HBO’s Task arrives with a bleak pulse and a sharp focus on two men circling the same disaster: FBI agent Tom Brandis ( Mark Ruffalo ) and trashman-turned-stickup artist Robbie Prendergrast ( Tom Pelphrey ). In a Sept. 7, 2025, premiere recap, The Ringer frames the pilot, “Crossings,” as a side-by-side study in misery, scored (literally) with “Misery Points” as it tracks morning rituals, commutes, day jobs, and home lives across Delaware County.

The Task show leans into creator Brad Ingelsby’s Delco textures—yes, the Mare of Easttown fingerprints are there—yet the cat-and-mouse setup feels more intimate. The recap notes how Tom shuffles through quiet, haunted mornings, while Robbie shares small, tender moments with his son before another long day. By the end of “Crossings,” both

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