The Prestige TV Podcast

Episode: ‘Task’ Finale: Chasing Greatness
Date: October 20, 2025
Hosts: Joe, Joanna Robinson, Bill (with guest Rob Mahoney)
Podcast: The Ringer’s Prestige TV Podcast

Episode Overview

This episode of The Prestige TV Podcast dives deep into the finale of HBO’s crime series Task, reflecting on its overall impact, standout performances, narrative choices, and what might come next. The conversation is a lively, nuanced discussion between Joe, Joanna Robinson, Bill, and (briefly) Rob Mahoney, blending critical analysis, speculation, favorite moments, and signature Ringer banter. The hosts debate whether Task’s first season deserves “Hall of Fame” status among HBO dramas, unpack its emotional and thematic resonance, and forecast the prospects for a potential second season.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Season Legacy and Hall of Fame Status

Timestamps: [01:34]-[05:41]

• Is it HBO Hall of Fame worthy?
  • Task is praised for its strong first season and potential for greatness, especially pending a likely second season ([01:59] Joanna: “I don’t think it's quite there in this first season...but as a solid first season leading into a potentially incredible second season, I think this is.”).
  • The hosts compare it to Succession and Mare of Easttown, noting Task didn’t quite generate the same pop culture “water cooler buzz,” but its acting and construction stand out ([02:57] Joe: “I think the acting is going to be the legacy of this show. Just how, how well constructed all the performances were.”).
  • Discussion on the show’s bingeable format and efficient storytelling ([05:41] Bill: “Shout out to a show that is exactly as long as it needed to be. Frankly, they didn’t try to skim it, they didn’t try to stretch it to 10.”).

2. Standout Acting & Emotional Breadth

Timestamps: [03:42]-[09:15]

• Performance highlights:

  • Tom Pelfrey and Mark Ruffalo’s performances receive significant acclaim. Pelfrey’s work is described as awards-caliber and the source of the closest thing to “buzz” the show generated ([04:02] Bill: “The closest we got to the water cooler buzz was the Pelfrey stuff. If you are missing this, you’re missing something really special.”).
  • Ruffalo’s restraint and nuances—especially in the courtroom scene—are praised as some of his career best ([06:56] Joe: “That was some... among the best acting in his career... I thought it was incredible.”).
  • Joanna details how Ruffalo’s approach to the scene increased its emotional effect on rewatch ([07:27] Joanna: “On the second time through, I did really appreciate how restrained it was, and that made it sort of all the more powerful.”).

• Emotional arcs and relationships:

  • The finale’s ability to make the audience care about Tom and Ethan, despite their limited interaction onscreen, is highlighted as a narrative accomplishment ([08:23] Bill: “...this finale could make me care... about Tom and Ethan’s relationship, a relationship that... has been absent. And yet, like, I am living and dying with every line of that speech.”).

3. Favorite Scenes & Direction

Timestamps: [09:59]-[13:16]

• Directing and style:
  • Jeremiah Zagar’s direction in the finale, especially the death scenes and montage sequences, is lauded for its stillness and visual storytelling ([09:59] Joanna: “...the directing in this episode, I thought was really, really good. Jeremiah Zagar or whatever. The Perry’s death scene, the way that was shot... the Sammy montage...”).
  • The show’s quietness and restraint set it apart from other crime dramas, leading to a more mature and resonant tone ([10:48] Bill: “...the back part of this episode is so quiet and so still... that's what elevates it.”).
• Character moments:
  • Joanna singles out Grasso’s kitchen scene with his sister as her favorite (aside from Ruffalo's speech), pointing to the immediacy of family intimacy and depth ([12:03] Joanna: “My favorite scene... was the Grasso and his sister scene in the kitchen.... that immediate intimacy that you immediately buy into.”).

4. Unpacking the Finale’s Key Events

Timestamps: [19:59]-[29:43]; [39:07]-[45:10]

• Shootout sequence:
  • The big shootout is discussed as both a satisfying action moment and a place for minor nitpicks (e.g., the realism of Aaliyah escaping a chokehold) ([26:14] Joe: “...you're basically not getting out of that unless the round's over. You're not getting out of it with the just, I don't know, moving forward and then kicking the person's knee...”).
• Character deaths and closure:
  • Perry’s death and the lack of emotional build-up between him and Jason are minor missed opportunities ([24:12] Joanna: “I still think we needed just a couple more Perry Jason scenes for me to understand... what a tough choice this was for Jason or why it was that Perry couldn't kill him.”).
  • Perry’s failed murder attempt and Grace’s redemption arc are humorously critiqued ([25:17] Joanna: “How do you feel about Perry clearly not using, like, a single quarry rock to weigh Aaron's body down?”; [25:46] Joe: “...It's really one of the worst murders of all time.”).

5. Character Arc Recaps & Thematic Wrap-Up

Timestamps: [30:23]-[48:43]

• Tom’s journey:

  • Tom’s arc from broken, self-medicating detective to responsible father-figure and moral agent is traced, tied to the episode’s theme of “the still small voice” (inner guidance and personal moral reckoning) ([32:42] Joanna: “The title of the episode, still Small Voice, is a Bible verse... looking for God in these big, obvious ways and then finding God in this... very quiet, small way.”).
  • The theme of "being unselfish with your love" is discussed through Tom's key scene with Father Daniel ([31:33] Bill: “Being unselfish with your love was something that really landed for me...”).
  • Joe cites: “Save you. Stop saving everyone else. That was basically the theme for Tom...” ([32:29] Joe).

