HBO's New Crime Thriller Hits Viewers With Incredible Cliffhanger

HBO's new crime thriller "Task" might currently be the best show on TV, and it hit fans with an incredible cliffhanger Sunday night.

Basic info:

• Network: HBO/Max
• Plot: Set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, an FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) heads a Task Force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man (Tom Pelphrey).
• Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, Raúl Castillo, Silvia Dionicio, Phoebe Fox, and Martha Plimpton.
• Five episodes currently out.

"Task" hits fans with wild cliffhanger.

I wrote last week about how "Task" was taking the entertainment world by storm, and things went to a new level Sunday night.

We're now talking about a show that might be sitting on the throne of television at the moment. The entire series focuses on a missing kid after a robbery attempt goes horrifically wrong.

Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey), a man haunted by many demons, is doing his best to stay one step ahead of the law after taking Sam, and FBI agent Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) is hot on the trail. Furthermore, someone on the law enforcement side is feeding information to the Dark Hearts biker gang. The Dark Hearts have their own history with Prendergrast's family after murdering his brother years earlier.

Well, things hit a breaking point with Sunday night's episode "Vagrants."

Tom Pelphrey stars in HBO's excellent crime thriller "Task." (Credit: HBO)

The fifth episode finally saw Robbie and Tom come face-to-face after the latter decided to pay Robbie's home a visit looking for signs of Sam.

Realizing he's backed into a corner, Robbie kidnaps the man leading the task force and has him drive him away.

This is where the episode shines. The writing in the car scene is grade-A, and one of the best TV moments of 2025. Without spoiling too much, the two men have a lengthy and deep conversation about the choices in life that led them to their respective decisions.

If you muted the TV, and didn't see the gun in Robbie's hand, you might think the two were friends. In a clear moment of humanity, Robbie lets Tom go as he goes to make his drop.

That's when fans were hit with an all-time great cliffhanger. Tom eventually circles back with aid rushing in and the episode ends with the two men seemingly at gunpoint. Were shots fired? Were they not? Will they both die? Will nobody die? Will the Dark Hearts get them both? 

We simply do not know.

The fifth episode of "Task" ended with a crazy cliffhanger. (Credit: HBO)

*WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER BELOW. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.*

Furthermore, the mole is finally revealed to be Delaware County detective and task force member Anthony Grasso.

I never believed for a second it was the female boss. That was too obvious. I thought it might be Lizzie, given how she seemed to be painted as purposely useless and stupid.

However, after the bed scene last week between her and Anthony, my spidey senses started buzzing. Now, here we are.

With two episodes left, we know who is feeding information to the Dark Hearts, which resulted in at least one additional murder.

Speaking of murder, there is a death scene in "Vagrants" that is borderline brutal to watch. Of course, does that surprise anyone after the ending of episode four?

Delaware County detective and task force member Anthony Grasso was revealed to be the mole in episode five of "Task." (Credit: HBO)

There are now two episodes left of "Task," and I can't wait to see how the limited series wraps up. There's no question HBO has a major home run on its hands. Are you watching? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.