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With its first season now complete, Task confirms Brad Ingelsby’s talent for telling emotionally charged and morally complex stories. After the unforgettable Mare of Easttown, this new HBO series dives deep into the world of outlaw motorcycle clubs and fractured family ties. The explosive finale cements its place among the year’s strongest dramas.
A vendetta rooted in blood and betrayal
At the heart of Task is a moral spiral. Jayson Wilkes (Sam Keeley), president of the Dark Hearts’ Delaware County chapter, starts off as a man trying to maintain control—over his territory, his sense of brotherhood, and the corrupt empire built around fentanyl. But across eight intense episodes, the story becomes a manhunt, a tragedy, and, eventually, a reckoning.
Jayson’s world begins to unravel after the murders of Billy and Cliff, actions that stem from his own betrayals. Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey) enters as the engine of revenge. Both grieving brother and deadly enforcer, Robbie refuses to let those deaths stay buried. What made the conflict so absorbing was the nuance on both sides: these weren’t cartoon criminals but wounded men chasing their own sense of justice.
When Jayson discovers Eryn (Margarita Levieva), mother of his children and partner, has been working with Robbie and Cliff, his paranoia becomes justified, and his trust, impossible to repair. Cliff’s death at Jayson’s hands in episode four only tightens the vice. To read Pluribus finale shocks fans as season 2 faces long wait
The deadly forest showdown
The final two episodes escalate without ever losing the show’s intimate tone. In the penultimate chapter, directed with tense precision by Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Robbie ambushes Jayson in the woods. What could have been a tired action scene instead becomes something quieter and more devastating. Robbie dies, but not before playing one last trick: he gives Jayson a duffel bag, claiming it contains fentanyl. In truth, it’s filled with newspapers. Robbie has already sold the drugs and ensured the money will go to Maeve (Emilia Jones), his niece, who now carries the responsibility of raising his children far away from this spiral of violence.
As a viewer, I found that moment brilliant. It says everything about Robbie’s character. For all his rage, his last move was one of protection. A criminal capable of love and foresight.
Jayson’s last stand
In the finale, directed by Jeremiah Zagar, the walls finally close in on Jayson. Haunted by every decision he’s made, he tries to secure the stolen money, hoping to prove loyalty to the Dark Hearts and provide for his children. But betrayal has become routine. FBI agent Grasso (Fabien Frankel), once his informant and supposed ally, turns against him. Jayson is killed, and with that, the story ends not in redemption, but in the harsh silence of consequences.
What struck me most is how the series refuses any easy justification for Jayson’s path. He isn’t a martyr or a villain—he’s a man trapped by the choices he made, often claiming to act in the name of family while dismantling it piece by piece.
Family, morality, and violence at the core
All season long, Task threaded its themes through layered relationships. One of the most painful developments involved Perry (Jamie McShane), Jayson’s surrogate father and club mentor. When Jayson discovers Perry murdered Eryn out of suspicion, something breaks. That betrayal of trust, of the twisted code they both upheld, leads Jayson to kill Perry. In doing so, he isn’t just retaliating—he’s admitting what little remains of his soul. To read Taylor Swift opens up in final Eras Tour docuseries episode
Sam Keeley has been remarkable throughout. In interviews, he spoke about the deep preparation he did to inhabit Jayson: reading memoirs from real outlaw bikers, working closely with biker Carim Mow, a collaborator of director Zagar. These details matter. They gave Jayson weight, especially in the moments where words failed him but anger didn’t.
Keeley also opened up about working with Alison Oliver (Lizzie), another Irish talent. Though they’d never met before the shoot, their scenes carry an emotional honesty that hints at deeper off-screen understanding. The series, while American in setting, clearly benefited from these actors’ European discipline and emotional transparency.
For those wondering if the series is too bleak, I’d say: Task is more than violence and vengeance. It’s about the people caught in cycles of survival, about the lines that blur when love mixes with danger. There’s no glamor here, only consequences.
For viewers discovering the show now, here’s what to expect:
- A character-driven crime drama grounded in realism
- Strong performances, especially from Sam Keeley and Tom Pelphrey
- A tight narrative with emotional payoffs, especially in its final episodes
- Themes of loyalty, fatherhood, addiction, and betrayal
- Stylish direction without showiness
Task is available in full on HBO Max. If you liked Mare of Easttown, this is its darker, more masculine cousin—even more brutal, maybe, but no less human.
