Task Series-Premiere Recap: Men in Dark Times

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As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’d rephrase the passage like this:

“In Task, I find two intriguing solutions for combating the widespread issue of male loneliness: Embracing pastoral hobbies such as gardening and birdwatching, or, in the spirit of Robin Hood, banding together with a merry group of outlaws. Brad Ingelsby’s new project, following the success of the heartwarming Mare of Easttown, shifts its focus from strong-willed women to vulnerable men. In Mare, we delved into the complex, personal lives of tough women with a perfect blend of humor, trauma, and optimism, occasionally veering towards sentimentality but consistently delivering the right dose of darkness to remind us that policing is an inherently challenging and morally gray profession. It functioned as a compelling procedural that continued to explore the lingering impact on the victims’ shattered (and sometimes fiercely protective) families. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up when I convinced my partner to watch the entire series during our flight from Tokyo to Brooklyn.

Instead of Kate Winslet and Jean Smart, the series Task presents us with Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey as two struggling single fathers. It’s a suspenseful tale disguised as a procedural, where an emotionally scarred FBI agent engaged in a high-stakes chase with a lawbreaker grappling with the burden of feeding too many mouths. Once more, Ingelsby ventures to the outskirts of Philadelphia and Delco. Ruffalo portrays Tom, an FBI agent whose son is incarcerated under unclear circumstances following his wife’s demise. Pelphrey plays Robbie, a garbage man turned thief who often dons a chilling skull mask. His wife abandoned him to raise the kids with his niece, Maeve, brilliantly enacted by Emilia Jones. Oh yes, his brother is deceased.

In this series, the contrast between the two main characters, Tom and Robbie, is the central theme. The first episode, titled “Crossings,” offers a series of scenes that compare their daily and nightly activities. While Tom works to recruit new FBI agents, Robbie collects garbage alongside Cliff (who returns to HBO following his role in Looking). As the day progresses, Tom indulges in drinking and bird-watching while Robbie prepares for a raid on drug houses.

The series also explores their spiritual differences, as Tom is a former Catholic and lapsed priest, shown struggling with prayer in the opening scene. His friend Daniel Georges, humorously portrayed by Isaach De Bankolé, is a priest who tries to guide him back onto the right path. In contrast, Robbie appears more spiritually inclined, discussing romance, fate, and life with Cliff, while also using a birding app called Merlin.

Although it seems as though a redemption storyline might unfold, it’s unclear at this point who will ultimately find salvation.

This story isn’t about figuring out who did it; instead, it’s an exhilarating thriller featuring a battle of intellect and weapons between two individuals. A significant portion of the opening episode is dedicated to establishing the gameboard and introducing the main characters. Martha Plimpton portrays Kathleen, Tom’s soon-to-be-retired FBI boss, who has formed a special task force to apprehend the criminals responsible for the drug house robberies. While the full team isn’t fully introduced here, notable members such as Evan Peters as Zabel from Mare, Grasso (Fabien Frankel), Aleah (Thuso Mbedu), and Lizzie (Alison Oliver), who overlooked reading the brief amidst confusion and possibly separation, are expected to play crucial roles in future episodes.

On Robbie’s side, Maeve, his niece, is the primary resistant collaborator. Overwhelmed by responsibilities, she carries the world on her shoulders. The complex relationship between them becomes evident when Robbie gets stuck in Maeve’s closet upon her arrival home with a suitor. The ensuing scuffle causes the suitor to leave hastily. Despite Robbie’s apologies, Maeve is unforgiving. Tired of raising children that aren’t even hers at such a young age, she laughingly admits to her date, “I’m nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Jones delivers an impressive performance as the aggrieved niece compelled to care for Robbie’s kids. When Maeve sarcastically comments about their family situation, hinting at insanity with a slight lisp, she retaliates against her uncle’s boundary infringement. Jones masterfully portrays a 40-year-old in a 21-year-old’s body, exhausted from shouldering the burden without much compensation. Maeve throws a drink at her uncle when he criticizes her cooking. Ingelsby excels in swiftly developing authentic, exhausting, and painful family dynamics that underscore the weight of trauma and responsibility borne by those struggling. After their argument, Maeve’s empathetic niece remains, aware that the family might not endure without a maternal figure.

