As Episode 1 of "Task" (2025 release; 7 episodes of about an hour each) opens, we are introduced to Tom Brandis, working an FBI recruiting table somewhere in suburban Philadelphia. In a parallel story, we get to know Robbie and Cliff, who work at the local garbage collection company, and who keenly observe houses in the area as potential targets for a robbery. At this point we are less than 10 minutes into Episode 1. Couple of comments: this is the latest brainchild of Brad Ingelsby ("Out of the Furnace", "Mare of Easttown"). Here he brings us the story of an FBI agent, who is recovering from some unspecified family-related trauma, and the parallel lives of some low-lifes up to no good. As he has done in the past, things are not bought into back-and-white, right-and-wrong. As the first episode plays out, what we get instead is a lot of nuance and context about these main characters, their day-to-day lives, interactions and surroundings. I absolutely LOVED Episode 1, all of it, and did not want the episode to end. Mark Ruffalo is excellent as the FBI agent, as is Tom Pelphrey as Robbie, and the many other smaller roles are top quality too. I can't wait for the remaining 6 episodes. "Task" premiered on HBO last Sunday and it is also streaming on HBO Max, where I watched it the other night. The remaining 6 episodes will be released on a weekly basis on Sundays. "Task" is currently rated 90% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and that sounds about right to me. If you are in the mood for another top-quality drama similar in spirit to "Out of the Furnace" And "Mare of Easttown", I'd readily recommend you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

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