Task season 1 recap: The big heist explained and the mystery behind the masks

HBO’s latest crime drama Task episode 1, titled Crossings, wastes no time pulling viewers into its gritty Philadelphia setting. Created by Brad Ingelsby, who previously earned acclaim for Mare of Easttown, the series blends slow-burn suspense with character-driven storytelling. The premiere introduces audiences to FBI agent Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) and garbage collector Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey), two men whose lives spiral toward inevitable conflict.

Tom is reluctantly pulled back into the field to lead a task force investigating a wave of violent robberies. Robbie, meanwhile, doubles as both a devoted father and a criminal, robbing homes alongside his friends Cliff and Peaches. When their latest heist goes tragically wrong, both men’s paths collide in shocking ways. With moral codes tested and family bonds at stake, the stage is set for a tense seven-episode run.

The heist and the masks behind it

The centerpiece of Task episode 1 is the robbery that defines the trajectory of the show. Robbie, Cliff, and their partner Peaches target a house they believe will yield a major payoff. Their method relies on anonymity: the robbers conceal their identities with simple masks, a tool that functions not only as a disguise but also as a symbolic shield from the lives they lead during the day. To their neighbors, they’re just sanitation workers; behind the masks, they’re predators chasing cash.

The plan unravels quickly. The homeowners resist, chaos breaks out, and an unexpected armed visitor enters the scene. Gunfire erupts, leaving three people dead, including Peaches. Robbie escapes with the money, but the heist marks a turning point. For the first time, their crimes leave bodies behind. Even more shocking, Robbie discovers a young boy hiding in the house. In a split-second decision, driven by fear of exposure and his own paternal instincts, he takes the child home with him.

This moment reveals the duality of Robbie’s character. Though he commits violent crimes, his decision to protect the boy underscores a moral boundary he won’t cross. The masks may hide faces, but they cannot conceal the complicated humanity beneath.

Breaking Down the premiere episode of HBO’s Task

The premiere carefully builds parallel narratives between Tom and Robbie. Tom’s task force is an eclectic mix: Anthony Grasso (Fabien Frankel), pragmatic and grounded; Aleah Clinton (Thuso Mbedu), sharp and unyielding; and Lizzie Stover (Alison Oliver), a young trooper whose inexperience provides occasional levity. From an abandoned stash house serving as headquarters, the team begins piecing together patterns, eventually tying the robberies to members of the Dark Hearts motorcycle gang.

Robbie’s world, however, is defined by desperation. By day, he collects trash; by night, he risks everything to support his children and niece Maeve (Emilia Jones). His dream is deceptively simple—saving enough money to buy an island in Canada—but reality keeps pulling him further into danger. His wife has left, his brother was murdered, and Maeve struggles with the burden of raising kids too young for her responsibility. Robbie’s choices blur the line between survival and crime, making him a sympathetic yet flawed figure.

The Task episode 1 crescendos with the disastrous heist. After the gunfight leaves Peaches dead, Robbie’s abduction of the boy—Sam—becomes the shocking final note. While Tom’s task force gears up to investigate a missing child, Robbie heads home with Sam in tow. 

The botched heist and the mystery surrounding the masks signal that this is more than just a cops-and-robbers tale—it’s a story about flawed men, fractured families, and the dangerous choices that bind them together. According to Rotten Tomatoes, HBO’s Task has received a fresh score of 90% based on 40 reviews from critics so far.