In the first episode of Task, the creator skillfully weaves together elements that lay the groundwork for an ongoing chase while delving into a profound exploration of masculinity and solitude among men. The storyline subtly unveils the struggle of men failing to fulfill their responsibilities in family life, yet Ingelsby portrays these characters with an empathetic touch, making them appear tender and eager, almost like affectionate dogs persistently chasing after something.

Throughout this episode, we witness several heartwarming moments between Tom and his daughter as well as Robbie playing with his children. However, one cannot help but sense that these serene scenes are temporary, for impending conflicts loom on the horizon. The children serve as both a driving force and a source of tension for these men, setting the stage for the escalating confrontations to come.

Robbie’s life of crime eventually catches up with him, while Tom faces the upcoming trial of his son. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the characters are all bracing themselves for an imminent showdown.

At the close of the episode, a tragic event unfolds as Robbie’s latest heist results in the death of one of his accomplices and everyone present at the drug house. This high-stakes robbery signals a significant shift for the show, introducing genuine peril. The incident is not as shocking or captivating as suggested by director Jeremiah Zagar; instead, the aftermath provides the most suspenseful moments. During the confrontation, Pelphrey delivers a poignant expression when he realizes that the man he killed had a child. Curiously, the child asks, “Are you friends with my daddy?” To which he responds, “Yes.” The episode ends with Robbie carrying the child into his house in a pose similar to a pieta, leaving Maeve to ponder the addition of one more mouth to feed.

Stray Bullets

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’ve noticed a shift in cop shows lately, as they grapple with the ongoing conversations about police reform. Even Tana French’s recent crime novels portray a cop who steps down due to the systemic racism he encountered in his former role. It’s a delicate balance they strive for. Some opt for anti-hero protagonists, others create determined amateur detectives. Ingelsby, however, chooses to craft complex cops grappling with their job, and sometimes find it challenging to apprehend perpetrators they feel a sense of empathy towards.

In this latest installment of “Task,” unlike the captivating premiere of “Mare,” food doesn’t take center stage. However, it’s clear that Mark Ruffalo’s character Tom has a soft spot for gardening, as evidenced by the grateful thanks he received from his boss for those delicious tomatoes he generously shared. The Philly-inspired dish making its presence felt is water ice, and guess what? Tom’s daughter just so happens to be employed at one of those refreshing stands!

This time around in “Task,” food isn’t as prominent as it was during the first episode of “Mare.” But it sure seems that Mark Ruffalo’s character Tom has a fondness for tending to plants, and his boss couldn’t help but express gratitude over the delectable tomatoes he gifted her. In the Philadelphia-inspired food department, water ice takes the spotlight, with Tom’s daughter being part of its bustling workforce!

At the conclusion of this episode, several family mysteries remain unresolved: What led to Robbie’s brother’s demise? Exactly how is Maeve related to him as his niece? Who is the owner of their home? Their quarrel didn’t clarify these questions. It appears that these issues will form a prolonged, intricate narrative thread throughout the season. Similarly, the circumstances surrounding Tom’s wife’s death and why his son is incarcerated are unexplained. No detective character in this type of premium TV series enjoys a trouble-free family life. This is characteristic of the genre.

In a casual, easy-to-understand way:
Emilia Jones blurts out, “This is a Ree Drummond recipe.” She doesn’t hold back in grading her date as only a “6” on a scale of 10. The least enthusiastic comment came from a tired-looking Martha Plimpton with the overused statement: “I need you back in the field.

The eerily lifelike masks are genuinely frightening. Pelphrey assumes the role of the skull, Castillo portrays the Devil, while the late Owen Teague enacts the wolf.

The apprehension of the FBI regarding a potential power struggle with the Dark Hearts appears foreboding, as thus far, no notable members of their organization have been encountered, only lower-ranking enforcers.

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2025-09-08 05:55