Brad Ingelsby’s “Task” will return for Season 2 at HBO.
The drama series, which stars Mark Ruffalo as priest-turned-FBI agent Tom Brandis, was granted a Season 2 renewal, HBO CEO Casey Bloys announced Thursday during a press presentation in New York City. The news comes just over a month after the police drama aired its Season 1 finale on Oct. 19.
“Task” was conceived after Ingelsby and Kate Winslet threw around ideas for what a second season of “Mare of Easttown” could look like, though ultimately abandoned the idea of a follow-up. “Task” keeps the same Pennsylvania setting, but this time centers on the investigation that happens when Ruffalo’s Tom heads a Task Force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man (Tom Pelphrey).
From the start of “Task’s” seven-episode first installment in September, the Ingelsby-created series has pulled in impressive ratings, debuting in the top five HBO series debuts in platform history and closing out its first season as one of the top three fastest-growing freshman seasons ever on HBO.
“We knew well in advance of its launch that we had a powerful drama series on our hands, but it has been so rewarding to witness the audience’s fervor and embrace of this show as it grew week after week,” EVP of HBO programming and head of drama series Francesca Orsi said in statement. “Rarely does a writer balance humanistic storytelling with intricate, explosive plotting but Brad Ingelsby is one of our industry’s greats and we have no doubt he will strike as profoundly and addictively once again in season two.”
“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have HBO’s unwavering support of ‘Task’ from the very first script onwards, throughout production, and during their extraordinary launch of our first season to audiences,” Ingelsby said. “They are an unmatched creative home. On behalf of the entire ‘Task’ team, in front of and behind the camera, I am honored and excited to get back to work on a second season of our show.”
Ingelsby previously told TheWrap that he would hope for Ruffalo, Martha Plimpton and “some of the characters” to come back for a second season. The Emmy-winning leading man has reportedly negotiated a deal to return.
“I had such a good time developing this task force this season. It excites me as a character writer, more than anything, to be like, ‘Who’s the group of people we get together and have to solve a case or go after a group of guys?’” he said. “I’d love the opportunity to do it again. It would depend on what an audience thinks, but I’d love another run if I can get one.”
The cast for Season 1 also included Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, Raúl Castillo, Silvia Dionicio and Phoebe Fox.
Ingelsby created “Task” and serves as writer, showrunner and executive producer. Jeremiah Zagar and Salli Richardson-Whitfield serve as directors and EPs while additional EPs include Paul Lee and Mark Roybal for wiip, Ruffalo, David Crockett and Ron Schmidt. Co-executive producers are Nicole Jordan-Webber and Jeremy Yaches for Public Record.
