Task Episode 3 Recap: I Think I Smell a Rat

In Episode 3 of Task, the HBO Max drama deepens the web of personal animus and cash-driven risk surrounding Robbie Prendergast and his family. Robbie repeats a stark self-justification as he explains why he’s been pursuing a dangerous route: "So yeah, I'm gonna take their money. Yeah, I'm gonna take their money." The episode also discloses that Robbie’s biker brother Billy was beaten to death by Dark Hearts lieutenant Jayson, and that Jayson later attended Billy’s funeral, offering a silent, loaded apology with the same hands that killed Billy. Maeve, Robbie’s niece, is pulled closer into the family’s peril as she is asked to navigate a world in which money is a function of fear. Eryn, Jayson’s girlfriend, is secretly feeding Robbie and Cliff information about trap houses that are cash-rich, making the dispute personal as well as profitable.

The core conflict widens as Robbie and Cliff use the case of Sam, the boy they abducted from the home of a slain couple, to press their advantage, while Maeve’s inexperience clashes with the grim calculus of the operation. The arrangement also complicates Maeve’s loyalty to the family, to the boy they abducted, and to the memory of those they’ve killed. The personal stakes intersect with the criminal enterprise in a way that refuses to let the audience forget that this is as much about legacy, fear and power as it is about money.

A centerpiece is Robbie’s monologue, delivered in the back of an Uber, which repeats lines in a way that has drawn praise for the actor's intensity. The show’s creator Brad Ingelsby wrote the dialogue, and critics have highlighted the scene for how it conveys Robbie’s inner conflict without improvisation. Pelphrey has said he did not improvise a word, but the cadence and physicality give the lines the sense that the speaker is wrestling with himself as much as with others. The scene serves as a window into how personal history shapes the choices the characters make, and how the show uses precise dialogue to reveal character rather than spectacle.

The episode also leans on smaller characters to propel the plot forward. Ray Lyman, a rec-league referee by trade, and his wife Shelley become central to examining abusive dynamics and the cost of desperation. Shelley's decision to break free from an abusive relationship becomes a turning point that allows the other characters—Grasso, Stover, and Brandis’s squad—to articulate a broader critique of violence and control. The sequence culminates with Ray’s parole being jeopardized after a confrontation in Cliff’s home, highlighting the way violence and deceit ripple through families and law enforcement alike.

The raid and the confrontation illuminate a new wrinkle: the presence of an unknown car outside Cliff’s house and the possibility of a leak within the task force. Surveillance photos reveal the outside vehicle watching the property even as investigators operate, suggesting that the Dark Hearts have a lead on Cliff’s moves, or perhaps a leak inside the task force itself. The episode leaves viewers with the warning, "Suspect everyone." This line from a veteran detective underscores the season’s core tension: trust is endangered as competing factions pursue their own versions of justice and profit.

Alongside these plot mechanics, the episode is notable for its craftsmanship. The ensemble includes Peter Patrikios as Ray and Mickey Sumner as Shelley, who bring distinct energy to their scenes; the dynamic among ex-con Ray and the Dark Hearts crew adds a subtle undercurrent of danger. The show’s tonal balance—a blend of procedural texture with intimate character drama—continues to rely on a sharp soundtrack and precise performances to carry its more ethically compromised choices. The overall effect is a story that rewards close listening to dialogue, the shifting loyalties among the task force, and the creeping sense that every alliance is temporary.

As Task nears the midseason point, critics and fans alike are parsing how Episode 3 reshapes who can be trusted and what counts as victory. The episode’s success hinges less on obvious shocks than on the way it renders the human costs of crime and deceit. Viewers are invited to watch for who is feeding whom, how information travels, and what it means to balance survival against integrity. The episode continues the show’s trend of compressing moral ambiguity into crisp, emotionally charged scenes, signaling that future chapters may hinge on a similar interplay of power, vulnerability and endurance.