The success of Task was expected, but even HBO seemed caught off guard by the intensity of the audience’s reaction. Now it’s official: Brad Ingelsby’s series has been renewed for a second season, with Mark Ruffalo confirmed to return as Agent Brandis.

The decision comes on the heels of steadily climbing viewership — Task has entered the group of HBO’s three fastest-growing debut seasons — and the warm critical reception that praised Ingelsby’s rare balance between humanity and explosive tension. I’m certain the series will top many critics’ “best of the year” lists; it’s definitely in my top 10 of 2025.

Ingelsby is one of the few writers who can fuse complex characters with plots that raise your heartbeat. Mare of Easttown had already been praised and even rumored to get a continuation, but it was a story far less powerful — and far less suited — for a multi-season arc than Task. Kate Winslet herself never showed much interest in revisiting the role, but Mark Ruffalo, on the other hand, renegotiated his contract and expressed full enthusiasm about continuing the story, saying there are still “many paths” left to explore.

The first season — which also starred Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, and Martha Plimpton — unfolds in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, where an FBI agent leads a task force to stop a wave of violent robberies orchestrated by a seemingly ordinary family man.

Ingelsby says he’s “honored and excited” to get back to work. And if the quality of the first season is any indication, Task isn’t just returning — it’s returning sharper than ever.