steak and potatoes? Completely bonkers and somehow hilarious.

Saxton might not know how to process feelings, but his “get me out of here” face was priceless. That scene walked the line between sitcom and Shakespeare — and that’s the show’s whole vibe in a nutshell.

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

Final Thoughts

This episode narrows its focus and lets the tension build. So far, Nina and Jim have been working separately. But you can see the case for them growing closer all the time.

Jim is finally starting to connect the dots, and every revelation cuts a little deeper. Meanwhile, Nina is unraveling just enough to make us wonder how long she can keep fighting this fight before the system spits her out.

Duster thrives on chaos, color, and a whole lot of personality — but underneath the grindhouse gloss, it’s beginning to thread something darker.

Trust is crumbling. Loyalties are being tested. And every time the Duster peels out, someone’s one step closer to a fall.

(Ursula Coyote/Max)

But what about you?

Is Jim finally seeing Saxton for who he really is — or will his history with him keep clouding the truth?

Do you think Sax genuinely loved Joey? Or has everything been a long con?

And how long can Nina keep pushing before the FBI pushes back harder?

We want to hear what you think. Sound off in the comments and share this review with your fellow crime TV lovers. We’re following this bumpy road one mile at a time — and your support keeps our tank full.

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