Kate Winslet’s 7-Part HBO Crime Thriller Is Officially Changing Format

Published Jul 30, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT After joining Screen Rant in January 2025, Guy became a Senior Features Writer in March of the same year, and now specializes in features about classic TV shows. With several years' experience writing for and editing TV, film and music publications, his areas of expertise include a wide range of genres, from comedies, animated series, and crime dramas, to Westerns and political thrillers. Kate Winslet’s award-winning 2021 police-procedural series will soon be back on HBO in a new format, with its standout supporting character taking the lead in its return. Winslet surprised fans by playing against type in this seven-episode crime thriller, which was originally produced as a one-off miniseries release. Comments from Winslet in recent years have suggested that Mare of Easttown could be making a comeback for a second season. However, before that possibility can be explored further, the show will be returning in a different form, through a major crossover with its sister series on HBO. Season 2 of Brad Ingelsby’s other release on the network, Task, is already in development. This season will introduce a new character to the show, but one many of us have seen before. It turns out that Mare of Easttown shares a universe with Task, a revelation that makes sense given both series are set in working class suburbs of Philadelphia. In fact, Delco and Easttown are neighboring districts of the city’s greater urban area, where Ingelsby spent his entire childhood. Task’s emotional season 1 ending brings closure to the case Mark Ruffalo’s Tom Brandis was previously working on, giving scope for a new storyline involving Mare of Easttown character Lori Ross. Mare Of Easttown Is Returning Via A Crossover With Task Season 2 Earlier in July, it was confirmed that Task will cross over with Mare of Easttown by introducing Julianne Nicholson’s character into its second season. Nicholson previously won an Emmy for her portrayal of Lori Ross in the crime-procedural miniseries starring Kate Winslet. Now, she’ll be hoping to add a new dimension to Task, which sees Mark Ruffalo heading an FBI taskforce to fight crime in Philadelphia. While it isn’t yet confirmed how Lori will fit into the next case of Tom Brandis, we should expect Nicholson to play a major role in season 2 of the acclaimed law enforcement drama. Task’s crossover with Mare of Easttown confirms what many fans of Brad Ingelsby’s work already suspected. The two shows share the same city, tone, and thematic focus on working-class communities afflicted by persistent crime. What’s more, although protagonists Brandis and Kate Winslet’s Mare Sheehan work in different capacities, they share various personal traits. Both are overburdened law enforcers struggling through family traumas and alcohol addiction. They come up against various bureaucratic barriers in their attempts to lead local crime investigations in the Philadelphia area, but ultimately prevail in bittersweet finale episodes. The return of Mare of Easttown via Task season 2 takes the logical step of integrating the worlds of these two antiheroes. Julianne Nicholson’s Character Is The Best Thing In Mare Of Easttown While Kate Winslet gave her best performance for many years as Mare Sheehan, the actor who truly stands out in Mare of Easttown is Julianne Nicholson. She plays Mare’s best friend and emotional rock, Lori Ross, who ultimately anchors the show as all around her seems to be collapsing. One of TV’s most powerful depictions of female friendship, this aspect of Mare of Easttown sets it apart from virtually every other procedural crime drama in existence. Nicholson was rightly rewarded for her performance as Lori with an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, and her career has only gone from strength to strength since. Her industry recognition for the miniseries led to several roles on the big screen, before she fronted the first season of Hulu’s post-apocalyptic thriller Paradise in 2025. Paradise was quickly followed by a recurring part in Hacks season 4, alongside her Mare of Easttown costar Jean Smart. Now, Juliette Nicholson is returning to the character who put her on the map as a major TV star. Lori Ross will be a breath of fresh air in Task season 2. Perhaps her appearance in the show will then mean that it’s only a matter of time before we see Mare Sheehan again. Mare of Easttown 8/10 Release Date 2021 - 2021-00-00 Network HBO Mare of Easttown is a 2021 HBO crime drama series starring Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan, a detective in a small Pennsylvania town. The series follows her investigation of a local murder while she contends with personal challenges threatening to unravel her life and career. Task 9/10 Release Date 2025 - 2025-00-00 Network HBO 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.