The Depressing Rural Pennsylvania Televisual Universe has just gotten a whole lot more interesting, as Emmy winner Julianne Nicholson has joined the cast of HBO’s Task Season 2. Variety reports that she will be playing her character from the 2021 limited series Mare of Easttown, a role which won Nicholson one of her two previously mentioned Emmys.
The crossover makes sense, as Mare of Easttown and Task were both created by Brad Ingelsby and focus on working-class life in the less populated areas of Pennsylvania. Well, except for the part where Task is a crime drama focused on a task force led by Mark Ruffalo’s Tom Brandis, and Nicholson’s character, Lori Ross, isn’t a member of law enforcement — she’s a wife and mother. A wife and mother who admittedly got tangled up with a murder investigation in unexpected ways, yes, but it’s not clear how she’ll be involved.
Crossover and Character Connections
However, Lori was the best friend of the titular Mare, played by Kate Winslet, so this may be laying the path for Winslet to make her own appearance on Task, versus the second season of Mare of Easttown that’s been rumored about for years. Per Variety, Winslet did say that “I think we probably will do it” — or maybe Detective Mare Sheehan will join up with Brandis down the line. TV is magic that way.
The first season of Task received six Emmy nominations this week, including recognition for Mark Ruffalo as lead actor and Tom Pelphrey as supporting actor. It’s streaming now on HBO Max, and the first season is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
Awards and Streaming
In conclusion, the addition of Julianne Nicholson to the cast of Task Season 2 is an exciting development for fans of both Mare of Easttown and Task. With the possibility of Kate Winslet joining the show as well, the future of the Depressing Rural Pennsylvania Televisual Universe is looking brighter than ever. As the show continues to gain recognition, including its recent Emmy nominations, it will be interesting to see how the story unfolds and how the characters from Mare of Easttown and Task intersect and interact with each other.
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