Howell’s Tom Pelphrey Is Brilliant in HBO’s Task

My wife and I just finished binging HBO’s Task, which ran from September 7 to October 19, 2025. We waited until all seven episodes were out before diving in last weekend—and wow, was it worth the wait.

From the creator of Mare of Easttown: A gritty Pennsylvania drama

The show was created by Brad Inglesby, who also wrote Mare of Easttown. Like Mare, Task has that same gritty, lived-in vibe, set in Delaware County and other parts of Pennsylvania.

Mark Ruffalo leads the cast as Tom Brandis, an FBI agent and former Catholic priest who now heads up a task force investigating armed robberies of drug “trap houses” run by a violent motorcycle club. On top of that, Brandis is still reeling from a devastating family tragedy. Ruffalo is, as always, compelling—but what really stood out to me was the character of Robbie, a garbage collector who uses his route to scout out those same trap houses for robberies of his own.

Tom Pelphrey: Howell, New Jersey’s breakout star

Robbie is played brilliantly by Howell, New Jersey native Tom Pelphrey.
At first, I didn’t realize Pelphrey was the same actor who played Wendy’s bipolar brother, Ben Davis, in season three of Ozark—a role that earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

Complex characters and moral gray zones

What makes Task so gripping is how layered its characters are. The “bad guys” aren’t just bad guys. Like real people, they’re complex and conflicted. At first, you judge them for what they do—but as the story unfolds, you start to understand what drives their choices. Pelphrey’s performance captures that perfectly: powerful, nuanced, and emotionally raw.

A Jersey success story: From Howell High to HBO

Pelphrey grew up in Howell, graduated from Howell High School in 2000, and went on to Rutgers, where he graduated in 2004. He’s also a Giants fan—a true Jersey guy through and through!

He first made his mark on daytime TV with roles on Guiding Light and As the World Turns, and has since appeared in Law & Order: SVU, Outer Range, and Love & Death, among others.

So if you haven’t seen Task yet, give it a watch. You’ll see why Tom Pelphrey is one more reason to be proud to be from New Jersey.