The Prestige TV Podcast: ‘Task’ Series Premiere – HBO Sundays Are Back!

Date: September 8, 2025
Hosts: Joanna Robinson, Rob Mahoney, Bill Simmons
Episode Theme: In-depth instant reactions to the series premiere of HBO’s new prestige drama Task, discussing its standout pilot, influences, cast performances, and what the show means for the “prestige TV” landscape.

Overview

The Ringer’s Prestige TV team reconvenes for an enthusiastic and layered breakdown of HBO’s Task premiere. Hosts Joanna Robinson, Rob Mahoney, and Bill Simmons unpack what they collectively agree is one of the strongest prestige drama debuts in recent memory—highlighting its world-building, standout performances (notably Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey), and commitment to both character depth and crime drama thrills. The episode blends sharp analysis with the hosts’ trademark banter, pop-culture detours, and speculation on the show’s direction.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The State of Prestige TV and the Return of "HBO Sundays"

• After a “bleak” summer for TV, the hosts are thrilled to have a heavyweight series back on HBO’s Sunday nights (01:22).
• Task is celebrated for restoring confidence in the value of the “prestige” label.
  • Bill (01:29): “It’s a somber show.”
  • Joanna (00:22): "We're back, baby … just a really good time to be on the Prestige feed."
• The episode is noted for signaling a return to ambitious, adult-focused storytelling, reminiscent of early 2000s HBO staples.

Initial Impressions of the Task Premiere

• All agree the pilot is exceptionally strong—possibly the best since the start of the year.
  • Joanna (02:20): "One of the best pilots I’ve seen … just a bunch of short scenes and you just feel like you’ve learned a lot."
  • Bill (04:00): “I had my guard up the whole time because I was like, this is really good. This is really good.”
• The storytelling is lauded for efficient world-building, quickly investing viewers in its blue-collar crime milieu, and for effectively weaving intricate character drama with genre elements.

World-Building and Influences

• The show draws direct inspiration from Michael Mann’s Heat.
  • Joanna (05:40): “We're doing Heat … Inglesby has said, I'm doing Heat. And so he's not pretending.”
  • The dynamic between Ruffalo’s and Pelphrey’s characters is expected to follow a “cops and robbers, two-sides-of-the-same-coin” arc.
• Brad Inglesby’s focus on “invisible” everyday people (the trash collector and mailman metaphor) is highlighted as a core thematic concern (06:56).

Standout Scenes and "We Are So Back" Moments

• The first scene between Robbie (Pelphrey) and Cliff, discussing mundane things (like private islands and taking out the garbage), is pinpointed as an early indicator of the show’s grounded approach (03:53).
  • Joanna (03:53): “I could watch this scene all day. That was it for me.”
• The trio is particularly impressed with the show's opening three minutes.
  • Bill (08:53): “One of the best first three minutes of a show I can remember … It's moving and you know what the show is.”

Visual Style & Storytelling

• Director Jeremiah Zagar’s visual sensibility is noted, particularly for embedding “weariness” and “real people on the edge of decency.”
• The storytelling is praised for echoing mid-1970s and 80s character-driven movies—meshing crime plots with lived-in, slice-of-life details.
  • Joanna (11:07): Inglesby’s love for Breaking Away and movies about everyday people influences key scenes (“just sharing sandwiches together”).

Cast Performances and Character Deep Dives

Mark Ruffalo – Harnessing Softness and Weariness

• Enthusiastic praise for Ruffalo’s range and ability to make broken, “world-weary” characters relatable.
  • Joanna (14:09): "You can count on me, fucking rules. … He also just picks extremely interesting side projects."
  • Rob (17:14): “Edward Norton’s version of charisma is a little harder edged. … Ruffalo has a softness and warmth …”
• The show is built around Ruffalo’s character—a former priest turned FBI agent dealing with heavy personal trauma.
  • Rewatching scenes (such as Ruffalo praying) becomes richer after learning his backstory (19:19).

Tom Pelphrey – A Star in Waiting

• The hosts highlight Pelphrey as a revelation and hope this becomes his mainstream breakout.
  • Joanna (04:41): “I’ve been waiting for something to really, really show him off, and I think this is going to do it.”
  • The depth and likability of his character Robbie, despite his criminal life, is noted as critical to the show’s success.

Supporting Cast

• Shoutouts to Emilia Jones (as Maeve) and Martha Plimpton (as the surly police chief, “carrying the Mare of Easttown torch”).
  • Bill (27:14): “Martha Plimpton … will steal every scene in a status for six years here.”

Themes: Faith, Family, and American Decay

• Ruffalo’s troubled family history—including a son in prison (for an apparent murder during a psychotic break)—is dissected (24:00–25:30).
  • High speculation on how these backstories will pay off (and set up emotional showdowns).
• Recurring motifs of parenthood, religion, “baggage,” and the burden of maintaining hope/faith are identified as series cornerstones (22:06).
• The show ably emphasizes blue-collar struggles, setting it apart from more “glossy” crime dramas.

Structure, Pacing, and Critiques

• Some minor nitpicking: Introduction of three quirky young task force members felt “too broad” and could have been delayed (28:04). However, writers’ attempts to inject humor (e.g., Lizzie’s messy divorce) still land for some.