• Sammy’s outcome:

  • The hosts discuss the bittersweet handling of Sammy’s adoption and Tom’s decision to “do the healthy thing” for the boy ([43:29] Bill: “This was the healthy choice, I think for everybody.”).
  • Joanna praises the sisterly scenes and Emily’s tenderness with Sam ([44:29] Joanna: “...the scenes with Emily saying like, where do you want to keep your socks? Like, when Sammy first gets there and he's like so scared and downtrodden... really beautiful.”).

• Grasso’s redemption:

  • Grasso’s confessional journey—turning himself in, motivated by guilt, family, and faith—is explored ([38:14] Bill: “...one is continuing to try to justify what they've done, and the other one... cannot deal with this kind of deception anymore.”).

• Maeve and other supporting players:

  • Maeve is commended for her resourcefulness and perseverance; the fate of her and her kids becomes a discussion point for season two ([40:52] Joanna: “Where does she go, Joanna? Canada?”).
  • Martha Plimpton’s performance as Sarah is called “first ballot on the Heavy Pour hall of fame” for her wine/pill combo ([19:22] Bill).
  • Aaliyah’s character is noted as underdeveloped, a likely candidate for deeper focus in a second season ([26:37] Joanna).

6. Speculation: Where Does Task Go From Here?

Timestamps: [14:18]-[18:19]; [41:01]-[53:27]

• Possible season two approaches:

  • Anthology format with a new task force; follow Ruffalo’s Tom; or even a fugitive Grasso on the run ([15:20] Joe).
  • Joanna floats the possibility of a Task–Mare of Easttown crossover event ([17:28] Joanna).
  • The ethical and narrative gymnastics needed to organically bring characters like Grasso or Maeve back are debated ([14:38] Bill: “...If the show is going to continue to be about another task force, how would he be roped into it if he's not a police officer anymore?”).

• The lasting legacy:

  • The hosts agree the show’s true strength lies in its performances, character work, and mature, “gray area” moral storytelling ([33:51] Bill: “…so gray area as this would be incredibly interested in what is wrong, but kind of feels right.”).

7. Memorable Quotes

• On the acting legacy:

  “I think the acting is going to be the legacy of this show. Just how, how well constructed all the performances were.”
  — Joe (03:42)

• On Ruffalo’s restraint:

  "That restraint was really admirable. And I found all the Sammy stuff incredibly emotional in the finale..."
  — Joanna (07:27)

• On the show’s success:

  “Shout out to a show that is exactly as long as it needed to be. Frankly, they didn’t try to skim it, they didn’t try to stretch it to 10.”
  — Bill (05:41)

• On faith and the show’s theme:

  "The title of the episode, still Small Voice, is a Bible verse... looking for God in these big, obvious ways and then finding God in this... very quiet, small way."
  — Joanna (32:42)

• On Tom’s journey:

  “Save you. Stop saving everyone else. That was basically the theme for Tom...”
  — Joe (32:29)

• Humor on recurring podcast bits:

  “The two most inspiring things I've seen this week. Joanna. I'm gonna miss the show. I'm gonna miss breaking it down. I think Joanna was the big winner of the podcast. She predicted like nine of these things that happen.”
  — Joe (54:10)

8. Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [06:56] Mark Ruffalo’s courtroom scene lauded
• [12:03] Favorite scene: Grasso and his sister’s kitchen talk
• [19:22] Martha Plimpton ("Heavy Pour hall of fame") praise
• [21:28] Breakdown of the big shootout and action scenes
• [32:42] “Still Small Voice” and faith explored as episode theme
• [44:29] Touching scenes of Sammy settling in Tom’s home
• [50:54] Discussion of show structure and alternative approaches

9. Open Questions & Season Two Teases

• Anthology vs. direct continuation: How should Task evolve?
• Is a Mare of Easttown crossover realistic or just a fantasy?
• Which characters (Grasso, Maeve, Aaliyah) have true potential for continued stories, and how can the show avoid contrivance?
• Will the writing remain restrained and character-forward, or shift towards melodrama and plot?

10. Tone & Language

Throughout, the hosts maintain the Prestige TV Podcast’s signature blend of sharp analysis, irreverent humor, and thoughtful critique—citing specific scenes, referencing other television greats, and often poking fun at themselves and each other. They draw analogies to sports, other HBO shows, and even their own podcast predictions, ensuring the conversation is as entertaining as it is informative.

For New Listeners:
This episode provides a smart, comprehensive roundtable that balances show appreciation with critical analysis, making it accessible and engaging even for those who haven’t watched the show, while still offering plenty of depth and “inside baseball” for fans.

Final Note:
If you enjoyed this, keep subscribing to the Prestige TV Podcast for more instant reactions, deep dives, and creative speculation as TV’s best dramas unfold.