It has been 11 years since True Detective took the world by storm, and I’ve been chasing the high of that first season ever since. Despite there being some great offerings, nothing has scratched that itch. That could change with Task, HBO’s new crime show on the 2025 TV schedule, which centers on a massive investigation after a botched home invasion turns into kidnapping and possible gang war.
Though it’s still too early to tell (only a few episodes of the seven-part limited series have come out so far), I’m starting to think the show starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey is going to be the one. The series is getting rave reviews so far, and I cannot wait to see how this emotional, intense, and thrilling crime saga unfolds.
I'm Only A Couple Of Episodes In, But Task Already Has Its Hook In Me
I’ve only watched a portion of Task so far, but this show already has its hooks in me. The new crime drama wastes no time getting things going with its dual focus on Tom Pelphrey’s Robbie Prendergrast, a family man who makes extra cash by robbing trap houses outside of Philadelphia, and Mark Ruffalo’s FBI Agent Tom Brandis, who’s trying to end the string of robberies. What starts as something more akin to the task force set up in The Wire quickly turns into something with higher stakes and emotional turmoil, and I can’t wait to see where this goes.
It's Not Ethereal Like True Detective, But It Has That Same Grim, Emotional Tone
I don’t want anyone to get the impression that Task is similar to True Detective in the sense that it focuses on long-winded philosophical discussions, non-linear timelines, or even the ethereal, but there are some similarities that I can’t overlook. This is especially true when it comes to the show’s grim and emotionally bleak tone.
In the first couple of episodes, the show goes to some extremely dark places with its story about a botched home invasion turning into a kidnapping after a pair of robbers find a small child in the aftermath. And it looks like it’s only going to get darker from here now that more people are being wrapped up in this unsettling and desperate situation.
The Characters Are So Complex, And I Can't Wait To See Where They Go From Here
Just like True Detective with its great, three-dimensional, and sometimes morally ambiguous characters, Task has its fair share of complex personalities on both sides of the investigation. You don’t see a lot of characters on the show who are totally bad, which is honestly refreshing.
Sure, Robbie Prendergrast is no saint, but he’s also a family man who’s just trying to make a better life for his kids, even if that means robbing gangs in the dark of night. Similarly, Tom Brandis is a former Catholic priest who is dealing with a tragic loss and a delicate legal situation with his adopted son at the start of the series. Both men are on a collision course at this point, and I’m both excited and terrified to see where this leads.
New episodes of Task drop Sunday nights on HBO and are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.
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