Memorable Scenes & Quotes

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | Context | | --------- | ----- | ------- | ------- | | 01:29 | “It’s a somber show.” | Bill | Tone set for the series/podcast | | 02:20 | “One of the best pilots I’ve seen … there’s just a bunch of short scenes and you learn a lot.” | Joanna | Overall praise for premiere | | 05:40 | “We’re doing Heat. And Heat, that’s what I’m here for.” | Joanna | On the show’s explicit Heat homage | | 08:53 | “The first three minutes … one of the best… I watched it a bunch of times. God damn, this is really good.” | Bill | Praise for the show’s opening montage | | 11:07 | “He was talking about, like … What are these walk and talk scenes? These just, like, ambling around…” | Joanna | On how Task channels small-town, real-life vibes from films like Breaking Away | | 16:14 | “He just wanted to do things like this. Like this part in this show.” | Bill | On Ruffalo’s ideal fit for Task | | 19:19 | “Once you learn about the fact that he … became a priest for a while … you rewatch the opening and it's just sort of like … this guy is just bird watching his way through life.” | Joanna | Rewatch rewards | | 21:31 | “That was the best moment in the show. Because I thought they were gonna kill the kid.” | Bill | Climax tension discussed | | 27:31 | “She’s carrying the Mare Easttown torch into this show.” | Joanna | On Martha Plimpton’s role | | 29:05 | “Is that what you’re doing, like, crawling around my place, writing your name on all my stuff, you little raccoon fucking…” | Lizzie character quoted by Joanna | Highlighting strong dialogue | | 35:13 | “His dead brother is this big weight that’s hanging on him.” | Joanna | Pelphrey's character backstory | | 49:36 | “This is not a whodunit. It’s a … why-done-it/How-catch-em Sort of thing. We know who did everything.” | Joanna | On genre structure | | 51:04 | “It’s too easy to have the Pacino ending where Dairo dies and Pacino’s holding him. What if they zag and Ruffalo’s the one that dies?” | Bill | Speculating on series ending/tropes | | 52:04 | “Maybe a ringer verse live show in Philly…” | Bill | Joking about show references crossing over with podcast lore |

Predictions and Future Speculation

• Which task force rookie will die first? The hosts make playful predictions about tropes and show direction (47:02–48:09).
• High death likelihood for Cliff, Robbie’s friend (“already devastated for when Cliff dies in episode five or so”) (47:46).
• The show is likely to follow emotional, not just procedural, threads—expect classic glass-partitioned prison visits, faith crises, and deep Philly area references.

Cultural Detours & Banter

• Cheeky “baggage rankings” for the main characters—debating which protagonist is most weighed down (41:33).
• Philadelphia food talk: water ice, cheesesteaks, pork sandwiches (43:03–44:53).
• A sidebar on Mark Ruffalo’s career, indie films, and the phenomenon of “lost” streaming titles (16:04–18:23).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:13 – 03:38: Introduction, prestige TV drought, Task as a return to form
• 02:20 – 04:09: Pilot and initial impressions
• 05:40 – 06:11: “We’re doing Heat” – thematic setup
• 08:53 – 09:34: Praise for the opening sequence
• 14:09 – 19:49: Mark Ruffalo’s career, casting impact
• 21:31 – 22:26: Kidnapping climax and tension
• 24:00 – 25:34: Parsing Ruffalo’s backstory and son’s crime
• 27:31 – 29:05: Supporting cast shout-outs (Martha Plimpton, task force rookies)
• 35:13 – 36:03: Robbie’s brother backstory speculation
• 41:33 – 43:03: “Baggage rankings” for main characters
• 43:03 – 44:53: Regional food digression
• 49:36 – 50:19: Whydunit vs. whodunit distinction
• 51:04 – 52:04: Predictions, playful banter
• 53:02 – End: Wrap-up and episode logistics

Overall Tone and Takeaways

• The hosts are unanimously excited for Task, seeing in it a confident, authentic crime drama in the “prestige” tradition.
• The show’s strength lies in melding classic, character-driven storytelling with modern, crime-procedural plotting and a genuinely lived-in American setting.
• Multiple standout performances (especially Ruffalo and Pelphrey) are set to anchor the series’ emotional core.
• The cast and creators’ choices—particularly the show’s “Heat”-style dynamic and blue-collar authenticity—are repeatedly praised.
• The hosts can’t resist lively sidebars on food, Philly lore, and the state of modern TV/podcasting, while deftly keeping focus on the series’ bigger themes.

Notable Quotes

"We’re doing Heat. And Heat, that’s what I’m here for."
— Joanna Robinson (05:40)

"One of the best pilots I’ve seen … there’s just a bunch of short scenes and you learn a lot."
— Joanna Robinson (02:20)

"The first three minutes … one of the best… I watched it a bunch of times. God damn, this is really good."
— Bill Simmons (08:53)

"This is not a whodunit. It’s a … why-done-it/How-catch-em Sort of thing. We know who did everything."
— Joanna Robinson (49:36)

“I'm so psyched and energized by the existence of this show.”
— Rob Mahoney (50:51)

Final Thoughts

• Task is off to a spectacular start, reviving a classic HBO feel.
• The hosts are committed to covering the season episode-by-episode, eager to see how the writers pay off the emotional weight and crime drama hybrid.
• For fans of authentic, character-heavy crime shows—especially those with a Philly pulse—this is already essential viewing.