Task on HBO: Is It Worth Watching?

What's the actual premise?

Mark Ruffalo plays Tom Brandis, a former priest turned FBI agent who's been effectively sidelined to desk duty since his family was struck by a tragedy that's left him and his teenage daughter mired in ongoing grief. His boss, played by Martha Plimpton, pulls him back into active field work by putting him in charge of a task force investigating a wave of violent robberies targeting drug houses in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia. Tom Pelphrey plays Robbie Prendergrast, a sanitation worker who moonlights as the thief behind these robberies, motivated by grief of his own following his brother's death, now raising his late brother's daughter Maeve, played by Emilia Jones, alongside his own kids after his wife has left him. The show is set in the same corner of Pennsylvania Ingelsby made his creative home turf in Mare of Easttown — Delaware County, the same regional accents, the same lived-in sense of place.

Why do I think this show deserves a bigger cultural moment than it's currently having?

Because it does something that's become rarer in prestige crime drama: it refuses to let its plot mechanics, the cat-and-mouse structure between Tom and Robbie, overshadow patient character work exploring grief, forgiveness, and second chances on both sides of the law. Robbie isn't written as a criminal mastermind or a cartoonish villain — he's a decent, deeply flawed man who's made a series of terrible decisions while trying to hold together a family that's been shattered by loss, and Tom Pelphrey's performance leans into that specific tension between decency and desperation with real, sustained control.

How does this compare to Mare of Easttown, given the shared creator?

Closely in tone and craft, though Task pushes even further into a structural choice I find admirable: framing itself explicitly as a cat-and-mouse story rather than a whodunit. We know from early on who's actually behind the robberies, so the tension isn't about solving a mystery, it's about watching two sympathetic, flawed men circle each other, each carrying their own grief. Mare of Easttown earned 16 Emmy nominations and won four, and it's remained one of the more fondly remembered crime dramas of the past several years, largely because Ingelsby writes regional, working-class American life with a specificity a lot of prestige crime drama simply doesn't attempt. Task carries that same gift into an entirely new story — I'd argue it's arguably even more emotionally ambitious, since it's asking you to hold real sympathy for both the pursuer and the pursued simultaneously.

What's the actual Emmy recognition the show has received?

Six Primetime Emmy nominations, including acting nominations for both Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey specifically, a strong showing for a limited series that arrived without the same pre-release hype some of this awards season's more heavily discussed contenders received.

Has the show actually been renewed for a second season, and does that make sense given its limited series framing?

Yes, HBO confirmed a second season renewal, with Mark Ruffalo set to return. This is a slightly unusual structural move given the show was originally billed and marketed as a limited series, but HBO's own statement announcing the renewal makes clear this reflects real audience enthusiasm building week over week during its original run. Francesca Orsi, HBO's EVP of Programming and Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, put it directly: "We knew well in advance of its launch that we had a powerful drama series on our hands, but it has been so rewarding to witness the audience's fervor and embrace of this show as it grew week after week."

Why do I think this show has struggled to generate the same cultural conversation as some of its awards-season competitors?

A few specific factors. First, it arrived without a single, easily marketable hook the way something like Pluribus has — "the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness" is an irresistible elevator pitch in a way "grieving FBI agent hunts grieving thief" simply isn't, even though the actual execution of Task's premise is just as accomplished. Second, Mark Ruffalo's own public profile is dominated so heavily by his Marvel work that his significant track record in smaller, prestige limited series work doesn't seem to break through public awareness the way it probably should. Third, and I think most significant, the show's setting and subject matter doesn't carry the same immediate visual or conceptual novelty that draws casual viewers toward flashier genre premises. None of those reasons are actually about the show's quality falling short.

Is this a good show to start if I've never seen Mare of Easttown?

Yes, no prior familiarity required. The two shows share a creator and a specific regional sensibility, but they're entirely separate stories with no direct connective tissue in plot or character.

Frequently asked questions

Is Task worth watching? Yes — one of the stronger recent crime dramas that hasn't received the cultural attention its quality warrants.

Who stars in Task? Mark Ruffalo as FBI agent Tom Brandis and Tom Pelphrey as Robbie Prendergrast, alongside Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, and Martha Plimpton.

Who created Task? Brad Ingelsby, also known for creating the acclaimed HBO limited series Mare of Easttown.

How many Emmy nominations did Task receive? Six, including a Best Drama Actor nomination for Mark Ruffalo, with most of the remaining main cast up for Supporting Actor/Actress.

Has Task been renewed for a second season? Yes, HBO confirmed a second season with Mark Ruffalo returning, despite the show's original billing as a limited series.

Do I need to have seen Mare of Easttown before watching Task? No, they're entirely separate stories sharing only a creator and general regional sensibility.

Is Task more of a mystery or a cat-and-mouse thriller? A cat-and-mouse thriller specifically; the audience knows who's behind the crimes early on, with tension coming from character rather than plot mystery.

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