Task Episode 4 "All Roads" Cranks Up Violence and Family Tension

When Robbie Prendergast (played by Tom Pelphrey) learns his best friend Cliff has been captured and brutally tortured by the Dark Hearts gang, his already shaky world collapses in Task’s fourth hour‑long episode, “All Roads,” which aired on March 10, 2025 as part of HBO’s seven‑episode first season.

The episode, set in an unnamed rust‑belt region, pivots from the series’ earlier heist‑style thrills to a grim family drama. By the final minutes, Robbie’s teenage daughter Harper is terrified, his niece Maeve (Emilia Jones) is seething, and the police task force, led by federal agent Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo), is scrambling to prevent a blood‑soaked showdown.

How the Plot Thickens: The Gun, The Holster, The Revelation

Detective Perry (Jamie McShane) uncovers a pivotal piece of evidence: a gun found in Cliff’s battered sedan matches a holster in an old family photograph. The image shows Robbie’s dead brother Billy (Jack Kesy) wearing the very same leather holster, alongside Billy’s daughter Maeve.

“The gun’s holster ties directly back to Billy,” Perry mutters, scrolling through grainy negatives. The connection forces Perry to consider that the Dark Hearts crew might be stalking not just Robbie but his blood‑line.

Maeve’s Ultimatum and Robbie’s Crumbling Fatherhood

In a heated hallway confrontation, Maeve hoists a hand‑raised finger and declares, “Maybe you should have thought about that before you started robbing these houses. You’re not going to ruin their lives just because you ruined yours.” She gives Robbie until sunrise to hand over his accomplice Sam, or she’ll do it herself.

Meanwhile, a quieter scene shows Robbie trying to dance with Harper. The little girl, clutching a crumpled flyer, confesses, “I didn’t get tickets because I didn’t think you wanted to go.” Robbie’s eyes well up, a visual reminder that his criminal choices are eroding the very family he’s desperate to protect.

Dark Hearts’ Relentless Pursuit

The biker gang, officially known as Dark Hearts, is led by the shadowy figure “Papa Dark Heart,” seen only in two brief flashes. After Jayson (Sam Keeley) and Perry kill a federal agent in the previous episode, Dark Hearts is hunting them relentlessly. Jayson, now a merciless enforcer, tortures Cliff to death, cementing the gang’s ruthless reputation.

According to the Esquire recap, Jayson’s next move is a raid on Maeve’s house to claim the cash hidden there, while former crew member Anthony Grasso (Fabien Frankel) seeks redemption by turning informant, and Tom Brandis pushes his team back into the field despite the loss of their evidence locker access.

Critical Reception: Fatherhood Takes Center Stage

Critics have noted that the episode marks a tonal shift. The AV Club wrote that “Task finds its center as a show about fatherhood,” highlighting Robbie’s volatile relationship with Harper as the emotional core. The Ringer praised the escalation of violence, calling Episode 4 “a masterclass in raising stakes while deepening character conflict.”

Viewership numbers back up the buzz: Nielsen reported an average of 1.2 million live viewers for the March 10 broadcast, up 15 % from Episode 3’s audience.

Responses From Cast and Crew

In a post‑air interview, Tom Pelphrey described Robbie’s dilemma as “a tragic collision between criminal ambition and a dad trying to be there for his kid.” Emilia Jones added, “Maeve’s fury feels personal because we all carry that family baggage—she’s not just a plot device.”

Mark Ruffalo, playing Agent Brandis, hinted at an upcoming twist: “We’ve got an informant inside the task force, and that’s going to reshape the whole investigation.”

Impact on the Season’s Trajectory

With three episodes left, the narrative stakes feel higher than a ticking time‑bomb. Time.com warned that “the walls are closing in on Robbie, but with three installments to go, the writers can still pull a surprise.” The episode sets up Maeve’s house as the next battleground, where Jayson, Grasso, and Brandis will converge, according to the Esquire finale recap.

Fans speculate that the episode’s focus on family trauma may foreshadow a redemption arc for Robbie, perhaps mirroring the tragic hero trope seen in classic crime dramas like "The Wire."

What’s Next for Task?

The next episode is slated to air April 7, 2025. Anticipated plot points include:

• Jayson’s assault on Maeve’s home.
• Grasso’s attempt to bring down Dark Hearts from the inside.
• Brandis confronting the internal informant, potentially compromising the whole task force.
• Robbie making a decisive choice that could either rescue or ruin his family forever.

Whether Robbie will sacrifice himself for Harper, as the series’ title suggests, remains the season’s biggest question.