Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo), the FBI agent, is the character around whom everything in Task Episode 1, 'Crossings', revolves. After being handpicked by the Police Chief, Kathleen McGinty, Tom is the one who has to coordinate the activities of various departments to put an end to a lethal criminal trend.
His own struggles - loss, faith, and family disputes run parallel to his professional duties, thereby making his leadership more challenging.
Tom’s position and leadership in Task Episode 1
"Crossings" in Task Episode 1 focuses on FBI agent Tom Brandis as he faces tough situations and goes on active duty. What was he assigned for? The answer is pretty simple: an investigation into a new task force that deals with a series of wild robberies related to drug trades in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The various levels of law enforcement are brought together under Tom's leadership, which in turn creates both opportunities and tensions. The viewers are not only introduced to Tom but also to the different characters that make up his team.
Members of Tom’s task force
The task force introduced in Task Episode 1 consists of three key members, each representing a different jurisdiction:
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Stover (Alison Oliver) is a state police officer who is very disciplined and procedurally correct. Lizzie represents statewide policing, which is the official, structured element of the team.
Aleah Clinton (Thuso Mbedu) is a detective sergeant in the city police. Aleah brings in a more cynical, street-hardened perspective, which balances out the bureaucratization of the state troopers with the simple, everyday detective experience.
Anthony Grasso (Fabien Frankel): A local detective whose extensive knowledge of the county makes him an indispensable source for identifying the crime trends in Delaware County. By being part of the task force, he is their link that connects them with the community in danger.
Together, the team members give Tom a task force that is layered, diverse, and capable of viewing cases through multiple lenses.
Kathleen McGinty's role
Right above Tom and his pals is Police Chief Kathleen McGinty (Martha Plimpton), the originator of the task force in Task Episode 1. She is the one who brings Tom on board and puts him in a senior position.
Although she does not work on the ground with the rest of them, her presence is quite influential, as it determines the unit's agenda and overall direction.
Where the Task Force operates
One particular feature of Task Episode 1 is the choice of the headquarters. The task force is operating out of a converted stash house instead of a regular office or police station.
This decision reflects urgency and toughness, which match well with the show's darker tone. Besides, it is also a metaphor; the team is literally getting the most out of the leftovers from the crime to fight criminals.
The story from the villain's perspective
Parallel to Tom’s task force in Task Episode 1, we meet Robbie Prendergast (Tom Pelphrey), who is revealed to be behind the robberies. He is not doing it by himself: Cliff Broward (Raúl Castillo) and Peaches (Owen Teague) are his employees.
A robbery that went terribly wrong at the beginning of the episode leads to the death of Peaches, thus raising the stakes, and the plot moves into riskier waters. These are the direct villains of Tom's team, who are the main reason for the task force to face the escalating threats.
Tom's family in Episode 1
Next to the professional narrative, Task Episode 1 exposes Tom's homelife, communicating that he is not only a policeman. Emily and Sara, his daughters, are shown next to the beginning, supporting and revealing a human side of his character.
The mention of his son Ethan's trouble with the law gives the narrative another point of dispute, telling how Tom's family issues affect his decisions as a commander.
Why the Task Force structure matters
The team of Tom for Task Episode 1 isn't the introduction of characters. The show with members from three different levels, state, city, and county, is reflecting the reality of multi-jurisdictional investigations.
This blend not only generates the qualifying elements of conflict but also underlines the theme of collaboration, which is likely to develop further in the series.
Thus, the central plot of Task Episode 1 is about the creation of Tom's task force. Following Chief McGinty's order, Tom, Lizzie, Aleah, and Anthony are gathering to work out of a temporary command center with a single mission: to put an end to the string of burglaries in their community. Robbie Prendergast and his team bring the tension on the opposing side of the story, keeping the stakes high.
Task Episode 1 accomplishes firmly the rest of the episodes by first presenting a diverse and complex workforce.
Also read: How Task Episode 1 perfectly portrays nuances of both sides of the law