HBO will launch a new crime drama series called Task on September 7, 2025. The show comes from Brad Ingelsby, the creator of the popular series Mare of Easttown. Task will have seven episodes. Each new episode will air every Sunday on HBO and stream on HBO Max. The season will end on October 19, 2025.
Mark Ruffalo plays an FBI agent named Tom. He leads a special team to stop violent robberies in Philadelphia. Tom Pelphrey plays Robbie, a family man who plans the robberies. The show explores their personal struggles and the crime wave that brings them into conflict.
Main Cast and Characters
The series features a strong cast. Mark Ruffalo is FBI Agent Tom Brandis. He is dealing with personal loss and guilt while leading the task force. Tom Pelphrey plays Robbie Prendergrast. Robbie is a father who commits crimes to give his children a better future.
Other main actors include Emilia Jones as Maeve and Thuso Mbedu as Aleah. Raúl Castillo plays Cliff, and Jamie McShane is Perry. Sam Keeley appears as Jayson. Fabien Frankel plays Anthony, and Alison Oliver is Lizzie. Silvia Dionicio plays Emily, and Owen Teague is Peaches.
Well-known actors like Martha Plimpton and Mireille Enos also have roles. Plimpton plays Kathleen McGinty, Tom’s boss at the FBI. Enos plays Susan Brandis. The cast includes many talented actors who bring depth to the story.
Story and Setting
Task is set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia. The area is similar to the one in Mare of Easttown. The story begins with a rise in violent home invasion robberies. The robberies target drug dealers after their deals. The FBI forms a special task force to stop these crimes.
Mark Ruffalo’s character, Tom, is chosen to lead the task force. He is not sure he wants the job. He is also coping with personal problems and guilt. On the other side, Tom Pelphrey’s character, Robbie, is a family man. He leads the robbery crew to get money for his children’s future.
Brad Ingelsby explained the tension in the story to The Hollywood Reporter. He said, “The tension of the story is that you care about both of these guys. You want Robbie to get away and you want Tom to get a win. But you know that can’t happen.”
The show looks at the moral choices people make. It shows how Tom and Robbie’s lives are falling apart. The chase between the FBI and the robbery crew creates more chaos for both men.
Production Team and Background
Brad Ingelsby is the creator, writer, and showrunner of Task. He also worked on Mare of Easttown. Jeremiah Zagar and Salli Richardson-Whitfield are directors and executive producers. The executive producers also include Mark Ruffalo, Paul Lee, and Mark Roybal.
The production companies are Low Dweller Productions, Public Record, wiip, and HBO Entertainment. Filming started in March 2024 in Delaware County and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The music for the series is by Dan Deacon.
The series is inspired by the same area as Mare of Easttown. But it features new characters and a different story. It focuses on the lives of people in Delaware County. The show aims to mix tense thrills with emotional moments.
How to Watch Task
Task will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max. Viewers can watch new episodes every Sunday at 9:00 PM EST starting September 7, 2025. The series will be available in many countries. But some regions might have restrictions.
HBO Max offers different plans. A Basic plan with ads costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. A Standard plan without ads costs $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year. A Premium plan without ads costs $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year. Some plans allow downloading episodes to watch offline.
Trailer and Early Reactions
HBO released a trailer for Task in August 2025. The trailer uses the song “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. It shows Mark Ruffalo’s character leading the task force. Tom Pelphrey’s character says, “I’m going to take their money so we can have a better life.”
The trailer also introduces Martha Plimpton’s character. She warns that the team must find the robbery crew before a turf war gets worse. The trailer suggests that the series will be a gritty and emotional crime drama.
Early reviews from critics are positive. The review site Rotten Tomatoes reported an 85% approval score from critics. Metacritic gave the show a score of 76 out of 100. These scores are based on early reviews and might change when the series airs.
Final Details
Task is one of the most expected new shows on HBO in 2025. It brings together a great cast and a skilled production team. The series will explore themes of family, guilt, and justice. It will show both sides of a crime story in a way that makes the audience care about everyone involved.
The show will have seven episodes. Each episode is about one hour long. The first episode is called “Crossings.” The last episode is called “A Still Small Voice.” Salli Richardson-Whitfield directed the sixth episode. Brad Ingelsby wrote most of the episodes.
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