HBO’s Second-Highest-Rated Show of 2025 Just Received an Unexpected Season 2 Renewal

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HBO has renewed its popular 2025 crime thriller, Taskm, for a second season. Created by Brad Ingelsby, the showrunner behind Mare of Easttown, Taskm captivated audiences this fall with its seven-episode story. Set in rural Pennsylvania, the series followed a tense battle between a criminal trying to provide for his family (played by Tom Pelphrey) and a troubled FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo). While originally believed to be a limited series, it will now continue with a new season.

Before it began, most people expected Task, similar to other shows created by Ingelsby for HBO, to only last one season. The storyline seemed to support this idea – a special FBI team formed, solved a case, and would likely break up by the end of the seven episodes. However, the show has proven popular, and HBO has renewed it for a second season.

HBO recently renewed several popular shows, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, Task is one of them, guaranteeing a second season.

Since it premiered, Task has quickly become one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the year. It’s currently HBO’s highest-rated series on Rotten Tomatoes for 2025, boasting a 96% approval rating. This puts it just behind The Chair Company (with a perfect 100% score) and on par with another popular HBO show, The Rehearsal.

Okay, so I was starting to sweat there for a minute! Everyone was wondering if “All the Old Knives” would get another season, and honestly, I wasn’t sure. The creator, Dave Ingelsby, usually moves on to new projects after a show’s first season wraps, so a renewal felt pretty uncertain. But good news – it is coming back! I’m definitely relieved, I was really getting into Mark Ruffalo’s performance.

Since the first season ended, the creator of Mare of Easttown has been talking more openly about a possible second season of Task. In an interview with The New York Times, Ingelsby said he’d definitely be willing to return if there’s enough interest from viewers – a sentiment he hasn’t often shared with his other projects.

I’d definitely be up for doing another season of ‘Task’ if people enjoyed it. I’d love to film it as a way to celebrate the Delaware County area, and not to take advantage of it. I want to be able to go around town without upsetting anyone or feeling like I portrayed the area unfairly.

He’s even playfully suggested a crossover between his show and Mare of Easttown, imagining a fun scene where characters from both shows meet at a classic Pennsylvania spot like a Wawa convenience store.

The first season of the new series Task is now available on HBO Max. Created by Brad Ingelsby, the show centers around FBI agent Tom Brandis who leads a task force investigating a series of home invasions linked to the local drug scene. The series features Mark Ruffalo, known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Tom Pelphrey, who gained recognition in Ozark, as the main characters, alongside a supporting cast including Emilia Jones, Fabien Frankel, and Thuso Mbedu.

Task Season 2 Has A Massive Problem To Figure Out

It’s great news that the popular show Task has been renewed for a second season, but it faces a significant challenge moving forward.

While Mark Ruffalo’s character led the first season, many viewers found Tom Pelphrey’s character and his family – including Emilia Jones’ character – to be the most compelling part of the show. The interplay between Pelphrey’s character, Ruffalo’s FBI agent, and the rest of the team is what made Task stand out from other similar crime dramas.

Unfortunately, Pelphrey’s character, a heroic figure reminiscent of Robin Hood, died near the end of Task, leaving a significant gap in the show. If the series continues, it will need to find a way to replace him, either by introducing new characters or giving more prominent roles to existing ones.

Brad Ingelsby, the show’s creator, can develop the story by choosing who joins the next task force operation, which will be led by Mark Ruffalo’s character, Tom.

In an interview with The Ringer last October, Ingelsby shared that if the show continued, he’d be most enthusiastic about developing new characters, forming them into a task force, and showcasing how they interact while solving a case.

Ingelsby excels at creating compelling characters and quickly making audiences care about them, their challenges, and how those challenges fit into the overall story.

Now that characters like Robbie, played by Fabien Frankel, and Lizzie, played by Alison Oliver, are leaving the show, Ingelsby will need to introduce new, compelling characters for viewers to connect with.

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2026-02-02 22:36