"It takes five episodes for Task, creator Brad Ingelsby's follow-up to his Philadelphia-set crime breakthrough Mare of Easttown, to deliver a genuinely great chapter. Unfortunately, Task is only seven episodes total, which means that once the HBO limited series unexpectedly and satisfyingly mashes up its thematic litany of home, family, fatherhood, and masculinity, it quickly reaches denouement mode. Up to that point, though, far too much of Task is exactly what it sounds like: something to get through rather than enjoy."
"Arguable plagiarism aside, Nic Pizzolatto's first season was a thematically coherent, crisply written dive into the evils of southern-cult mysticism, corruption, and child rape and murder, while his Los Angeles-set second season was a glacially paced remix of similar plot elements and obsessions. Sex trafficking, amoral cops, sneaky land deals - Pizzolatto packed them all in, weighing down the plot with twists and turns that the excellently in-tune Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, and Taylor Kitsch couldn't elevate from the narrative muck."
"The same issue plagues Task, which premieres September 7 and follows Tom (Mark Ruffalo), a former priest turned FBI agent still reeling from a devastating family tragedy; Robbie (Tom Pelphrey), a thief with a personal agenda; the Dark Hearts biker gang targeting them both; and the various relatives, friends, and colleagues who get caught up in this game of cat and mouse."
Task requires five episodes to deliver a genuinely great chapter, yet totals only seven episodes, forcing a rapid denouement after thematic payoff. The series repeatedly returns to motifs of home, family, fatherhood, and masculinity while initially feeling ponderous and chore-like. Strong performances simmer beneath the surface and fully ignite in the final hours. The plot follows Tom (Mark Ruffalo), a former priest turned FBI agent grieving a family tragedy; Robbie (Tom Pelphrey), a thief with a personal agenda; and the Dark Hearts biker gang. The series probes how choices create irreversible paths, and whether anger, violence, and faith allow redemption.
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