HBO’s 7-Part Crime Thriller Proves There’s Only One Actor You Call To Play A Cop

The well-earned critical acclaim lavished on HBO’s crime thriller Task proves that there is one actor who is uniquely well-suited to the role of hard-boiled TV cops. One of the best HBO shows in years, creator Brad Ingelsby’s Task is a dark, thoughtful crime drama that takes its characters seriously.

The show’s story may be emotionally devastating, but its tragic twists feel earned throughout. The show’s story follows a Philadelphia-based cop who is tasked with stopping a motorcycle gang that is targeting trap houses. As the seven-part crime thriller’s plot unfolds, a diverse array of characters is introduced, including Fabien Frankel’s Anthony Grasso and Owen Teague’s Peaches.

Task Is The Latest In A Long Line Of Mark Ruffalo Law-Enforcement Roles

While all of these characters are memorable, Mark Ruffalo’s central turn as the conflicted Tom Brandis is what makes Task a remarkable HBO show. A former Catholic priest, Brandis is still reeling from a family tragedy when he starts the task force that is supposed to target the gang robbing trap houses.

Thuso Mbedu’s Aleah Clinton and Alison Oliver’s Lizzie Stover are pivotal parts of the task force, but it is Ruffalo’s Brandis who holds the show’s sprawling story together. Ruffalo brings a profound sense of humanity and vulnerability to the part of Brandis, turning what could have been a clichéd cop antihero into a believable, well-rounded character.

This shouldn’t come as a major surprise, since Ruffalo has carved out quite a niche for himself playing cops in recent decades. As early as 2000’s The Beat and 2003’s In the Cut, Ruffalo was already building this reputation, but the actor has only bolstered it with his roles in Collateral, Zodiac, Shutter Island, the Now You See Me franchise, and Crime 101.

Mark Ruffalo Vs. Timothy Olyphant: Who Is Hollywood’s Best Cop Actor?

Of course, Timothy Olyphant’s acclaimed Neo-Western Justified means that Ruffalo has some competition when it comes to deciding who the best cop actor of the pair’s shared generation is. Not one to be outdone, Olyphant played a CIA agent in 2016’s Snowden, more conventional cops in Gone in 60 Seconds and Havoc, and a US Marshal in Fargo.

As well as starring in Justified, Olyphant also played a contemporary small-town sheriff in The Crazies and a historic Wild West sheriff in Deadwood. This means Olyphant has played a broader range of law enforcement figures throughout various genres and time periods, showcasing true commitment to his reputation as a cop actor.

That said, the sheer acclaim afforded to Ruffalo’s Task performance marks him out as his generation’s premier cop actor for the time being. Of course, Olyphant’s next well-received cop show or movie may see him wrestle this title right back from Task’s star.