Detective drama fans will love gritty 7-part crime series hailed as ‘show of the year’

Mark Ruffalo stars in Philadelphia-set police drama, Task

Calling all fans of detective series! A new crime drama is about to arrive on our screens and it looks like a must-watch.

Titled Task, the seven-parter stars Mark Ruffalo as FBI agent Tom, who heads up a Task Force in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia to stop a string of violent robberies.

As a huge fan of the crime drama genre, I’m particularly excited for this series. Not only is the show created by Brad Ingelsby, who wrote and produced the excellent Kate Winslet-starring detective drama Mare of Easttown, but it also boasts an incredible cast, including Hollywood stars in the making, Emilia Jones (CODA) and Alison Oliver (Saltburn).

Keep reading for all you need to know about the show.

What is Task about?

According to the official synopsis, the show takes place in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, where FBI agent Tom leads a Task Force to “put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man Robbie (Tom Pelphrey)”.

When writing the story, creator Brad Ingelsby was inspired by his uncle, a former priest who left his position after meeting a woman, as well as by his discovery that priests sometimes helped the FBI at mass casualty events.

 “I’m really close to my uncle, so I’m always asking him questions,” he told Vanity Fair. “Essentially, why did he leave? What’s his relationship like with God? How has that changed, evolved over time?”

He added: “That was a character that I was interested in—a man whose faith is challenged by events in his life. How does he react and respond?”

Who stars in Task?

Mark Ruffalo (Mickey 17) leads the cast as Tom, while Tom Pelphrey (Ozark) plays Robbie.

Also starring in the show are Emilia Jones (CODA), Jamie McShane (Wednesday), Sam Keeley (Kin), Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King), Fabien Frankel (House of the Dragon), Alison Oliver (Saltburn), Raúl Castillo (Smile 2), Silvia Dionicio (New Amsterdam), Phoebe Fox (The Great) and Martha Plimpton (Prime Target).

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What have viewers said about the show?

It’s safe to say viewers are counting down the days until the show’s release.

Reacting to the trailer, one viewer penned: “Wow, this looks like a good crime series bring it on,” while another added: “This is going to be the show of the year, you watch!”

A third person remarked: “Can’t wait for this.”

© 2025 Home Box Office, Inc.

When will Task be released?

Viewers don’t have too much longer to wait as the series is set to premiere in September. Whilst a release date has yet to be announced, we do know that episodes will be released weekly.