HBO's Hit 96% RT Crime Series Is Fully Switching Casts In Season 2

Published Oct 30, 2026, 11:45 PM EDT Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns. Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies. After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back. One of HBO's biggest crime thriller hits, which boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%, is all set to return for season 2. The show's early success and high acclaim are enough to get one hyped about its upcoming installment. What makes the show's season 2 even more interesting, though, is that it is completely switching its cast after its opening season. The show in question, Task, premiered in September 2025 and was originally billed as a limited series. It featured a total of only 7 episodes that perfectly wrapped its run. However, even though it is rare for HBO to renew even some of its most acclaimed limited series for new seasons, Task season 1's overwhelming acclaim and commercial success prompted the network to bring it back. Since another season was not initially in the cards for Task, the HBO crime drama is seemingly returning with many significant changes. While most details surrounding its story in season 2 remain unknown, it has been confirmed that it is switching its cast in the upcoming installment. This seems to mark a major shift for the show, which could make or break it in season 2. Task Is Getting A Whole New Cast In Season 2 ©HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection In a recent interview, Lilli Kay, who played Frankie Grasso in Task season 1, revealed that she will not reprise her role in the show's upcoming season. She also added that the show will feature a whole new cast in the upcoming season, with many new names joining the original roster. This news comes in the wake of other cast updates that reveal how several new actors are set to be part of Task season 2. As reports confirm, Mahershala Ali is set to play a major role in the series as a DEA Agent named Eddie Barnes in season 2. Other actors like Édgar Ramírez, Jharrel Jerome, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harry Melling have also been cast in Task season 2 to play prominent new roles. Even though Task is expanding its main cast in season 2, many actors from season 1 are also expected to reprise their original roles. While Lilli Kay's exit has been confirmed, several original stars from the series will continue their journey in season 2. Which Cast Members Are Actually Returning From Task's First Season? Even though Task season 1 did an incredible job of resolving all the arcs of its major characters, season 2 is set to give many of them new stories. For instance, it has been confirmed that Mark Ruffalo will return as the series' lead, Tom Brandis, and continue spearheading a new task force as a veteran FBI agent. Similarly, Martha Plimpton​​​​​​​, too, is a part of season 2's roster as Kathleen McGinty, who serves as Tom's FBI supervisor. Silvia Dionicio​​​​​​​ and Andrew Russel are also returning cast members who will play Tom's daughter and son, respectively. Interestingly, since Task unfolds in the same universe as Mare of Easttown, one character from the latter is also a part of Task season 2's roster. Julianne Nicholson's Lori Ross from Mare of Easttown does not play a role in Task season 1. However, as reports reveal, her confirmed addition to season 2 will create a perfect crossover out of the two HBO crime dramas. What Task's New Cast Means For Season 2 This major cast shake-up in Task season 2 evolves the series from a self-contained story to a full-fledged anthology. In season 1, the story primarily revolved around Tom Brandis' pursuit of hunting down a small-time robbery crew linked to a biker gang. New casting choices suggest that the show is elevating its drama by adding more federal agencies to the mix with characters like Mahershala Ali's Eddie. Since most original informants and supporting agents from season 1 will seemingly be completely out of the picture in season 2, Mark Ruffalo's Tom will also have to form a whole new task force. Season 2 has also added Jharrel Jerome and Bethlehem Million as Jordan and Lisa Barnes, respectively, who will play Eddie's adult children. This suggests that, just like season 1 also gave a glimpse of Tom's home life, season 2 will do the same with Mahershala Ali's character. Finally, one of the most exciting developments in the HBO show's season 2 is that Julianne Nicholson is returning to play the role she won an Emmy for. This will establish a clear tie between Task and Mare of Easttown's overarching shared universe. Task Release Date 2025 - 2025-00-00 Task is a crime drama set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia. It follows an FBI agent leading a task force to stop a series of violent robberies orchestrated by a seemingly ordinary family man, unraveling the complexities behind his dual life. Network HBO Cast Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Fabien Frankel, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Alison Oliver, Owen Teague, Raul Castillo, Silvia Dionicio, Martha Plimpton, Colin Bates, Antino Crowley-Kamenwati, Rick Kelvin Branch, Ben Lewis Doherty, Michael Maize, Bryant Carroll, Ian Merrill Peakes, Joshua Dye, Pilot Bunch, Isaach De Bankolé, Peter Epstein, Darwin Harris, Keen Ruffalo Directors Jeremiah Zagar Main Genre Drama Executive Producer(s) Brad Ingelsby, David Crockett, Jeremiah Zagar, Mark Roybal, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Lee, Salli Richardson-Whitfield Producers Claire Shanley, Gabrielle Mahon, Holly Rymon, Sophia Christophides Seasons 1 Release Window September 2025