Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Running Wolf's RantRunning Wolf's Rant
    • Home
    • Explore
    • Featured
    • Buy Us a Coffee!
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram TikTok
    Subscribe
    Running Wolf's RantRunning Wolf's Rant
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram TikTok
    Subscribe
    Home»Streaming»Is HBO’s Task “the best crime thriller of the year”?

    Is HBO’s Task “the best crime thriller of the year”?

    Henno KrugerBy Henno Kruger Streaming 3 Mins Read14 ViewsSeptember 8, 2025
    Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy Link

    Now streaming first on Showmax, Task has already scored an 89% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Wall Street Journal hailing it as “perhaps the best crime thriller of the year.”

    NetfloristOfferforge

    Four-time Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo stars as Tom, a former priest turned FBI agent leading a task force determined to end a wave of violent robberies.

    Task TV Show

     

    He’s joined by Emmy nominee Tom Pelphrey (Ozark), who plays Robbie, a garbage collector caught in over his head after stealing drug money from a local motorcycle gang.

    The powerhouse ensemble cast also features:

    • Thuso Mbedu (South Africa’s own rising international star)
    • BAFTA nominee Emilia Jones (CODA)
    • Jamie McShane (Wednesday, 1923)
    • Alison Oliver (Saltburn)
    • Fabien Frankel (House of the Dragon)

    From the Creator of Mare of Easttown

    Task comes from Brad Ingelsby, the creator of the four-time Emmy-winning Mare of Easttown. Like its predecessor, Task is set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia—a world Ingelsby knows intimately, having grown up in Delaware County.

    “I like writing characters and stories set in this region of Pennsylvania,” says Ingelsby. “It’s in my blood, and I knew there was more material to mine.”

    Task is Not Mare of Easttown 2.0

    Though both series share DNA, executive producer Mark Roybal insists that Task has its own identity.

    “Task lives in the same world, but it’s a propulsive action-thriller in the vein of Michael Mann’s Heat,” he explains. “Brad gave it its own rhythm and energy.”

    Building the Character of Tom

    Casting Ruffalo as Tom was a challenge because the character had so many contradictions—former parish priest, theologian, intellectual, father, husband, and law enforcement professional.

    “His superpower isn’t that he’s an ace agent or a brilliant interrogator,” says Ingelsby. “It’s his empathy—his ability to see the world differently.”

    For authenticity, Ingelsby leaned on Scott A Duffey, a former seminarian turned FBI agent with experience in violent crime task forces. Inspiration also came from Ingelsby’s own family, which includes priests.

    Humanity on Both Sides of the Law

    At its core, Task explores themes of faith, duty, and fractured family life. Both Tom and Robbie are fathers struggling to hold their families together while caught in dangerous circumstances.

    “I’m attracted to stories about working-class people who may not live the lives they dreamed about but who still get up, clock in, and provide for their families. That resilience is heroic,” says Ingelsby.

    Director Salli Richardson-Whitfield (The Gilded Age, Winning Time) highlights how the show humanises everyone, even the so-called criminals. “You come to care about both groups of people,” she says. She directed three episodes, including the pivotal Episode 6 with its 17-minute chase sequence through the woods.

    Watch the trailer for Task below:

    Task is streaming now, first on Showmax, with new episodes dropping every Monday, express from the US.

    Watch this space for updates in the Streaming category on Running Wolf’s Rant.

    Related Articles:

    • 9 Reasons Why 2024 Was a Stellar Year for South African TV
    • 13 Series You Can Stream on Showmax in September 2025
    • Fact vs Film: Explaining the Rise of Crime Shows
    • 7 things to celebrate as Showmax turns 7

    Like what you just read? Subscribe To Our Newsletter to stay in the loop.

    Feel free to explore our website or check out our Featured Articles.

    featured event

    Is HBO’s Task “the best crime thriller of the year”? 1

    Looking for a gift for that special person in your life? Check out Netflorist.co.za, South Africa's top online florist and gift service. They offer flowers, gifts, and hampers for all occasions AND reliable nationwide delivery.

    Latest Music News

    Loading posts...
    HBO ShowMax South Africa Task
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Copy Link
    Previous Article13 Series You Can Stream on Showmax in September 2025
    Next Article Discover Sport™ Partners with Tennis South Africa
    Henno Kruger

    Founder and owner of Running Wolf's Rant, Interesting Facts and SA Music Zone.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Leigh Avenue
    Categories
    More Articles in the Streaming Category
    Disney+
    October 22, 2025

    Disney+ Unveils a Spellbinding Halloween 2025 Line-up

    21 Views5 Mins Read
    Unspoken War
    October 13, 2025

    IdeaCandy’s “Unspoken War” Could Spark National Debate

    22 Views4 Mins Read
    Disney+
    October 2, 2025

    What’s Streaming on Disney+ in October 2025?

    18 Views3 Mins Read
    Showmax in October 2025
    September 30, 2025

    12 Series You Can Stream on Showmax in October 2025

    105 Views7 Mins Read
    Articles in Other Categories
    Espon CO-W01
    October 22, 2025

    Review: Epson CO-W01 Multimedia Projector

    29 Views2 Mins Read
    BYD South Africa
    October 22, 2025

    BYD Accelerates South African Expansion

    12 Views4 Mins Read
    TCL Soundbars
    October 20, 2025

    TCL Launches New Range of Soundbars

    20 Views3 Mins Read
    Payjoy
    October 18, 2025

    PayJoy broadens access to smartphones for South Africans

    13 Views3 Mins Read
    Leigh Avenue
    Featured Articles
    Blood Brothers 2016: A Photo Album 2
    September 16, 2016

    Blood Brothers 2016: A Photo Album

    60 Views3 Mins Read
    Bill Hicks on Smoking 3
    April 25, 2012

    Bill Hicks on Smoking

    163 Views2 Mins Read
    My 2 Cents on RAMFest 2013 Johannesburg 4
    April 1, 2013

    My 2 Cents on RAMFest 2013 Johannesburg

    23 Views4 Mins Read
    Guns N' Roses at FNB Stadium
    November 30, 2018

    Review: Guns N’ Roses at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg

    149 Views3 Mins Read
    Follow Us!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    Recent Comments
    • george on Jannie “Hanepoot” Van Tonder: Pre-Park Acoustics Onderhoud
    • Henno Kruger on 30 of the Best Jeff Foxworthy “You Might Be A Redneck” Quotes
    • spkguy89 on 30 of the Best Jeff Foxworthy “You Might Be A Redneck” Quotes
    • Henno Kruger on Photo Album: Oppikoppi Photos from 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter

    Join The Wolf Pack!

    Get updates in your Inbox

    Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram TikTok
    © 2025 Running Wolf's Rant. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.