The makers behind one of HBO's most popular shows have announced that they are going big with the next chapter. Mark Ruffalo has found a strong co-star in the form of Mahershala Ali for the recently confirmed second season of "Task".
This marks the second HBO high-profile HBO crime series gig for Ali after "True Detective". The actor played the lead in Season 3 of the show, which started with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in Season 1 and Colin Farrell in Season 2.
When Season 1 of "Task" concluded, loyal fans assumed that the story was done, considering how everything ended with a neat resolution. However, it was hinted that the show could continue with Ruffalo's protagonist, Tom Brandis, the senior FBI agent in charge of leading a task force, handling other cases.
Multiple reports say Ali has come aboard to take the place of another lead character who was part of Season 1. Since we don't want to give away anything, we'll just say this crucial character was a cataylst for everything that happened in Season 1.
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As per reports, Ali will play Eddie Barnes, “a seasoned and well-respected DEA agent in Philadelphia whose team comes into conflict with Tom’s unit.” This means Tom will take on a different kind of challenge in Season 2. An official logline states, "Tom Brandis (Ruffalo) takes the helm of a new task force, but the deeper the operation runs, the harder it is to tell who’s the target.”
Both seasons are created by Brad Ingelsby, who is also known for another acclaimed HBO show, "Mare of Easttown" with Kate Winslet.
The first season premiered on HBO in September 2025 and ended up being one of the most-watched shows, not to mention near-unanimous positive acclaim. THE WEEK's in-house film critic called it "the best crime series on streaming right now."
As of now, Ali is the only confirmed cast member aside from Ruffalo.
"Task" is streaming for Indian viewers on JioHotstar