October Binges: Task & Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping

Need a new binge for the month? Do you want a moving American miniseries or a silly British sketch show? Both, you say?! Well, keep reading!

Task: Written and created by Brad Ingelsby, who was responsible for the equally dramatic and moving Mare of Easttown, this is another miniseries set in rural Pennsylvania where we follow an FBI agent named Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo, at his soulful best), who has to set up a task force to investigate a string of robberies targeting stash houses operated by a drug-dealing motorcycle gang. He is working with a group of agents who have been recruited from different teams, some a lot greener than others, and the group dynamics are certainly going to get interesting. But outside of the task force, Tom's home life is currently quite tragic, with his teenage son in prison awaiting a hearing, and his younger daughter trying her best to navigate all the tension at home while his older daughter flies in to create more tension.

Meanwhile the robberies have been masterminded by Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey), a man who is seeking revenge against the gang that operates these houses and has decided this is the best way to do it. The initial plot of robbing drug houses reminded me a lot of Dope Thief, but once we get into Robbie's reasons for the robberies and his whole family situation, I got a hell of a lot more invested in this character. The series is kickstarted by a robbery that goes horribly wrong, resulting in the kidnapping of a young boy, and the resulting cat-and-mouse chase between Tom and Robbie, that very satisfyingly culminates halfway through the series, is a sheer delight.

This show is shot beautifully - yes, the body count is high and the emotions are wrenching, but a lot of scenes are set in the woods by a beautiful lake, and there's always a lot of calm Nature to behold as people are getting shot or strangled. The interplay between the different characters is fascinating, and Tom is a particularly compelling lead, as he was formerly a chaplain, and is therefore not some stereotypical hot-shot agent or arrogant Fed who can't have any empathy for the criminals he's pursuing. There are many twists and turns, but everything is wrapped up neatly in seven episodes. If only all television could be this economical and excellent.

Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping: I'm a huge fan of the comedy duo of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, so naturally I was delighted to see they were coming out with a new sketch show on Channel 4. The first series just aired and comprises six episodes that aired weekly but are now all available for your bingeing pleasure. So what are you waiting for?

Fans of British comedy will get everything they want from this extremely silly show. There's a running gag about a Sweary Aussie Drama, and occasional forays into the writer's room to get a meta take on the comedy writing process and sketches we've just seen. The supporting cast comprising comedy stalwarts like Stevie Martin, Lara Ricote, Krystal Evans, and Kiell Smith-Bynoe is excellent, and once in while, you may even get a famous cameo...Olivia Colman anyone? This show is certainly not high art, but every week it offered me a wonderfully diverting 24 minutes, and now I bequeath it unto you. Go forth and have a giggle, you deserve it!