HBO’s Task Debuts Crime Drama With Fatal Shootout, Kidnapping Twist

HBO's crime drama Task introduces viewers to Robbie Prendergrast, a struggling single father who, along with his friends Cliff and Peaches, commits a series of home invasions targeting drug houses to provide for their families. In the series premiere, a heist goes tragically wrong, resulting in the deaths of Peaches, the homeowners, and a gang member, while Robbie and Cliff narrowly escape. The climax reveals Robbie kidnapping a young boy named Sam from the crime scene, a decision driven by desperation to protect their identities, as Sam had seen their faces and could identify them to the police. Actor Tom Pelphrey explains that Robbie's choice to abduct the boy is the only viable option that preserves his moral boundaries and keeps his family safe, highlighting the show's exploration of survival and morality. The episode sets up a tense cat-and-mouse dynamic between Robbie and the FBI task force led by Mark Ruffalo's character, Tom, who is called out of retirement to capture the robbers. Throughout, Task portrays its characters not as villains but as desperate individuals caught in extraordinary circumstances, framing the narrative around the difficult choices made under pressure.