Task (miniseries)

Task is an American crime drama television miniseries created and written by Brad Ingelsby for HBO. It stars Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Raúl Castillo, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, Silvia Dionicio, and Martha Plimpton. It premiered on September 7, 2025, consisting of 7 episodes.

Task
Promotional poster
Genre	Crime drama
Created by	Brad Ingelsby
Starring	Mark Ruffalo Tom Pelphrey Emilia Jones Fabien Frankel Thuso Mbedu Raúl Castillo Alison Oliver Owen Teague Silvia Dionicio Martha Plimpton Jamie McShane Sam Keeley Phoebe Fox
Music by	Dan Deacon
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	7
Production
Executive producers	Brad Inglesby Mark Roybal Jeremiah Zagar Salli Richardson Whitfield Mark Ruffalo Ron Schmidt David Crockett Paul Lee
Producers	Gabrielle Mahon Holly Rymon
Production location	Pennsylvania
Cinematography	Alex Disenhof Elie Smolkin
Editors	Amy E. Duddelston Keiko Deguchi
Running time	58–65 minutes
Production companies	Low Dweller Productions Public Record wiip HBO Entertainment
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	September 7 (2025-09-07) – October 19, 2025 (2025-10-19)

Premise

Philadelphia-based FBI agent Tom Brandis is put in charge of a task force investigating a string of violent robberies against stash houses run by outlaw motorcycle gangs.^[1]

Cast

Main

• Mark Ruffalo as Tom Brandis,^[2] an FBI agent and former Catholic priest ordered to head up a task force investigating a series of armed robberies, returning to field duty after taking time off due to a family tragedy
• Tom Pelphrey as Robbie Prendergrast,^[2] a garbage collector for J&W Sanitation who robs "trap houses" operated by drug gangs in the Philadelphia area
• Emilia Jones as Maeve Prendergrast,^[2] Robbie's 21-year-old niece who has been saddled with the raising of Robbie's young children since the departure of his wife almost a year earlier
• Fabien Frankel as Anthony Grasso,^[2] a Delaware County detective who joins the task force Tom sets up to investigate the robberies
• Thuso Mbedu as Aleah Clinton,^[2] a no-nonsense Chester detective sergeant who joins Tom's task force
• Raúl Castillo as Cliff Broward,^[2] Robbie's friend and co-worker who joins in the trap house robberies
• Alison Oliver as Elizabeth "Lizzie" Stover,^[2] an inexperienced PSP trooper on Tom's task force
• Owen Teague as Peaches, Robbie and Cliff's accomplice in the trap house robberies
• Silvia Dionicio as Emily Brandis, Tom's adopted daughter and biological sister of Ethan, Tom's adopted son
• Martha Plimpton as Kathleen McGinty,^[2] Tom's superior officer
• Jamie McShane as Perry Dorazo,^[3] one of the national leaders of the Dark Hearts motorcycle gang whose trap houses are the target of most of the robberies
• Sam Keeley as Jayson Wilkes,^[3] a volatile member of the Dark Hearts who heads their operations in Delaware County and is Perry's protegé.
• Phoebe Fox as Sara, Tom’s biological daughter and adoptive sister to Emily and Ethan

Recurring

• Ben Doherty as Sam, Deric's young son
• Oliver Eisenson as Wyatt Prendergrast, Robbie's son
• Kennedy Moyer as Harper Prendergrast, Robbie's daughter
• Stephanie Kurtzuba as Donna
• Margarita Levieva as Eryn, Jayson's romantic partner who was previously involved with Robbie's brother Billy
• Colin Bates as Shane McReynolds, a mechanic and member of the Dark Hearts
• Dominic Colón as Deric 'Breaker'
• Robert Berlin as Julius, a Dark Hearts Lieutenant.

Guest

• Isaach De Bankolé as Daniel Georges, a Catholic priest and Tom's longtime friend
• Michael Maize as Deric Nance, a Dark Hearts member who runs one of the gang's trap houses in Delaware County
• Raphael Sbarge as Michael Dorsey, chief of detectives of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office and Anthony Grasso's boss
• Mickey Sumner as Shelley Driscoll, the partner of Robbie and Cliff's friend Ray Lyman
• Brian Goodman as Vincent Hawkes, one of the 12 national leaders of the Dark Hearts who make up the gang's "Mother Club"
• Elvis Nolasco as Freddy Frias, a Dominican drug kingpin in Philadelphia who does business with the Dark Hearts
• Coral Peña as Meg Coyle, a counselor at Emily's school
• Mireille Enos as Susan Brandis, Tom's wife who was killed by their adoptive son Ethan
• Jack Kesy as Billy Prendergast, Robbie's deceased brother and Maeve's father, a member of the Dark Hearts who was murdered by Jayson after his affair with Eryn was discovered
• Lilli Kay as Frankie Grasso, Anthony Grasso's sister

In addition, Andrew Russel co-stars as Ethan, Tom's adopted son and Emily's biological brother, who is currently incarcerated for the killing of Susan, Tom's wife.

