Task: HBO's Underrated 2025 Crime Thriller Dominates Streaming Charts

4 days ago 2

Martha Plimpton as Kathleen McGinty sitting at her office desk wearing glasses in Task

Published Jan 30, 2026, 4:10 PM EST

Adam Blevins began working in the entertainment industry in 2022 as a Staff Writer for Agents of Fandom, where he progressed to Senior Editor and interviewed talent from Marvel Studios, House of the Dragon, and Planet of the Apes. He joined Collider as a News Author in April 2024, was promoted to a Senior position in December 2024, and has written over 3,000 articles for the site, including exclusives relating to Avengers: Doomsday, The Penguin, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and more. He primarily writes about the latest box office numbers and the hottest movies and TV shows on streaming, while also covering superhero and sci-fi news. He has completed a set visit for The Chosen and even has several months of experience writing Gaming Features at ScreenRant. You can find him on X, LinkedIn, and Muckrack.

HBO releases dozens of new shows every year, but the one that stood out in 2025 was Task. The Philadelphia-set crime thriller follows an FBI agent who heads up a task force to put an end to a string of violent kidnappings. The show stars Mark Ruffalo and Emilia Jones, and it aired its Season 1 finale on October 19. It’s been over three months since Task aired a new episode, but the show is staging a streaming comeback — it’s returning to the HBO Max global top 10 in several countries. The show also stars House of the Dragon veteran Fabien Frankel.

It was unclear for months if HBO had any long-term plans for Task, but the studio put this to bed one month after the Season 1 finale by announcing that the show had been renewed for another season. It’s still unknown when Task Season 2 will be released or even when it will begin production, but it’s a comfort knowing that the story of Tom Brandis is far from over. Task was written and created for TV by Brad Ingelsby, who is famous for his work creating Mare of Easttown. Star Kate Winslet recently confirmed that another season of Mare of Easttown was in the works.

Task debuted to widespread critical acclaim, earning a near-perfect 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience-driven Popcornmeter came to rest at a 76%, with some fans criticizing the show’s slower pace. 2025 was a busy year for Task scribe Brad Ingelsby, who wrote the script for Matthew McConaughey’s big return to acting, The Lost Bus. Ingelsby even wrote the script for Ben Affleck’s 2020 sports movie, The Way Back.

What Else Is Streaming on HBO Max Right Now?

The most popular show on HBO Max right now is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the Game of Thrones spin-off set between the flagship series and the first offshoot, House of the Dragon. The sophomore season of The Pitt is also one of the most popular shows on HBO, alongside Euphoria, which has been trending upward since the release of its Season 3 trailer. The most popular movies right now are Sinners and One Battle After Another, which are both surging through the charts after earning Oscar nominations.