Mark Ruffalo’s ‘Task’ Debuts: Kidnapping Triggers FBI Hunt in Delco

HBO rolled out the first episode of its new crime drama Task on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, lighting up the suburbs of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The hour‑long installment, titled “Crossings,” was created by Brad Ingelsby, a Chester County native who previously earned praise for “Mare of Easttown.” The story pits FBI Special Agent Tom Brandis, played by Mark Ruffalo, against garbage‑collector‑turned‑robber Robbie Prendergast, portrayed by Tom Pelphrey. Within minutes of the opening heist, a kidnapped eight‑year‑old boy thrusts the already‑tense investigation into a full‑blown task force effort led by Brandis’s unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The episode opens on a chilly September night in a quiet Delaware County cul‑de‑sac. Robbie and his two crew‑mates, Cliff and Peaches, roll up in a beat‑up sanitation truck, masks strapped over their faces not to hide their identities but to act as “symbolic shields” that separate their daylight jobs from the night’s illegal venture. Their target: a modest home rumored to stash cash from a local drug dealer. The robbery goes sideways when an eight‑year‑old boy—who asks, “Are you my dad’s friends?”—gets caught in the crossfire. Robbie, half‑heartedly, says “Yeah” and drags the child back to his own house, unwittingly turning a simple cash grab into a kidnapping.

Detective work kicks into high gear as Brandis arrives at the crime scene, his breath fogging in the cool air. The FBI’s involvement feels disproportionate—after all, it’s a bag of stolen drug money—but the missing child changes the calculus instantly. Brandis’s personal life is on full display: his kitchen sink doubles as an ice‑bath station, his teenage daughter Emily (Silvia Dionicio) refuses to speak to him, and his evenings end with a glass of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. The show drops the bomb that his son Ethan is behind bars awaiting sentencing, and that Brandis still wears his wedding ring despite his wife’s unexplained disappearance.

Robbie, meanwhile, is a father of two—Wyatt and Harper—and the caretaker of his niece Mave. He lives in a modest home a few streets away, a place he describes as “the only thing keeping the lights on.” His ex‑wife Karen left a year ago, and he’s been navigating the dual pressures of providing for his kids and staying out of trouble. When asked why he never hits the richer neighborhoods, Robbie replies, “Those houses have security. I’m just trying to keep peace for my family.” The moral ambiguity is palpable; he’s a good guy who’s willing to cross lines for love.

Visually, the robbery sequence feels almost clinical—steady‑cam shots, the clang of metal, the muffled thud of a bag hitting the floor—while the dual‑life theme plays out in the characters’ wardrobe choices and accents. “Tom is on the right path morally, but he’s spiritually troubled,” notes Esquire’s recap, pointing out the parallel between a former priest turned agent and a garbage collector turned outlaw. Primetimer adds that “Robbie isn’t hitting the richest homes… it’s clear that he’s a good guy at heart.” The juxtaposition of a former priest and a sanitation worker underscores the series’ fascination with the masks people wear.

Local outlets like Philly Voice have cataloged the exact filming spots, from Wissahickon Valley Park to Ralph’s Diner, promising that these locales will reappear as narrative anchors throughout the season. The production choices echo Ingelsby’s commitment to authenticity, a hallmark that won him acclaim for “Mare of Easttown.”

Background and Creation

The decision to set Task in Delaware County stems from Ingelsby’s own upbringing in Chester County, just a stone’s throw away. In interviews, Ingelsby explained that “the accents, the garbage routes, the way people talk about ‘Delco’—it’s all part of the texture that makes the story feel lived‑in.” HBO’s strategic move follows the success of previous Philadelphia‑suburban dramas, hoping to capture the same gritty realism while expanding into a darker, more morally complex narrative.

Episode One Plot Details

During the opening heist, Robbie’s crew disables a home alarm, tosses a bag of cash onto a lawn, and flees as police sirens wail in the distance. The eight‑year‑old, left alone in the hallway, becomes the unintended hitchhiker when Robbie, in a moment of panic, scoops him up. The FBI’s task force, led by Brandis, arrives just after the crew disappears, and the precinct’s forensic team begins cataloguing evidence—fingerprints on the masks, tire tracks leading to a sanitation depot, and the eerie silence of the empty house.

Brandis’s personal demons seep into the investigation. In a career‑fair scene, he tells a recent graduate, “I was a priest for eight years before I became a field agent.” The line hints at a past steeped in faith, now replaced by a reliance on alcohol and ice baths to stay sharp. Later, Brandis meets with his attorney Matt (John Mahoney) to discuss Ethan’s pending sentencing, underscoring the personal stakes that drive his professional obsession.

Character Portraits: Tom Brandis and Robbie Prendergast

Tom Brandis is a man caught between two worlds: the solemnity of his former pulpit and the cold calculus of an FBI operative. His strained relationship with daughter Emily, who “actively avoids him,” highlights a family torn apart by secrets. Yet his determination to find the kidnapped child reveals a softer core—one that refuses to let another family endure the loss he’s already felt.

Robbie Prendergast, on the other hand, balances the weight of divorce, single parenthood, and the lure of quick cash. His conversation with Cliff about “dating prospects”—“it’s almost been a year since my wife Karen left me”—lays bare the loneliness that fuels his willingness to take risks. The kidnap‑turn‑protective act is both a moral misstep and a moment of unexpected compassion, setting up a tension that will likely define his arc.

Community Reaction and Critical Reception

Early reviews praise the series for its authentic portrayal of Delco life. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that “the show captures the rhythm of the suburbs—trash collection routes, overtime shifts, and the whispered gossip that binds neighborhoods together.” Meanwhile, Esquire highlighted the moral sand‑paper edge: “Robbery, kidnapping, and a former priest confronting his own faith—all collide in a tableau that feels both uncomfortable and compelling.” Audiences on social media have already been buzzing about the “kidnap‑or‑rescue” dilemma, with many speculating that Robbie might become an anti‑hero.

What Lies Ahead: Stakes for the Season

Episode 2, slated for September 14, 2025, promises to tighten the knot around the missing child’s disappearance. Brandis’s task force will likely expand, pulling in resources that seem excessive for a stolen cash case—hinting at political pressure from local officials worried about community unrest. Robbie’s decision to keep the boy at home raises questions about his long‑term plan: Will he turn him over to the authorities? Will the FBI’s net tighten around his sanitation routes?

Beyond the immediate plot, the series poses broader questions about the cost of moral compromise. As Ingelsby once said, “Everyone wears a mask, whether it’s a badge, a uniform, or a garbage‑day hat.” The clash between Brandis’s spiritual crisis and Robbie’s familial desperation sets the stage for a season where law, faith, and survival intertwine.