Mark Ruffalo stars in Task, a dark tale of fathers, grief and fate
Brad Ingelsby, best known as the creator of Mare of Easttown, returns with another emotionally heavy series — Task. Set in the outskirts of Philadelphia, the story shifts away from mothers and daughters to portray two broken households led by grieving fathers.
At the heart of the series is Mark Ruffalo, who plays FBI agent Tom Brandis. Once active in the field, Tom is now confined to recruiting at job fairs after a personal tragedy leaves him emotionally fractured. His pain mirrors that of Robbie Prendergast, a refuse truck driver played by Tom Pelphrey (Ozark), who moonlights as a masked thief targeting drug dens.
Both men are weighed down by sorrow and anger, attempting to navigate life while raising children who carry their own silent burdens. Robbie is a single father raising two kids alongside his niece Maeve (Emilia Jones), while Tom struggles to connect with his teenage daughter Emily (Silvia Dionicio).
The show builds tension with unsettling night-time robberies and simmering family drama, pulling Tom back into the field when his expertise on biker gangs becomes vital. While Task indulges in long conversations and deliberate pacing, it balances suspenseful action with moments of raw humanity.
Ingelsby’s new drama is far from uplifting, but its gritty storytelling and empathetic core make it both haunting and deeply human.
Mondays, 9pm on Sky Atlantic. Streaming on NOW in the UK and HBO Max in the US.