Episodes

No.	Title [4]	Directed by	Written by	Original release date [4]	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	"Crossings"	Jeremiah Zagar	Brad Ingelsby	September 7, 2025 (2025-09-07)	0.214[5]
In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Tom Brandis, a former Catholic priest turned FBI agent, is working as a campus recruiter for the Bureau, having taken leave from field work after a recent family tragedy. His superior officer, Kath McGinty, insists he return to head a task force investigating a series of robberies of "trap houses" run by the Dark Hearts, a dangerous and well-organized outlaw motorcycle gang. The task force includes State Trooper Lizzie Stover, Chester city detective Aleah Clinton, and Delaware County detective Anthony Grasso. Meanwhile, Robbie Prendergrast resides in his deceased brother's house with his two young children and his brother's daughter Maeve; he has a strained relationship with Maeve, who has been saddled with looking after his young children since his wife walked out on them almost a year earlier. Robbie and his friend Cliff Broward use their jobs as waste collectors to plan robberies of the trap houses, determining when the cash from drug sales is likely to be on hand. Their robberies are also facilitated by an ally who seems to have inside information about the Dark Hearts' operation. After receiving a new lead, Robbie, Cliff, and their friend Peaches attempt to rob a trap house where they have been led to expect a large amount of money. The heist goes horribly wrong when another Dark Hearts member unexpectedly arrives at the house in the middle of the robbery. A shootout ensues, leading to the deaths of all three bikers present as well as Peaches. When one of the bikers' young sons, Sam, appears, Robbie, wishing to shield him from witnessing his parents' deaths and to protect himself and Cliff from arrest, takes Sam to his own home.
2	"Family Statements"	Jeremiah Zagar	Brad Ingelsby	September 14, 2025 (2025-09-14)	0.217[6]
Jayson, the president of the Dark Hearts Delaware County chapter, learns about the fatal home invasion and kidnapping. His boss, friend, and mentor, Perry, arrives to stress the importance of finding the child and holding those accountable. Robbie and Cliff learn that they have taken a duffel bag filled with pure fentanyl from the botched robbery. Robbie is forced to decide what to do with both the drugs and Sam. Maeve uncovers the truth about Sam's identity, but fearing the Dark Hearts and knowing that the police are searching for Sam, she leaves him at a store near the arcade where she works and makes an anonymous call to the FBI tip line. However, instead of being picked up by the police, Sam returns to her car. When Tom arrives in response to her call, Maeve deliberately misleads him and goes home with Sam, reprimanding Robbie for their predicament. As Tom's task force continues its investigation, Tom meets with fellow FBI agent Easley, who informs him that Jayson killed a Dark Hearts member named Billy, who is Robbie's brother and Maeve's father.
3	"Nobody's Stronger Than Forgiveness"	Salli Richardson Whitfield	Brad Ingelsby	September 21, 2025 (2025-09-21)	0.259[7]
Confronted by Maeve, Robbie confesses to stealing from the Dark Hearts as an act of revenge for his brother's murder at the hands of Jayson. Jayson and Perry approach Freddie Frias, a drug kingpin in Philadelphia who has previously collaborated with the Dark Hearts, to seek his assistance in retrieving the stolen fentanyl, but he insists on a significant cut. Meanwhile, Tom and his team discover that one of the guns used in the fatal trap house heist was also used by the Dark Hearts themselves in a shooting incident years before, suggesting that the trap house weapon belongs to a Dark Hearts member who is working with Robbie and Cliff. Cliff and Robbie meet with Ray, Cliff's former prison cellmate, who appears eager to help them move the fentanyl but instead breaks into Cliff's home while he is away to steal it. The task force, getting a tip that Cliff is one of the trap house robbers, raid Cliff's home and apprehend Ray. Ray's parole is revoked and he is sent back to prison. Tom uses Ray's phone to text Cliff to arrange a meeting, planning to arrest him. As Robbie drives Cliff home, they find his house surrounded by police. Realizing that Cliff has been identified, they go back to Robbie's. The next morning, Agent Easley informs Tom that shortly after the raid on Cliff's home a vehicle belonging to a Dark Hearts Lieutenant was seen in Cliff's neighborhood. Tom realizes that someone on his team has leaked information to the Dark Hearts.
4	"All Roads"	Salli Richardson Whitfield	Teleplay by : Brad Ingelsby Story by : Brad Ingelsby & Dave Obzud	September 28, 2025 (2025-09-28)	0.260[8]
Tom and the task force work with Chief Dorsey and the men of the Delaware County force to plan the arrest of Cliff when he shows up at the meeting Tom set up using Ray's phone. Perry is told by Vincent that he and the other national leaders of the Dark Hearts have decided to get rid of Jayson for failing to deal with the trap house robberies. Perry questions Shane, a Delaware County Dark Hearts member. He learns that Jayson killed Billy Prendergrast because he was having an affair with Eryn, then falsely told Perry Billy had stolen from the club. Perry angrily confronts Jayson and then Eryn, who admits the affair but denies betraying the club. At FBI headquarters, Tom tells Kath he suspects there is a leak in his team. When he leaves, Kath makes a call on her personal phone and tells someone "We may have a problem." Robbie visits a friend of Billy's who may help get him and Cliff to Canada once the fentanyl is sold. When Sam wanders off and attracts the attention of a pedestrian, Robbie knocks the man down and flees the scene with the boy. Maeve refuses to join Robbie's Canada plan, insisting that she will take Sam to the police the next day if Robbie does not. Tom's sting operation fails when a couple looking for their dog shows up at the meeting site. Unknown to Tom, Cliff has been redirected by Jayson, now in possession of Ray's phone, to a different location. Cliff is ambushed and killed by the Dark Hearts after they find part of the missing fentanyl and a gun in his car. Perry discovers a photo link between Billy and the gun from the trap house shootout. Emily drinks too much at a party, then argues with Tom bitterly about her and Ethan. The next morning, Tom receives a lead: a photo from the pedestrian showing Sam with Robbie, though Robbie's face is obscured.
5	"Vagrants"	Jeremiah Zagar	Teleplay by : Brad Ingelsby Story by : Brad Ingelsby & Dave Obzud	October 5, 2025 (2025-10-05)	0.307[9]
The morning after Cliff's death, Robbie attempts to confront Ray about the meeting at which Cliff was ambushed but learns from Shelley, Ray's partner, that Ray was arrested two days ago and could not have set up the meeting. Shelley offers Robbie help in selling the fentanyl. Perry and Jayson dispose of Cliff's remains, and Perry secretly plants a tracking device on Eryn’s car. Perry later visits Maeve under the pretext of borrowing her late father's club jacket for a memorial, unaware that Sam is hiding nearby. Robbie meets Eryn and realizes that Cliff has been killed. He takes the fentanyl to Freddie, who expresses interest but secretly tips off Jayson. The FBI sketch artist produces a drawing of Robbie after talking to the pedestrian Robbie attacked. Tom learns of Maeve's connection to the trap house robberies. Grasso is revealed as the leak in the task force when he meets with Jayson to recover the phone that was used to trap Cliff. Perry tracks Eryn to her meeting with Robbie, but accidentally drowns her when she tries to escape. Tom visits the Prendergrast house to question Maeve, but instead finds Robbie. Growing suspicious, Robbie forces Tom to leave with him before Grasso, who is on the way there, can arrive. Tom, believing Robbie means to kill him, asks for the opportunity to speak with his children first, but Robbie releases Tom in the woods, imploring him to protect Maeve. Maeve takes Sam to the police, but her interview with Kath is cut short when Kath learns of Tom's disappearance. Tom walks to a nearby park, contacts his family, and is then picked up by the task force. As the task force and the Dark Hearts converge on Billy’s remote cabin, Robbie arrives, only to be confronted by Tom. As Tom points a gun at him, he refuses Tom's demand to surrender.
6	"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river."	Salli Richardson Whitfield	Teleplay by : Brad Ingelsby Story by : Brad Ingelsby & Dave Obzud	October 12, 2025 (2025-10-12)	0.401[10]
The task force and the Dark Hearts finally come to grips with each other when both groups track Robbie to his brother Billy's cabin.
7	"A Still Small Voice"	Jeremiah Zagar	Brad Ingelsby	October 19, 2025 (2025-10-19)	0.442[11]
Tom and Aleah look for evidence to prove Grasso is the source of the leak in the task force, Grasso struggles to deal with his feelings of guilt, Perry is under pressure to turn on Jayson, and Jayson tries desperately to find the money, unaware that the Dark Hearts are hunting him.

