Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s crime drama series, ‘Task,’ puts Mark Ruffalo in the role of FBI agent Tom Brandis, who is tasked with finding the robbers who have been hitting drug houses of a notorious biker gang. Apart from the pressure of his profession, he also has to focus on his personal life, which seems to be crumbling as his adoptive son faces the day of his sentencing. While mentioned in the first two episodes, Ethan doesn’t show up until the third episode, and from here, his presence in the show becomes stronger, adding more depth to Tom’s storyline in the process. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ethan Serves as a Major Point of Conflict for the Brandis Family
Before Tom Brandis is called back to the field to handle the case of a string of robberies, he seems to be on a much-needed sabbatical. The first episode hints that something tragic has happened to his family, and the culprit is none other than his son, Ethan. The second episode gives a clearer picture of his situation, where Tom’s daughter Sarah’s arrival marks a major shift in the family’s dynamics. It turns out that Ethan and his sister, Emily, were adopted by Tom and his wife, Susan. The kids came with their own challenges, but it was more difficult to handle Ethan because his struggles were related to his mental health. However, the Brandis’ didn’t shy away from it, and they did their best to help their son. In the beginning, his volatile and violent nature came out on the school playground, but getting medical help proved to be beneficial.
As long as he took his meds, he would be fine. But then, Covid struck, leaving the family quarantined and unable to get their hands on the meds. Eventually, Ethan’s meds ran out, which led to the worsening of his mental state. During one of these days, he had a particularly bad episode, which ended with him pushing Susan down the stairs. She broke her neck in the fall and died of her injuries. Due to this, Ethan was arrested and has been in jail since. The loss of Susan and Ethan at the same time shook Tom and Emily to their core. Their family was changed forever, and it also started to affect their relationship. While Tom grieved for his wife and missed his son, he could not bring himself to forgive Ethan and refused to visit him in prison. His biological daughter, Sarah, blamed Ethan for her mother’s death and did not have the intention of forgiving him either.
Emily remained the only person who wished for him to receive a lighter sentence, knowing that he would not receive the help he needed in prison. However, she also knew that this thought process would not be supported by her family, especially Sarah. Meanwhile, Ethan goes through a drastic change in prison. He cuts his hair and gets skinnier, and while he is heartbroken about the way things transpired, he is also shattered about the fact that he has been abandoned by his father. When Emily tries to console him, Ethan points out that Tom asks about him all the time, but their father came to drop off the suit for his hearing, but did not bother to meet him. He has no doubt about the fact that Tom and Sarah hate him, and in a way, Ethan hates himself, too. His predicament puts him in a very complicated situation.
Andrew Russel Expertly Brings Out Ethan’s Internal Struggle
The role of Ethan Brandis in ‘Task’ is played by Andrew Russel. The actor is known for his work in TV shows like ‘Cheer Up, Charlie,’ ‘Sleeping With Strangers,’ ‘FBI: Most Wanted,’ and the TV movie ‘Descent.’ He was born and raised in the southeast region of America and harbored the dream of becoming an actor from a young age. He got into the business in his early years, and later got a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Montclair State University in New Jersey. Apart from being active in movies and TV shows, he had also displayed his talents on the stage by appearing in several theatre productions.
When he is not consumed by his work, he finds pleasure in baking, cooking, and reading. While he may have limited roles to his credit so far, Russel shows a keen understanding of his character in ‘Task.’ Given Ethan’s mental and emotional challenges and the deeply messed-up situation that he lands in, the role requires a certain sense of depth that is exhibited by the actor who makes a strong impact even when he receives much less screentime than other actors in the show. Ethan’s turmoil is portrayed effectively by Russel, which is a testament to his talents.
Read More: Is Task Related to Mare of Easttown?
