REVIEW: ‘Task’ Episode 5 — “Vagrants”

Task Episode 5, “Vagrants,” sees Robbie (Tom Pelphrey, Blindspot) backed into a corner without his only support. Meanwhile, Brandis (Mark Ruffalo, The Adam Project) and Perry (Jamie McShane, Wednesday) are both closing in on him, as they each learn new information about the situation. And as the sun rises on a new day, Maeve (Emilia Jones, Locke and Key) makes a promise to Robbie that she isn’t going to back out on. 

At roughly the halfway point of the series, Task Episode 5 provides the perfect opportunity to draw its disparate characters together, as it directs the narrative towards the final run. As paths begin to cross, worlds collide, and an accumulation of too many facts and suspicions takes place, inevitable meetings occur.

The first of these narrative collisions comes when Perry heads out to Maeve’s house, under the pretenses of picking up her dad’s old biker cut(vest) for a memorial the club is holding. Already suspicious, Perry does his best to spot some visual indicator that Maeve or Robbie was involved. Maeve must stealthily hide Sam (Ben Lewis Doherty) from Perry, lest the truth be revealed. 

Characters meet under unlikely circumstances. 

The tension throughout this early scene sets the tone for the episode wonderfully. As Maeve scampers to keep Sam out of sight, Jones once again does a phenomenal job portraying her character’s feelings both during and immediately after the encounter. The way her body is wracked with relief as Perry leaves feels incredibly genuine, like a person emerging from their worst nightmare. 

From here, Maeve’s side of the story sees her take Sam to the police, as she told Robbie she would, if he didn’t have the situation squared by then. Agreeing to talk without a lawyer and willingly waiving her Miranda Rights, it’s clear that Maeve just wants the situation to be done with. 

The biggest meeting in Task Episode 5 sees Brandis come face-to-face with Robbie. Having pulled a print off of the bucket Sam had in the last episode, Brandis is pointed towards Maeve’s home, where he hopes to catch up with her. When he gets there, only Robbie is home, and the pair have an extremely tense interaction that spirals out to dominate the back half of the episode. 

Tense interactions make up the bulk of “Vagrants.” 

As the pair get acquainted under less than friendly circumstances, both Pelphrey and Ruffalo do great work in their roles. Ruffalo’s delivery is cautious and calm, always trying to be the voice of reason, while not pushing Robbie too far, lest something unfortunate happen. 

Pelphrey’s ability to oscillate Robbie’s emotional state back and forth throughout the sequence is impressive. Sometimes in control, other times pushing in panic, and occasionally sympathetic, the way the actor navigates the emotional spectrum he was asked to convey is graceful. 

This delicate balance is largely maintained thanks to Pelphrey’s ability not to overcommit to any one mood. He gets angry when he thinks Brandis is trying to trick him, but not enraged. He gets sentimental when he asks a favor of the beleaguered FBI agent, but he never sheds a tear in front of others. It is an effort in restraint that helps the whole of the sequence come to life in a way many wouldn’t be able to harness. 

Task Episode 5 delivers a major reveal. 

The final big moment, leading up to a dramatic cliffhanger ending, comes with the revelation of who the mole in the task force is. While who the mole is is a solid choice, it’s poor timing.

There is no reason at this particular moment to do the reveal, and given where Task Episode 5 leaves off, it would have been better for the scenario if the identity hadn’t been shown, as a dangerous situation is about to play out, and the mole could be a tipping point for the confrontation that is looming. 

Task Episode 5 crashes into its end credits, promising a huge moment to come. What will happen and who will walk away remains completely uncertain. Thanks to the excellent acting and overall great setup, the stage is as set as anyone could ask for. All that remains is for the shooting to start. 

Task Episode 5 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes released every Sunday in September and October.

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