Beating True Detective At Its Own Game

HBO’s Task has one element that beats True Detective at its own game. Task is the latest hit from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, diving into a fascinating, character-driven crime story that follows both law enforcement and criminals. Task’s reviews have praised the show after its opening episodes, aligning with HBO’s typical prestige quality.

HBO has a long line of critically acclaimed crime dramas to live up to, with True Detective being perhaps the most similar to Task. The 2014 anthology series is widely praised for its premiere season, which featured Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in roles that changed the TV landscape. However, True Detective’s seasons haven’t achieved that level of acclaim since.

Brad Ingelsby’s Task & Mare Of Easttown “Universe” Is Exactly What True Detective Should Have Been

It doesn’t take a genius to notice that Task and Mare of Easttown are very similar shows, and creator Brad Ingelsby even went as far as to confirm they exist in the same universe. This immediately prompts similarities to the True Detective anthology, as each season depicts different characters, a different setting, and new mysteries to solve.

Brad Ingelsby’s shows examine different characters with varying interpersonal conflicts and employ different plot formats, with Mare being a murder mystery and Task being more of a cat-and-mouse plot. It’s almost like Ingelsby is constructing a Philadelphia-area crime anthology series.

The difference between Ingelsby’s series and True Detective as a whole is that his shows have found consistent critical acclaim. Following True Detective season 1, every season has been divisive, prompting HBO to pursue new leadership for seasons 4 and beyond.

If Brad Ingelsby can maintain a consistent level of quality with his shows, even without them being an anthology, he’s already fulfilling the promise that True Detective failed to deliver. As much as I’ll be excited for more True Detective seasons regardless, it’s hard to deny the success of his series.

What True Detective Season 5 Can Learn From Mare Of Easttown & Task’s Success

While I honestly have positive things to say about every True Detective season, it’s clear that they’re divisive. HBO had a massive hit with True Detective season 1’s first season, and it’s difficult to live up to something like that when starting fresh with a new plot and cast of characters.

If True Detective seasons are struggling to exist in the shadow of season 1, then the only solution is to take the series in a fresh direction. In theory, this is what Night Country did, but the consistent parallels and references made it difficult to differentiate. Task proves the merits of establishing a fresh identity, rather than trying to repeat a formula that’s already been executed to perfection.