[Note: While this article doesn't contain outright spoilers, it does reference elements of the plot of HBO's Task. Proceed with caution if you haven't seen it.]

When I first watched the trailer for HBO's Task earlier this year, I thought, "Nice, another crime drama. Looks good though." And I casually added it to my watch list.

The premise seemed very straightforward. Mark Ruffalo plays Tom Brandis, an FBI agent, who heads a task force looking into a spate of violent robberies in rural Pennsylvania led by Robbie Prendergrast, a garbage collector and unsuspected family man, played by Tom Pelphrey (Ozark, Outer Range). It's created by Brad Ingelsby, who also created 2021's Emmy-winning Mare of Easttown starring Kate Winslet, also for HBO. Say no more.

However, over the course of the limited series' seven episodes, it becomes clear Task isn't just another crime thriller. And despite its very serious, very heavy content, it's also not a bleak serial just for the sake of being bleak. And I think that's why it stands out, especially in an era when there seems to be a plethora of shows across numerous apps. Because this isn't so much a review or a recap of the show as much as it is an appreciation of it.

If you're like me and you consume countless hours of supposed "prestige television" and buzzworthy streaming favorites, you're aware that so much of the content is very dark. True crime, political thrillers, murder mysteries, dystopian everything. And perhaps it's reflective of the times, because the reality of the world can be very dismal, even if you try to ignore the latest headlines.

Task is not immune from this reality. But rather than hours of gratuitous violence, each scene seems intentional, taking viewers on a journey with these characters who are certainly deeply flawed, to the point that it's unclear at times who's the protagonist. Because you're not sure if you're rooting for the cop or the robber, or if the point of the show is even about the crimes being committed.

And from my perspective, it's not. Without going into too much detail, that much is evident especially in the penultimate episode and the finale itself, as so many of the characters, even beyond Ruffalo and Pelphrey's lead roles, are not black-and-white, good or bad.

It's telling the story of otherwise good people making bad decisions and getting wrapped up in something they didn't want nor anticipate. When Pelphrey's Robbie is confronted in episode 3 by his niece Maeve, played by Emilia Jones (who deserves an Emmy nomination for her performance, by the way), Robbie explains his actions by telling her he wanted to avenge his brother (Maeve's father). But rather than coming across as manipulative or calculated, like a criminal with his back against the wall, moments like that instead feel very genuine and ultimately human.

You feel the humanity in Robbie's decisions. You sense the utter desperation. You feel Tom's tortured struggle with his faith, his oath and his son. You can feel Maeve's contention with loyalty to her family, doing what is right and doing what is best for the people she loves.

And where Task ultimately sets itself further apart is in its resolution. While it's very common for many big-name series these days to end in despair or as if the writers didn't fully map out the endgame, there's something special about a show that does have a destination and knew where it was heading all along, not milking 10 episodes to stretch out the story or wandering around for three episodes until it strings together some sort of ending. 

I understand some fans have had polarizing responses to the final two episodes of the show, but I believe Ingelsby and his team did the story justice because especially in those last two episodes, it allows viewers to almost see themselves in these characters. Perhaps in between tears and throwing the remote at the wall, you see their goodness.

In one of the few scenes between just Ruffalo and Pelphrey, Robbie's character tells Tom he's "a million miles past good ideas." And as a viewer, your heart can't help but break for this man who is trapped by terrible decisions, but is clearly not a terrible person.

Yes, the series is about drug kingpins, robberies and murder, but underneath the surface, it's about second chances, finding your way back, forgiveness and redemption. It's about empathy and seeing beyond someone's past or their brokenness or their mistakes. Because at some point, don't we all need second chances? And if you live long enough to make more than a few mistakes, you may need redemption. 

While Task is certainly an outlier in the TV landscape, it's a welcome reprieve from the doomscrolling—on social media and on streaming platforms alike. And that's not to say we need a bunch of sappy, "wholesome" shows to flood the market instead. Because if you're looking for G-rated, family friendly television, this is not the show for you. But if there is a void for shows that do mean something, that are crafted with care and make you reflect on your own life while empathizing with others, more of that would be great. On TV screens, phone screens and in society at large.

And while we're at it, just go ahead and give Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey and Emilia Jones their Emmy Awards already! They've more than earned their trophies. ■

—

All episodes of Task are streaming now on HBO Max.