Task is a seven-hour HBO crime thriller built for a one-night binge

Task is a seven-hour HBO crime thriller that plays like a one-night binge, combining focused storytelling, powerful performances and a conclusion that leaves viewers wanting more. Fans have room to catch their breath before Season 2 arrives later in 2026. Created by Brad Ingelsby (Mare of Easttown), the series follows Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo), a former Catholic priest who renounces his faith after a personal tragedy and joins the FBI to investigate a string of home robberies in Philadelphia.

Opposite him is Robbie Pendergast (Tom Pelphrey), a garbage collector who robs stash houses tied to the Dark Hearts biker gang to provide for his niece Maeve (Emilia Jones) and his children after his wife left him. Ingelsby wrote all seven episodes, with direction from Jeremiah Zagar and Salli Richardson Whitfield; each installment runs roughly an hour.

The show ties the personal demons of its two leads to the tasks they undertake, delivering a character-driven crime drama that recalls HBO’s strongest offerings in the genre.

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