Production

Development

In June 2023, it was announced HBO had greenlit the series, with Brad Ingelsby serving as creator and writer, and Jeremiah Zagar set to direct multiple episodes.^[12] In December 2023, it was announced Salli Richardson-Whitfield would also direct multiple episodes and serve as an executive producer.^[13] In November 2024, the series's title, Task, was announced.^[14]

Casting

After initial choice Michael Keaton had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts,^[15][16] Mark Ruffalo was announced in June 2023 to star in the series.^[12] In December 2023, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Raúl Castillo, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Fabien Frankel and Alison Oliver joined the cast of the series.^{[17][18][19][20]} In March 2024, Owen Teague, Dominic Colón, Margarita Levieva, Raphael Sbarge, Mickey Sumner, Elvis Nolasco, Brian Goodman, Colin Bates, Isaach De Bankolé, Phoebe Fox, Silvia Dionicio and Coral Peña joined the cast in recurring roles.^[21][22][23] In November 2024, Martha Plimpton and Mireille Enos were announced as part of the cast.^[24]

Filming

Principal photography began in March 2024 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.^[25][26]

Broadcast

Task premiered on HBO on September 7, 2025.^[27]

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% approval rating based on 78 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey are superb in Task, a culturally-specific crime story that's unrelentingly bleak but equally riveting."^[28] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 77 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable".^[29]