HBO's 7-Part True Detective Replacement Is So Good, It Could Last Forever

Published Jul 26, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT Zach Moser has been writing for ScreenRant since 2022, covering movies, classic TV, and streaming TV. His areas of expertise cover a wide range of genres with a particular interest in horror and drama, and the conversations around the TV and film industry. When he's not covering the latest film releases or chronicling the latest season of a new show, he's writing humor pieces for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, and Points In Case or working on short stories and his second novel. HBO's seven-episode crime drama, one of its best since True Detective, could end up going forever, or like, six seasons, which is sort of like forever in HBO terms. HBO just refuses to stop cranking out prestige TV series, and nothing gets viewers more excited than hearing that the streamer has a new crime drama on the way. Perry Mason, Mare of Easttown, Sharp Objects, The Outsider, The Undoing, We Own This City, and much more are just a few of the reasons why other streamers lag so far behind HBO in terms of quality. If True Detective appeared on any other streamer, it would be the pinnacle of their library. On HBO, it's just another year of programming. One of the more recent shows on HBO feels like a true successor to True Detective. Task is Brad Ingelsby's second crime drama made for HBO, the first being Mare of Easttown in 2021. Like Mare, Task takes place near Philadelphia, and includes plenty of the towns, cultural touchstones, and accents of Ingelsby's hometown. Task stars Mark Ruffalo as Tom Brandis, an FBI agent dealing with a terrible family tragedy. In the midst of his tribulations, he's asked to lead a task force to investigate a series of armed robberies and the abduction of a little boy. A huge success, Task earned a Golden Globe nomination, and Emmy nominations will likely be forthcoming. Though it was not sold as a multi-season TV show, Task is officially getting a second season. Not much more has been said about Task season 2, but the few sprinklings of information suggest that Task could end up being one of HBO's biggest series. Task Could Become A Connected Anthology-Style Series Similar To True Detective Currently, the only actor from Task season 1 set to return in season 2 is Ruffalo, so it's hard to tell what the second season could be about. Task season 1 had a very definitive ending, and it would be a big surprise if Ingelsby decided to continue that specific story in some way. It's possible that Task could end up as a True Detective-style anthology, with each season focused on an entirely different crime. However, if Ruffalo is still involved with the show, that could suggest Ingelsby is going for more of a serial story, where each season builds upon the previous. Mahershala Ali is set to appear in the series for the first time in season 2. Ali will play Eddie Barnes, an experienced DEA agent in Philadelphia who becomes a part of Tom's new task force and butts heads with the FBI agent. Ali notably appeared in True Detective season 3. Could this be his second HBO anthology series? Task Has Already Laid The Groundwork For A Long Run Credit: MovieStillsDB Task seems to be laying down tracks for a long series run. In early July 2026, it was announced that Julianne Nicholson would be joining the Task season 2 cast, reprising her role as Lori Ross from Task, confirming that the two shows take place within the same universe. By connecting Task to Mare of Easttown, the show is readying itself for what could be a long multi-season run. If Ingelsby was going to stop Task after two seasons, he probably wouldn't bother linking his two projects. Having Nicholson appear in both shows could mean he intends to explore the universe he's created in more detail, meaning, in more seasons. Release Date 2025 - 2025-00-00 Network HBO Directors Jeremiah Zagar