When Season 1 of True Detective wrapped up in 2014, it didn’t take long for fans to consider HBO’s crime drama series one of the best ever made. Created by Nic Pizzolatto, the show featured Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as a surprising dynamic duo, investigating a Louisiana murder and recounting the events via non-linear narrative. After the debut however, fans believe the anthology lost its footing. Season Two struggled under an overstuffed plot, Season Three was good but never quite recaptured the spark, and Season Four, despite Jodie Foster’s Emmy, left many disappointed.
Yet, according to online chatter, fans may have finally gotten the True Detective follow-up of their dreams, even if it doesn’t bear the title. HBO’s Task starring Mark Ruffalo is a bleak mystery that follows an FBI agent investigating a series of escalating crimes in Philadelphia as he simultaneously grapples with his own personal tragedy. Though perhaps slightly less esoteric, Task is scratching the gritty noir itch, and some fans even think it surpasses three of True Detective’s four seasons.
Another successful outing from Mare of Easttown creator, Brad Inglesby, Task follows Ruffalo’s Tom, a troubled alcoholic father who is in over his head leading a task force and juggling a recent family tragedy. The show’s specificity regarding regional texture (and the iconic Delco accent) gives the first season of True Detective a run for its money. Similar to McConaughey’s Rust, as Tom attempts to solve the mystery at hand, his inner arc becomes a quest for forgiveness and redemption. Where True Detective’s central duo are partners at the Louisiana State Police Department, Task’s push and pull comes from the parallel stories of FBI agent Tom and small-time criminal Robbie (Tom Pelphrey), whose stories are set on a collision course. Task’s writing, cast chemistry, and filmmaking style all fly closer to the core of True Detective than any of the show’s subsequent seasons.
Where True Detective circles a more cosmic horror, Task digs into the humanity and spiritual and moral decay of its characters. Ruffalo’s performance is devastating, supported by an ensemble that feels plucked directly from Delaware County. Fans have praised how Task manages to evoke compassion for its flawed central characters while remaining an edge-of-your-seat thriller. With all the episodes of HBO’s newest crime series available to stream, it might be time to stop waiting for True Detective to recapture its former glory and start embracing its spiritual successors.
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