REVIEW: ‘Task’ Episode 4 — “All Roads”

Task Episode 4, “All Roads,” sees the day of the meetup arrive. With hopes of providing a better life for his family, Robbie (Tom Pelphrey, Blindspot) finalizes the details to use the upcoming payout to relocate out of harm’s way. But things don’t go according to plan. Meanwhile, Perry (Jamie McShane, Wednesday) learns that things aren’t as he’s been told with Jayson (Sam Keeley), and Brandis’s (Mark Ruffalo, Avengers: Endgame) suspicions about a mole in the task force deepen. 

As all three of this narrative’s core elements continue to turn on their axes, the story does a great job of balancing them against each other. Every major moment is well-placed, ensuring the big beats don’t overwhelm each other. Instead, Task Episode 4 creates a fantastic rhythm of build-up and release as it moves through its runtime. 

In Robbie’s sphere, we see him and Cliff (Raúl Castillo, Smile 2) preparing for the meet, as well as setting their plan for escape into motion. The nerves are definitely becoming frayed in Task Episode 4 as the pair begins to buckle under the strain of the situation. Despite having a “plan,” it feels like they are more aware than either will admit of just how ludicrous it is. 

Tom Pelphrey’s Robbie really shines in Task Episode 4, as he escalates his character’s aggression.

The passive acting in the opening moments with these two is really great. Body language speaks extremely loudly from both actors. The stress of the scenario begins to almost seep out of the screen, making the atmosphere feel pervasive and powerful. 

The nerves finally break in Task Episode 4 when a momentary detour leads to a confrontation with a stranger about Sam and his relationship to Robbie. Pelphrey does a great job of escalating his character’s aggression. While attempting to extricate himself and Sam from the situation, there is a notable terseness to his movements. You can feel him trying desperately not to lose it. Once he loses his temper, he delivers a focused anger that doesn’t feel malicious, just uncontrolled. It’s like a “red haze” has taken control.

Another important moment occurs with Robbie, who is on the other end of the emotional spectrum. Task Episode 4 shows us a first glimpse of Robbie’s brother in a flashback scene. We see a happy day at the lake, before death and departures have left the family in ruins. 

Task Episode 4 does a lot for Perry as he continues to investigate the leak in the Dark Hearts.

This moment helps inform us about Robbie’s feelings towards his brother’s death. It does a good job of creating a strong and clear bond between the brothers, while also making the absent sibling feel realistic and relatable. Clearly flawed, the brief view we get establishes a man who one can believe both loved his brother and was a member of a violent biker gang. 

Speaking of violent bikers, Perry continues his investigation into the leak in Dark Hearts in Task Episode 4, which reveals some unexpected history. As the gang leader learns more and follows up on what he discovers, we get a more fleshed-out view of the character. 

Task Episode 4 does a lot for Perry. While he remains a heinous human being, we see some measure of sensibility in his actions here that helps explain how he has progressed as far as he has. Previously, he seemed cruel and hard in almost every circumstance. Here, we see him use some better judgment and stay his hand, even when it feels likely he’ll shoot the messenger. This helps explain how he engenders loyalty from the gang, as he displays some measure of leadership skill to balance out the fear he clearly cultivates in his underlings.

Task Episode 4 features strong storytelling and great acting, with a highlight on Silvia Dionicio’s Emily.

On the FBI front, Brandis is faced with mounting evidence that there is a mole in the task force. When things go sideways at the staged meetup, he has to come to terms with the fact that only they knew the details, so one of them must have been the leak. Ruffalo does a great job of portraying Brandis’ growing concerns, as the situation piles onto the other weights on his shoulders, like his crumbling relationship with his foster daughter Emily (Silvia Dionicio). 

Despite strong storytelling and great acting all around, Dionicio steals the show this episode. During a visit with her therapist, we see the actor dive into the complicated feelings her character has towards her foster family. The nuance of the writing is handled with exquisite care by Dionicio. The pain, confusion, and helplessness she conveys are extremely authentic. 

By the end of Task Episode 4, the situation has gone completely sideways for Robbie. Truly lost for what to do next, it feels like a pivotal moment is coming for the character, especially as Brandis is given information that will draw him even closer to the fugitive. 

Task Episode 4 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes released every Sunday in September and October.

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