As the wait for Reacher change every season as each new case unfolds, the protagonist is always at the center of every new investigation.

The series' popularity has also laid the groundwork for its Neagley spinoff, following Reacher's friend of the same name who's shown up in every season of the show. This expansion of the series by Prime Video makes it a budding crime action franchise, something that will no doubt keep positively contributing to its success as the series continues. However, there's now a lull period as season 4 gets ready to film, and the spinoff continues production. Luckily, one ongoing series on HBO Max perfectly fills this space left behind.

HBO Max's Duster Is A Great New Action Crime Show To Watch Before Reacher Season 4

The Series Is A High-Octane Crime Period Piece

The best replacement for Reacher while waiting for season 4 is the crime thriller series Duster on HBO Max. The show was created by Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, best known for her executive producer roles on Into the Badlands and Turn: Washington's Spies. Set in 1972, Duster focuses on Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson), the first Black female FBI agent, as she works to bring down Ezra Saxton (Keith David), a powerful criminal leader in the Southwest. She's ed by getaway driver Jim Ellis (Josh Holloway), their clashing personalities making them the perfect team for the job.

Duster reunites Abrams and Holloway, the latter having portrayed Sawyer on Lost. But the series' real focus is its intense action sequences, often having to do with cars. While only three episodes have been released as of writing, the series has already featured some memorable action sequences. However, just like Reacher, they're compounded by memorable characters. Nina takes her job seriously and has endless determination to take down Ezra, while Jim is more laid back in his demeanor, while also being highly thoughtful in his approach.

The series has an adventurous side as well, going the extra mile to craft action sequences that are unique to the premise of the show. In addition, Duster's featured shocking deaths and twists in the story already, making the eight-episode series all the more enthralling. It's reminiscent of Reacher's own eight-episode storylines, which always provide plenty of unpredictable moments across each investigation. Duster mirrors this while standing out for its 1970s setting, focus on cars, and an unlikely duo that play off one another well, making it a unique yet similar experience to the Prime Video show.

Duster Rivals Reacher's Critical Acclaim For Popular Crime Thrillers

The HBO Max Show's Critical Success Is Catching Up

Both shows don't just share similarities on the surface; they've also received very similar praise from critics. According to Reacher's score on Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an average critics score of 96%. This is the average for all three seasons, with season 1 at 92%, season 2 at 98%, and season 3 at 98%. Duster's Rotten Tomatoes score is very similar, with the show sitting at 92% as of writing. This puts it on par with Reacher season 1, but just below the average for the Prime Video series as a whole.

Critics also emphasize how engaging both shows' stories are, even though Reacher has more serious moments than Duster does.

Both shows are also praised for similar reasons, with critics pointing out fun, thrilling action sequences with memorable performances and characters. Critics also emphasize how engaging both shows' stories are, even though Reacher has more serious moments than Duster does. Even so, both shows seem to prioritize the same ideas in their action-packed presentations, making the HBO Max show the perfect replacement until Prime Video's franchise comes back.

New episodes of Duster arrive Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.