Task
Mare of Easttown was one of the smash hits of 2021. From writer and creator Brad Ingelsby, it put a fresh spin on detective shows with Kate Winslet’s title character, a slightly broken figure. He returns to similar territory with Task following an FBI investigation into a string of violent home burglaries. The cast is once again top-notch, anchored by Mark Ruffalo’s Tom, a former priest now an FBI agent based in Philadelphia. We follow his hunt to get the perpetrators with unassuming family man Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) trying to stay one step ahead of the law.
As with Mare of Easttown, we get a real sense of the community both men belong to. The rural Pennsylvania setting works a treat and helps differentiate this from other crime thrillers. Tom’s home is broken by tragedy as he adjusts to going back to fieldwork, while Robbie’s home life is also dysfunctional. The two men share more in common than might initially seem. There are certainly a few shades of Michael Mann’s Heat with the juxtaposition between the investigation and the criminals.
It’s another immaculately constructed show with a compelling story and plenty of twists and turns. The action, while used sparingly, is visceral and thrilling. It is constantly tense, keeping the audience on its toes, never quite sure which direction it will head in next. Ruffalo brings an air of cynicism and world weariness to Tom, especially against his younger colleagues, Anthony (Fabien Frinkel) and Lizzie (Alison Oliver), who act as fine foils. Ruffalo delivers one of his finest performances in recent years, and it would certainly be no surprise to see him in awards conversations like Winslet before him.
Task is a more than worthy follow-up to Mare of Easttown for Ingelsby, once again proving he is one of the best TV writers of his generation. It’s a compelling series that asks plenty of questions of its audience, pulling them along for a nerve-wracking ride. It will certainly please fans of his previous work, but it’s far from a derivative offering. The dynamic and yin and yang of the two leads make Task stand out, and the performances take it to another level.
Christopher Connor
Task is released on Sky on 8th September 2025.
Watch the trailer for Task here:
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