A Powerful Confrontation in Episode 5
The fifth episode of Task, titled “Vagrants,” ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats. After following the parallel journeys of Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey) and Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) for several weeks, the two characters finally come face-to-face, with intense consequences.
The first meeting between Robbie and Tom occurs mid-episode when the FBI agent visits the Prendergrast home to search for Maeve (Emilia Jones), as her fingerprints were found on a bucket linked to the kidnapping of Sam (Ben Doherty). Although Maeve is not present, her uncle Robbie is, and he quickly realizes the danger at hand.
Robbie takes Brandis hostage, forcing him to drive out to a remote location. During the journey, the two men engage in a deep and meaningful conversation about life, love, and loss. This scene was described by Tom Pelphrey as one of his favorite moments to perform. He praised the trust that series creator and showrunner Brad Ingelsby placed in his actors, allowing them to explore the emotional depth of their characters without overtly revealing their inner thoughts.
“It’s one of my favorite scenes I’ve ever gotten to play as an actor. It’s so lovely,” Pelphrey said. “What’s really beautiful about it is that the scene that Brad wrote is a very surface-level scene. They’re not talking about any of the important things that they’re actually thinking about.”
This exchange was also a standout moment for the episode’s director, Jeremiah Zagar, who called it his favorite scene in the entire series. He highlighted how the scene strips away the artifice of filmmaking, focusing instead on the raw emotion between two characters. “It’s just two close-ups, watching human beings discuss things that we all wish we could talk about in such an intimate way,” Zagar explained.
The scene was shot in a real car on a real highway, with the actors playing the dialogue while looking into the rearview mirror. The authenticity of the setting added to the intensity of the moment. “Everything was basically as real as it could get,” Pelphrey noted. “And we were playing the scene in a rearview mirror. You know, I could get [Ruffalo’s] eyes sometimes and he could get mine. Other than that, it was just the sound of the voice and it was beautiful.”
Zagar compared the experience to sitting around a campfire, where people can open up about things they might never discuss otherwise. “It’s like a campfire. You know, like when you sit at a campfire and all of a sudden there’s just a light between you and the person you’re across from and you can talk about things that otherwise you never would be able to talk about.”
After this tense encounter, Robbie lets Brandis go, leaving him in a park where he can call for help. However, the FBI task force continues to pursue Robbie, eventually tracking him down at a remote hunting lodge where he is waiting to meet the Dark Hearts.
A Tense Conclusion
In the final moments of the episode, the second confrontation between Robbie and Tom takes place near a woodland stream. Tom finds Robbie preparing to confront the Dark Hearts, and he points a gun at him, unaware that he is leading the group right to them. Robbie is horrified to see Tom, and for a brief moment, the situation becomes chaotic.
“Get on the ground! Do it!” Brandis yells. “Robbie! Get on the ground, Robbie!”
Robbie pulls out his own gun, pointing it at Tom. “Put the gun down, Robbie!” the agent shouts back. “Robbie! Put the gun down!”
The episode ends with Tom crying and clearly saying, “It’s over!” as the camera zooms in on Robbie’s determined expression.
Next week’s episode will continue exactly where this one left off, despite being directed by different people. Director Jeremiah Zagar handed over the baton to Salli Richardson-Whitfield for Episode 6, but both worked closely to ensure a seamless transition. “It was easy to trust that we were going to be able to do that,” Zagar said, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the storytelling.
A Major Twist: The Mole Within
Episode 5 also reveals a shocking twist: Anthony Grasso (Fabien Frankel) has been working as a mole for the Dark Hearts within law enforcement. His actions include stealing Ray’s phone and helping set up Cliff Browder (Raúl Castillo). This revelation adds another layer of tension as the task force prepares for its showdown with the Dark Hearts. With Grasso embedded in their ranks, the stakes have never been higher.
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