The title of HBO’s next big crime drama, Task, refers to the fact that its protagonist, Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo), has been asked to set up a task force in his role as an FBI agent. Tom’s not one of the FBI’s best and brightest, with some personal tragedies weighing him down. But someone’s got to look into a series of armed burglaries at drug houses around the area — and he and his ragtag team of agents are the ones assigned the job.
Task comes from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, who moves from a relatively straightforward murder-mystery to a more encompassing crime story. It’s a show packed with nuanced storytelling that demands your attention; this isn’t one to watch casually with your phone in hand. Ingelsby’s writing resolves a lot of things at the edge of the frame, refusing to over-explain its biggest plot reveals — kind of the antithesis of a lot of streaming-made TV shows these days, and a very welcome change of pace. HBO’s become more genre-focused in recent years, but Task is a nice reminder that this is the network built, in part, by The Sopranos and The Wire — contemporary crime stories that put character first.
For much of its run, Task plays like a Heat-esque two-hander, with Tom Pelphrey’s Robbie serving as the Robert De Niro to Ruffalo’s Al Pacino. Robbie works in waste management but needs extra cash for his family, and feels like he’s come up with a good plan by robbing folks already participating in illegal activities. Unfortunately, he’s managed to piss off a local motorcycle gang (which was using his targets for their own crimes, featuring the ever-looming specter of fentanyl), adding a whole new layer to the mess.
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Meanwhile, Tom and his team are set up in an abandoned old house for an office, and only the most rudimentary support for their investigation. This isn’t the high-powered, high-tech FBI of movies and TV shows, and they’re not trying to track down a Danny Ocean-esque smooth criminal. There’s a roughness to the way Ingelsby depicts both the investigating agents and those they’re pursuing, letting these characters really exist as flawed individuals more than a little prone to making mistakes. But those mistakes have consequences as serious as any of the very deliberate murders that occur.
The scope and dimension of Task is quite different from Mare of Easttown, but there’s still a similarity to be found — not just in its Pennsylvanian location (complete with Wawa references and obligatory attempts at that very specific accent), but in the complicated home lives of its lead characters.
In the case of Tom, he’s a relatively new widower whose son is in jail (facts which tragically happen to be linked); he’s drinking too much and, before being asked to set up the task force, was primarily manning the FBI booth at recruitment fairs. It’s a role tailor-made for Ruffalo’s talents, and he proves particularly adept at bringing an everyman quality to the very specific aspects of his character.
Task (HBO)
Even beyond Ruffalo’s involvement, though, Task really shines thanks to the depth and quality of its supporting cast, who interlock in unexpected ways on both sides of the thin blue line. Pelphrey has had notable supporting roles in projects like Mank, Ozark, and Iron Fist, but this is a real showcase for his abilities, and it’s truly electric when he and Ruffalo face off. Meanwhile, CODA star Emilia Jones doesn’t just rock her mullet and piercings, but brings a welcome edginess to her role as a young woman caught between the law and the actions of her uncle Robbie.
To play one of Tom’s junior agents, House of the Dragon’s Fabien Frankel shaved off his Criston Cole beard, and has remarkable chemistry with Alison Oliver as Lizzie, another junior agent with a lot of passion and a long history of messing up. They’re joined by Thuso Mbedu (a standout from The Woman King and The Underground Railroad), who doesn’t get quite as many opportunities to break out as she could, but is a game and steady presence.
And most importantly, Task delivers the pure unfiltered joy of watching a cantankerous Martha Plimpton as Tom’s FBI boss, who complains about everything from bureaucracy to having to put on pants and get off the couch, making her one of 2025’s most relatable characters, a modern-day hero who deserves all the acclaim in the world. I would watch a CBS procedural about her character every damn week.
As mentioned, the story here extends well beyond who’s responsible for the death of a young woman, a sprawling crime tale that doesn’t pull its punches and remains fiercely grounded in its characters. It can be grim viewing at times, but it’s also a nice reminder that while HBO has found both popular and critical success with its dragons and fungus zombies, it’s also still one of the few places you can see a story like this being told: Smart, powerful, and worthy of your full attention.
Task premieres Sunday, September 7th on HBO and HBO Max. Check out the trailer below.